The Canadian Police Research Centre (CPRC) is a partnership among the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the National Research Council Canada. It is staffed by personnel from the RCMP and the National Research Council (NRC), and is governed by an independent advisory board made up of representatives from police and other related organizations from across Canada. The CPRC will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2004.
The CPRC serves as a single, national focal point for technology research and development efforts in support of Canada's law enforcement community. By promoting innovation and cooperation between the police community, governments, industry, universities, and other research organizations, the CPRC strives to ensure that the best possible resources are made available to police and related organizations in a cost-efficient and timely manner.
Canadians today have an unprecedented awareness of public safety concerns, and equally unprecedented expectations for seeing those concerns addressed. In December 2003, the Canadian government clearly signaled its heightened priority for all aspects of security issues at home and on the world stage. While the CPRC cannot address all of these areas or expectations, it has made-and will continue to make, significant contributions to public safety at home and abroad.
Through its research agenda, the CPRC provides the law enforcement community with reliable, objective information on a variety of topics, that contributes to sound, evidence-based decision-making. It also provides a unique service by developing and evaluating technologies and technical standards to respond to the following areas.
Law enforcement and public security organizations benefit from having an organization that can identify common technology needs, develop standards, and evaluate technology in an operational environment. The CPRC is well positioned to respond to these needs on a national basis and has commercialized over 50 technologies that are in daily use in Canada and internationally.
The responsibility for law enforcement and public security crosses all levels of government. The ability to work seamlessly with all stakeholders in this area is critical in solving operational problems and commercializing key solutions. An important core competence of the CPRC is strong partner relationships. The CPRC plays a key role in facilitating cooperation across jurisdictions and between organizations including law enforcement, industry, other private sector interests, and non-governmental organizations.
When it comes to police research, the capacity to respond to immediate operational needs (within 0-24 months) is essential. The CPRC is a flexible organization that can contract, develop, and integrate technology rapidly. It does this by bringing Canada's major research organizations, police services, and innovative industries together to produce the solutions required for today's policing.
First response begins at the community level. The CPRC maintains the Technology Partner Associates, a network of police professionals that helps to provide Canadian industries with opportunities to test new products and technologies in an operational environment. The CPRC also works with the NRC's Industrial Research Assistance Program and other research institutes to link first responders, industry, and researchers. In 2004-05, the CPRC will establish a Technology Development Advisory Committee (TDAC) to assist in identifying needs and setting project priorities.
Training is costly and difficult to provide on an "as needed basis". This results in a need for e-learning and e-working tools to develop and maintain effective first-line response. The CPRC, working with police educators, has initiated a national Canadian Police Knowledge Network to coordinate developing high-quality courses for members of police services around the world.
