About Policing Research

About

An independent research and evaluation platform focused on empirical analysis, policy impact, and institutional accountability in policing.

Mission & Approach

Independent.
Methodologically
Rigorous.

Policing Research produces empirical research, applied reports, and expert analysis designed to inform agencies, policymakers, courts, researchers, and foundations. Work integrates peer-reviewed scholarship with operational experience and transparent methodological standards.

All research and analysis are conducted independently, without institutional or partisan affiliation. The platform is committed to advancing evidence-based practice in policing through rigorous empirical methods and transparent reporting.

University campus at golden hour

Director

John DeCarlo, Ph.D.

John DeCarlo is a Full Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of New Haven and a retired chief of police in Connecticut with more than 35 years of policing experience. Since 2006, he has been in higher education, receiving his Ph.D. from the City University of New York Graduate Center in 2010.

He is the founder of the Center for Policing, Innovation, and Research (formerly the Center for Advanced Policing) and currently serves as Director of the Master's Program in Criminal Justice at the University of New Haven — the online portion of which has been ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report for two consecutive years.

Dr. DeCarlo has authored several books and peer-reviewed articles in criminology, criminal justice, and policing. His 2024 publication in the Journal of Criminal Justice reported the first empirical test of the contagious fire thesis using a randomized controlled trial, quantifying the phenomenon and offering an explanatory framework.

Current research uses functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to image the prefrontal cortex of police officers making shooting decisions under threat. A National Science Foundation grant application is pending to support this work.

Credentials

Background & Qualifications

Education

  • Ph.D., Criminal Justice — City University of New York Graduate Center (2010)
  • M.S., Criminal Justice
  • B.S., Criminal Justice

Academic Positions

  • Full Professor, University of New Haven
  • Director, M.S. in Criminal Justice Program
  • Founder, Center for Policing, Innovation, and Research
  • Former Department Chair, Criminal Justice

Professional Experience

  • Retired Chief of Police, Connecticut
  • Career spanning patrol, investigations, and executive command
  • Expert witness in police practice and policy evaluation

Scholarly Output

  • 6+ authored books in policing and criminal justice
  • Numerous peer-reviewed journal articles
  • Applied reports and policy evaluations