Research fellowship program earns national recognition

A collaboration between the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and the City of Pullman Police Department that connects doctoral students with law enforcement units has been recognized by this year’s Smart 50 Awards for its trailblazing approach.

Implemented by Professor David Makin and Police Chief Gary Jenkins, the research fellowship program provides opportunities for emerging criminal justice scholars to apply their analytical knowledge to help smaller police departments.

Pullman PD has already seen dividends from this program, including a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis for a new municipal building and research briefs on evidence-based practices associated with domestic violence. The first six months of the program also allowed for the assessment of a traffic camera system and development of a grant proposal to the National Institute of Justice to examine the use and effectiveness of de-escalation within police-citizen interactions.

The program aligns with the University’s land-grant mission of conducting research that addresses real-world issues.

Each year, the Smart 50 Awards, in partnership with Smart Cities Connect, Smart Cities Connection Foundation, and US Ignite honors the most innovative and influential work happening globally. Winners will be recognized as part of an awards gala later in the fall of 2021.

Originally posted at WSU Insider