Innovative police education project moves into the marketplace

Published on 24, April, 2024

Two University of Sunderland academics exploring new ways to support police education through technology are hoping to make their ideas a reality after being awarded a place on an innovative market discovery programme.

Dr Adelle Hulsmeier and Dan Makaveli are aiming to bring together policing education and digital technology experts to investigate ways in which media production and digital/immersive technologies can be used to support the teaching of police education in higher education and police training environments.

The idea has led to the pair being accepted onto Innovate UK’s Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe) Discover programme, designed to move innovation out of universities into the marketplace to achieve its greatest impact. 

The success of the University’s partnership work with Northumbria Police, which forms part of the University’s Screen Performance, Performing Arts and Film Production programmes, highlighted a demand for accessible, digital/immersive, and adaptable training solutions that can support the delivery of police education.

Thanks to the eight-week ICURe programme, Dr Hulsmeier and Dan are now able to engage with relevant commercialisation tools and external specialists that can help lead their ideas to market.

Dr Hulsmeier, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for Screen Performance at the University of Sunderland, said: “The entry onto the ICURe programme was very competitive and to have been afforded this opportunity is really encouraging. It helps to not only recognise the historic importance of our work with police partners, but by being encouraged to apply to ICURe it also highlights a commitment for growth.

“Whilst this work is separate from our work with Northumbria Police, it calls upon our understanding of work that promotes education and awareness. We hope to create work that supports police education and training, and we are interested to use the training to learn more about the market and its nuances.”

Social entrepreneur Dan was asked to join the project due to his links to social enterprise and film making.

Dan, who is also Programme Leader for Media Production at the University of Sunderland, said: “I am loving the ICURe programme thus far.

“The training somehow manages to find an ideal middle ground, between the cohort exploring and developing business-centric progression, and remaining focused on the wide array of complex, research-driven concepts originating from a range of higher education institutions. It is forcing us to address complex issues, which are inherent to our core idea and hypothesis, and also help us to overcome them.”

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The pair are also working with the University of Sunderland's Associate Head of School for Crime, Policing and Investigation, Dr Lynsey Pinchen, and Senior Lecturer in Policing, Dr Jerry Pearson, to combine expertise as well as learn more about the potential for digital technology to support the teaching and delivery of the University’s Crime, Policing and Investigation programmes.

Dr Pearson said: “In today’s fast-paced policing environment, officers are called upon to dynamically manage incidents which they’ve often never encountered before. New technology has the potential to allow officers the opportunity to prepare for real events within a secure training environment and the University of Sunderland is working to facilitate the delivery of this technology to police forces.”

To find out more about the University of Sunderland's Police Project, in partnership with Northumbria Police, visit: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/performing-arts/police-project/

For more about the ICURe Discover programme, visit: https://www.icureprogramme.com/icure-discover/