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Assistant professor and policing expert Rylan Simpson has been awarded a US$243,126 Criminal Justice Research Grant to explore the effects of Live 911 technology—a software that allows police officers to live stream 911 calls from inside of their patrol vehicles—on a variety of policing outcomes.

In his three-year study, Simpson will work in collaboration with a municipal police agency in Southern California. The research will involve assigning police officers to either use or not use the Live 911 technology as they conduct their patrol duties, allowing for a comprehensive comparison of its potential effects on a range of outcomes, including response time, call disposition, and officers’ thoughts and behaviours.

Simpson emphasizes the importance of understanding the dynamics of police interactions initiated by the public via their calls to the police.

“What transpires during the police contact process can shape the outcomes of police activity,” he says. “Understanding if, and how, Live 911 technology affects such dynamics is thus incredibly important.”