Public Safety Innovation (PSI) Lab

CURRENT PROJECTS

• Reducing the Effects of PTSD Among Police Officers

  The PSI Lab is involved in several studies testing the effectiveness of interventions intended to reduce the effects of PTSD on first responders and military service members. See the published findings here.

• Improving Communication between the Police and the Public

  The PSI Lab is involved in several studies of communication between police and the public to reduce conflict. Two pilot studies on VOICES have already been published: first study and second study.

• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Street Outreach Conflict Mediation Programs

  The PSI Lab is carrying out a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of street outreach conflict mediation programs. See our published protocol here.

• Violence During Crowd Events

  The PSI Lab is studying violence during crowd events, including a study of protest-related homicides, vehicle ramming incidents, and the 2024 Copa America final in Miami.

• Navajo Police Pandemic Response project

  The PSI Lab is studying how Covid-19 has influenced policing and public safety in the Navajo Nation.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

• Phoenix Police Crowd Response Assessment

  The PSI Lab conducted a review of the PPD’s capacity for policing crowd events. The final report was submitted to the PPD on January 17, 2022.

• Empathy in Public Statements

  The PSI Lab reviewed statements issued by law enforcement after incidents to determine themes of empathy. See the published findings here.