The Role of Cultural and Tacit Knowledge in Police Training and Education

Police scholars have consistently drawn attention to the importance of informal or cultural knowledge in influencing the professional practice of police officers (see, e.g. Chan, 1997). Recent years, however, have seen many police organisations embark upon programmes of professionalization, often based upon collaboration with Higher Education providers and aimed at limiting the scope for inappropriate or unprofessional practice. Simultaneously, the Evidence Based Policing agenda (see, for example, Sherman, 2013) has provided further impetus for more formalised modes of police knowledge. This paper will draw on empirical data drawn from two research studies to explore the tensions in policing between cultural knowledge and that which is more formal (or ‘codified’ according to Eraut, 2000). In doing so, it will identify some of the challenges of embedding formal police knowledge within police structures. Furthermore, it will seek to highlight some of the implications, for both practice and professionalization, that might arise from such challenges.