Lowell, Massachusetts
Institutionalizing Evidence-Based Practices
Project Overview
The economic recession in the late 2000s had a profound effect on Lowell, Massachusetts. To proactively target crime, the Lowell Police Department (LPD) worked to implement evidence-based practices, such as problem-oriented and hot spot policing strategies. These strategies helped LPD reduce robberies, gang crime, and other incidents; however, firearm-related incidents and drug crime increased precipitously. LPD’s SPI goals were to increase the capacity of personnel to utilize evidence-based strategies daily and to create organizational changes to support evidence-based activities. There was a reported increase in officers of all ranks going to the crime analyst to acquire more information, and the working group became a useful forum to identify issues for top management.
Methods and Findings
- Following the intervention, there was a reported increase in officers of all ranks going to the crime analyst to acquire more information.
- The Smart Policing Initiative was established as a specific training module included at the Lowell Police Academy.
