External Research Requests

Purpose

The Queensland Police Service (QPS) Research Committee was established to ensure decisions regarding the Service’s participation in, or approval of, all significant research requests, including whole of government research projects, partnership projects, externally and internally driven projects, are made in an appropriate and consistent manner.

Objectives

The key roles of the Research Committee are:

1. to consider requests from external researchers and organisations to involve the QPS in whole of government research and evaluation projects or partnership projects, in relation to which funding or in-kind support is sought;
2. to examine applications from both external researchers and QPS members who wish to undertake significant research that impacts upon the Service, or requires access to data or involvement by Service members;
3. to monitor the progress of approved or endorsed research projects; and
4. to disseminate key learnings from research involving the QPS more broadly throughout the organisation.

QPS Research Priorities

The QPS outlines our annual priorities for research into contemporary and emerging issues that shape planning for the delivery of policing services into the future.  The current QPS Research Priorities document is attached below.  The priorities are not exclusive, nor are they listed in order of importance.  They are provided as a guide for researchers and research funding bodies who may wish to undertake research projects with the Service.

QPS Research Committee

The role of the QPS Research Committee is to deal with requests by external researchers to undertake significant research that impacts upon the Service, or requires involvement by Service members; and to monitor the progress of such research. The Committee meets in February, April, June, August and October each year or as required.

Policing and criminal justice issues generate a substantial amount of academic interest and therefore the Service receives a substantial number of requests to conduct research each year.  The QPS Research Committee seeks to facilitate quality research projects that build upon our knowledge of the delivery of policing services to the community, the corporate management of a large and diverse organisation that is the Queensland Police Service, and inform the strategic direction of policing in Queensland.  The QPS Research Committee may consider applications on the basis of their relevance to the current QPS Research Priorities.

Definitions

Research applications with Service-wide implications or involving two or more policing regions are defined as ‘Significant External Research’ and should be submitted to the Chair, QPS Research Committee.

‘Significant External Research’ is substantial externally driven inquiry, investigation or study to collate data for the production of a document specifically requested of the Service which is not normally produced.  ‘Significant External Research’ includes studies conducted by outside organisations and researchers for unofficial purposes, and includes Service personnel conducting research studies for private purposes.  It does not include requests for information that is readily accessible in existing records or publications held by the Service, nor does it include research undertaken as part of internal training courses.

External research applications affecting a single localised area are defined as ‘Limited External Research’ and can be submitted directly to the relevant regional authorised member (Assistant Commissioner).  Please contact the Review and Evaluation Unit, Ethical Standards Command on email QPS.Research@police.qld.gov.au for advice or clarification on this matter.

It should be noted that the QPS Research Committee does not consider and will not approve significant external research applications from students at undergraduate level.

How to Apply

‘Significant External Research’ applications should be submitted to the Chair, QPS Research Committee on the form “Application to Conduct a Research Study (External)” which is available below.

The QPS Research Committee will assess the application's suitability with regard to s.28 ‘External Research Requests’ of the QPS Human Resource Management Manual.  Research applicants will be promptly notified in writing of the Committee’s decision on their application.

If your research is approved

Once your research application has been approved you will be forwarded an approval letter and attached document “Conditions of Approval to Conduct External Research”.  A copy of this document is provided for your information below.

Prior to commencing your research you will be required to sign and return a “Formal Deed of Agreement”.  By signing this document you provide an undertaking to abide by all conditions of approval attached to your research.  A copy of the QPS conditions of approval is also available below. These conditions stipulate that you must prepare six-monthly progress reports and a reporting template for this purpose is provided below.  You must also provide two bound hard copies of your final research report to the Research Committee. Researchers should also note that any reports, documents or papers for publication arising from the research project must be approved by the Research Committee prior to publication.

Once your research has been approved, a QPS Research Liaison Officer will be appointed to your project.  The Research Liaison Officer will be your primary contact with the Service and will facilitate your research within the approved guidelines.  The Research Liaison Officer is usually an officer who is familiar with your specific area of research and who can arrange access to data or personnel for interviews/surveys.  This officer will not provide you with administrative or research assistance unless this is agreed to by the Committee and the officer’s manager.  Upon receiving their approval notification, researchers should liaise with the QPS Research Committee Secretariat via email QPS.Research@police.qld.gov.au to facilitate this process. 

Queensland Police Service Research Priorities 2012-2014	122 KB
Application to Conduct a Research Study (External) Attached file	116 KB
Conditions of Approval to Conduct External Research Attached file	26 KB
QPS Research Committee Progress Report Attached file	58 KB