The right tool for the job: evaluating police experiences of a pilot tool for responding to stalking

This research aimed to evaluate the rollout of a pilot Stalking Screen Tool (SST) across two police forces in southern England (Surrey and Sussex Police). The mixed-method approach to this evaluation consisted of several stages which included the analysis of existing crime data; conducting a survey (N = 102) of officers who were part of the pilot and; in-depth qualitative interviews (N = 10) with officers experienced in policing stalking from the pilot forces. The results indicated a relationship between longer terms of service and not seeing the utility of the SST. Ultimately, the research supports the need for tools like the piloted SST with the potential to assist law enforcement to police stalking effectively, albeit also pinpointing areas where such tools could be amended to better reflect the realities of policing stalking. The results further suggest the need for improved training for police on tools like the SST in order to ensure effective implementation.

© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press.
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice following peer review. The version of record Paul Bleakley, Stewart Frost, Paula Bradbury, Emma Short, Elena Martellozzo, The Right Tool for the Job: Evaluating Police Experiences of a Pilot Tool for Responding to Stalking, Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, Volume 17, 2023, paac022, is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/policing/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.10... and https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paac022.