Cambridge-NLU Delhi Centre for Research in Global Policing
About Us
The Cambridge–NLU Delhi Centre for Research in Global Policing (CNCRGP) is established as a premier “think-and-do” hub dedicated to advancing research-led innovation and capacity building in the domain of policing and policing studies within both the Indian and global contexts. Built on a powerful partnership between NLU Delhi and the Cambridge Centre for Evidence-Based Policing, the Centre bridges the gap between rigorous academic research and field-level law enforcement through data-driven, technology-enabled solutions. By integrating experiential, quantitative, and qualitative methodologies, including Evidence-Based Policing, Impact Evaluation, and Experimental Research, the Centre fosters deep pracademic engagement. This approach seamlessly blends academic excellence with real-world policing practice, ensuring that research remains deeply embedded within policing institutions to deliver operationally effective, accountable public safety outcomes and deepen community trust.
The partnership between NLU Delhi, which hosts the Centre, and the Cambridge Centre for Evidence-Based Policing is built on a commitment to a locally grounded yet globally connected platform. It is dedicated to advancing research-driven police and security sector reforms and fostering Indian and international knowledge exchange in policing studies and practices. By integrating qualitative, quantitative, and experiential research with advanced technological applications, the Centre strengthens its pracademic foundation. Strategically located in the Global South, it connects diverse dimensions of global policing through a cross-fertilisation of ideas across geographies, creating innovative, needs-based capacity building. The transdisciplinary perspectives cover policing and law enforcement along with security sector governance, access to justice, the rule of law, development, and peace administration. The scope of the Centre’s alignment extends to police organisations in India and abroad, alongside other academic and practice-based institutions, to expand its collaborative reach and impact.
Objectives
- Undertaking pracademic research within policing institutions using innovative methodologies to strengthen policing as a public service and ensure accountable outcomes;
- Undertaking comparative policing research from a global south perspective to inform global policing practices.
- Collaborating with police organisations to support training design, innovation and capacity building for police officers and allied service providers;
- Developing data-driven policing frameworks and AI-based solutions with a focus on accountability and ethical public safety practices;
- Undertaking interdisciplinary research on policing and law enforcement at the intersection of law, society and technology;
- Engaging with contemporary and future policing concerns, including community policing, public safety, conflict prevention and peace building; and
- Exploring collaborations across academic, professional, governmental and industry sectors to provide research, consultation and policy solutions.
The Operational Prospects
The Centre seeks to serve as a transformative hub for international collaborations, delivering innovative training and evidence-based reforms that strengthen the operational effectiveness of police services and foster community trust. The Centre is designed to reshape existing paradigms within field-based policing practice and aims to advance practical, ethical, and globally relevant policing solutions.
Research and Innovation
The Centre envisions undertaking pracademic and interdisciplinary research rooted within policing institutions, using advanced methodologies such as Evidence-Based Policing, Impact Evaluation, and Experimental Research to deepen institutional accountability and use adaptive policing strategies to respond to fast-evolving changes
It promotes comparative policing research from a Global South perspective while engaging with broader global debates on law enforcement, public safety, access to justice, and the vital relationship between law, society, and technology.
The Centre’s primary focus is on developing data-driven frameworks, digital tools, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, while advancing high standards of algorithmic accountability and ethical AI in policing.
Training and Capacity Building
The Centre is a resource hub for police reform, training and capacity building. Its functions include training design, training needs analysis, training of trainers programs, specialised capacity building initiatives for police officers, law enforcement agencies, and allied service providers. Building upon the innovations developed by the Cambridge Centre for Evidence-Based Policing, the Centre seeks to strengthen evidence-based policing perspectives within Indian and global contexts.
Policy, Practice and Public Safety
The Centre strives to integrate executive training with field-level action research to improve policing outcomes in India and around the world. By systematically applying research-led approaches to everyday police operations, it aims to minimise preventable harms, generate new knowledge, and support effective public service delivery. Through its work, the Centre also aspires to address contemporary policing concerns and support informed and accountable policing practices such as community policing, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, public safety, and emerging governance challenges, by drafting briefs, reports, consultations, academic publications and collaborative projects to address contemporary policing, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding challenges.
Global Collaboration and Partnerships
The Centre endeavours to build long-term public confidence through a scalable international network of institutional collaborations across academia, police organisations, governments, and industry to foster collaborative research, consultation, and knowledge exchange.
Through an international network of global partnerships, the Centre aims to deliver data-driven and solution-oriented approaches that strengthen policing systems, institutional trust, and public confidence globally.
Contact Us
E-Mail: [email protected]
Aim
The Centre aims to advance research and research-led innovation and capacity building in the domain of policing and policing studies in the Indian and the global context through data-driven, evidence-based, experimental, quantitative and qualitative methodologies which are embedded in pracademics in terms of both context and impact.
Events
Cambridge–NLU Delhi Centre for Research in Global Policing Hosts Inaugural Masterclass
The Cambridge–NLU Delhi Centre for Research in Global Policing marked the beginning of its activities with its inaugural event on 30 June 2026, featuring the unveiling of the Centre’s official logo and a Masterclass by Prof. Sandip Sukhtankar on “Governing Justice: The Case for Evidence-Based Policy in Indian Policing and the Justice Sector.”
The event brought together academics, policymakers, members of the judiciary, police officers, researchers, and students to explore the role of evidence-based policymaking in strengthening policing and justice institutions.
In his welcome address, Prof. (Dr.) G. S. Bajpai, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, National Law University Delhi, highlighted the importance of research-led policymaking and the role of academic institutions in supporting policing and justice sector reform. Introducing the Centre, Dr. Vineet Kapoor outlined its vision of advancing interdisciplinary research, fostering collaboration, and generating evidence to inform policing and criminal justice reforms.
Drawing on his research, Prof. Sukhtankar demonstrated how empirical evidence can shape institutional reform and improve justice outcomes. The event was attended by Ms. Maja Daruwala, Chief Editor of the Indian Justice Report, Mr. Valay Singh, Co-Founder of the Indian Justice Report. The event also welcomed the virtual participation of Mr. Simon Rose, Chief Executive Officer of the Cambridge Centre for Evidence-Based Policing, alongside other participants. The inaugural programme reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to advancing research, dialogue, and collaboration on policing and criminal justice in India and beyond.