Wolfson Fellow Dr Peter Neyroud – Associate Professor in Evidenced-based policing at the Institute of Criminology – has become the 2023 Robert Boruch award winner. The Robert Boruch award is made annually by the Campbell Collaboration for distinctive contributions to research that informs global public policy.
The Campbell Collaboration (https://www.campbellcollaboration.org) is the international social science network that produces high quality policy relevant evidence syntheses – systematic reviews and evidence and gap maps – in the same way the Cochrane community produces them for health.
Dr Neyroud has been leading work for the Campbell Collaboration on the evidence for preventing terrorism and radicalization (https://www.campbellcollaboration.org/research-on-cve.html). As Co-chair of Campbell’s Crime and justice coordinating group, he has been working with the 5RD – the research leaders from the Five Eyes (US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and UK) – on the largest ever global programme to review the evidence in this field. So far 18 reviews have been commissioned including a global evidence and gap map. Campbell has just been awarded a continuation contract for a further programme of reviews. Overall, the programme provides the most comprehensive and systematic presentation of the best available evidence in a complex but critical area.
In his first career Dr Neyroud was a police officer for more 30 years. He joined Hampshire Constabulary after completing a degree in Modern History at Oriel College, Oxford. He served in a variety of roles, including senior detective, before joining West Mercia Police as Assistant Chief Constable and then Thames Valley Police as Chief Constable. In 2006 he was appointed Chief Constable of the National Policing Improvement Agency. The Home Secretary appointed him to conduct a major review of police leadership and training in 2010. His report led to the creation of the College of Policing and the development of new standards for police training.
Dr Neyroud has a long association with Wolfson. He did a Diploma in Applied Criminology at the College whilst he was a Detective Superintendent as part of his Strategic Command Course. He returned in 2011 to do a part time PhD in Criminology which he completed in 2017. His research focused on randomized controlled trials in policing, and he led a major RCT in Birmingham, UK, Operation Turning Point,testing the effectiveness of police led diversion of offenders. He was appointed as Lecturer in 2016 and the Director of the Masters programme in Applied Criminology and Police Management in 2022.