Dr Lauren Metcalfe

I completed my undergraduate degree in Police and Criminal Investigation at the University of Central Lancashire, graduating with a first. I then continued to study, undertaking a masters in Criminal Investigation and a Ph.D in Evidence Based Policing. For my doctoral research, I worked with Lancashire Constabulary, conducting research on the nature of gang-related gun crime in Preston; assessing the complexities of the issue, profiling the individuals involved and working towards a greater understanding for more effective preventative measures in the future.

Following my studies, I was employed as a researcher; involved in Policing research projects, collaborating with Police Forces and their partner agencies, including Lancashire Constabulary, Cumbria Constabulary and Greater Manchester Police. I was also seconded to Lancashire Constabulary’s Evidence Based Policing team, before moving to Staffordshire University in 2017 to undertake a lecturing role. In 2018, I became course leader and currently hold a number of teaching and administration responsibilities. I also engage with the Erasmus+ programme and we collaborate with institutions within Europe.

Passionate about Evidence Based Policing research, I have broad research interests related to the field of policing. I currently supervise a number of Undergraduate and MSci research projects and supervise policing PhD researchers. We continue to develop and improve the policing research capacity within the department and collaborate with local police services to ensure our research has real world applicability.