Use of Hydra to influence cultural change in shifting perceptions of misogyny within police services in England and Wales

Educating police officers about the constantly changing and dynamic nature of their profession presents an ongoing challenge. As the adoption of technology for enhancing learning opportunities for police officers gains momentum, research on the effectiveness of this approach is struggling to keep up.

While there have been valuable contributions in the field of simulation for educational purposes (for example, Beck, Nichols and Verrilli, 2008; Herrington, Reeves and Oliver, 2007; Nygaard, Courtney and Leigh, 2012), it is widely acknowledged that this area remains underexplored.

This knowledge gap is particularly evident when it comes to using simulations to train professionals for high-risk, high-stakes and critical decision-making roles. There is limited literature that offers insights into how simulation-based learning exercises influence the training of these professionals, especially when considering their real-world application.

Aims

The aims of this research are to:

• identify the role of training on gender equality among police officers in England and Wales
• understand the impact of technology-based training programmes on the performance of women police officers within England and Wales
• understand the way technology-based training helps police forces in England and Wales to solve the issue of misogyny

Phase 1 – systematic literature review

Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) offer a structured and unbiased approach to synthesising existing research, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge, which has also been used in similar research (Gill and others, 2014; Herd, 2015).

SLRs minimise selection bias by following rigorous inclusion criteria, enhancing the credibility of findings (Kitchenham and others, 2009; Xiao and Watson, 2019).

Phase 2 – in-depth qualitative interviews

In this phase, in-depth qualitative interviews will be conducted with police officers before and after undergoing Hydra training modules. This phase aims to explore individual experiences, attitudes and perceptions in a more nuanced and personal manner.

The following samples will ensure that various perspectives and issues are highlighted.

• 6 to 8 interviews with male and female senior police officers before Hydra training.
• 6 to 8 interviews with male and female junior police officers before Hydra training.
• 6 to 8 interviews with male and female senior police officers after Hydra training.
• 6 to 8 interviews with male and female junior police officers after Hydra training.
• 4 to 5 interviews with subject-matter experts.

Phase 3 – focus group discussions

This phase involves engaging both individuals who have undergone Hydra training and those who have not. The focus group approach has been used by Pino (2001) as part of research and community policing. Focus group discussions will provide a platform for group interactions, contrasting perspectives and deeper insights (Walker, 1997), highlighting the issue of police complaints.

Focus groups facilitate dynamic group interactions, encouraging participants to share diverse perspectives on misogyny (Mullany and Trickett, 2020) and technology-driven training programmes. They promote social interaction, enabling participants to build on each others' ideas, fostering a deeper exploration of complex topics, as also used by Mason-Bish and Zempi (2019) focusing on street harassment and misogyny. 

References

• Beck D, Nichols G and Verrilli D. (2008). 'Simulations in training (Trends and Issues in Instructional Technology Research Paper IT6750)'.
• Gill C and others. (2014). 'Community-oriented policing to reduce crime, disorder and fear and increase satisfaction and legitimacy among citizens: A systematic review'. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 10, pp 399–428.
• Herd D. (2015). 'Conflicting paradigms on gender and sexuality in rap music: A systematic review'. Sexuality and Culture, 19, pp 577–589.
• Herrington J and others. (2004). 'Designing authentic activities in web-based courses'. Journal of  Computing and Higher Education, 16(1), pp 3–29. 
• Kitchenham B and others. (2009). 'Systematic literature reviews in software engineering – a systematic literature review'. Information and Software Technology, 51, pp 7–15.
• Mason-Bish H and Zempi I. (2019). 'Misogyny, racism, and Islamophobia: Street harassment at the intersections'. Feminist Criminology, 14, pp 540–559.
• Mullany L and Trickett L. (2020). 'The language of "misogyny hate crime": Politics, policy and policing'. In: Mullhany L, ed. 'Professional communication: Consultancy, advocacy, activism'. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp 249–272.
• Nygaard C, Courtney N and Leigh E, eds. (2012). 'Simulations, Games, and Role Play in University Education'. Oxfordshire: Libri Publishing. 
• Pino NW. (2001). 'Community policing and social capital'. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, 24, pp 200–215.
• Walker S. (1997). 'Complaints against the police: A focus group study of citizen perceptions, goals, and expectations'. Criminal Justice Review, 22, pp 207–226.
• Xiao Y and Watson M. (2019). 'Guidance on conducting a systematic literature review'. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 39, pp 93–112.