NRiPN webinar explores police staff experiences of organisational and occupational culture.

A timely conversation

N8 PRP’s New Research in Policing Network (NRiPN) hosted its latest Work in Progress webinar on 3 August, bringing together 26 academics, policing practitioners and stakeholders to discuss developing research on police staff experiences of organisational and occupational culture. The session was led by Dr Naomi Davis-Crane from Liverpool John Moores University and built on her PhD and the Measuring Police Culture Agile Evidence Review, which examined how police culture is understood, assessed and evidenced.

Why police staff matter

Dr Davis-Crane’s presentation drew on emerging findings from semi-structured interviews with police staff practitioners from a wide range of forces and roles. Her research explores how police staff experience culture within policing organisations, including the ways in which their expertise, contribution and professional identity are recognised. Police staff make up a substantial proportion of the policing workforce and fulfil roles across areas such as analysis, forensics, procurement, administration, finance and operational support. However, the research highlighted that their contribution is often less visible than that of warranted officers, despite being essential to the effective functioning of modern policing.

Feeling undervalued

A central theme of the webinar was the experience, reported by some participants in the research, of feeling undervalued or treated as “second class citizens” within policing organisations. Dr Davis-Crane discussed how this can be reinforced through subtle everyday behaviours, language and organisational practices, including microaggressions and micro-invalidations. Examples included assumptions about who should take on administrative tasks, limited access to development opportunities, and the use of terms such as “back office” or “support staff”, which can minimise the breadth and significance of police staff roles. Feedback from attendees underlined the resonance of this theme, including comments that the research “articulated what I had experienced very well” and that it was valuable to see attention being paid to the staff-officer disparity.

Culture, gender and voice

The presentation also considered how these experiences intersect with gender and other protected characteristics, shaping opportunities for voice, progression and participation. This was reflected in feedback, with one attendee identifying continuing disadvantages for women as a key takeaway. Dr Davis-Crane explained that knowledge hierarchies within policing can privilege operational officer experience over other forms of professional expertise, which may affect confidence, motivation, wellbeing and organisational commitment. At the same time, her research found strong evidence of police staff commitment to public service, with participants continuing to express pride in contributing to public safety, justice and the wider policing mission.

Questions for policing

Audience questions explored the experiences of former officers who had moved into staff roles, differences between role types, parallels with other hierarchical public sector organisations, and the implications for leadership, workforce structures and organisational change. Participants also reflected on the economic model of policing and the impact of funding decisions on the status, security and visibility of police staff roles. The discussion highlighted the need to better understand how police staff roles have evolved, particularly as many now carry significant technical, specialist and operational responsibilities.

Audience reflections

Feedback showed that participants valued the opportunity to reflect on issues that are too often overlooked, with one attendee saying the event “made me think”, and another highlighting the importance of taking an interest in the disparity between police staff and officers. Others welcomed the way the findings articulated lived experiences of being undervalued within policing organisations.

From insight to action

Looking ahead, Dr Davis-Crane emphasised the need for further research and practical collaboration with policing organisations. She is particularly interested in working with individual forces to explore how these issues manifest locally and how evidence from the research can inform meaningful interventions. The event feedback reinforced the value of NRiPN’s Work in Progress format as a space for testing ideas, receiving constructive feedback and fostering collaboration, with attendees highlighting both the quality of the presentation and the importance of continuing research in this area.

If you would like to learn more, please see the presentation slides or contact Dr Naomi Davis-Crane. To read about our previous events, please follow the links on our Events page. 

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