Student network and Policing Studies team join forces on policing issues
Nieuws
What began as a successful informal collaboration is now being placed on a structural footing. Through a new covenant, the Student Police Advisory Network (SPAN) and ISGA’s Policing Studies team have agreed to continue sharing knowledge, networks and activities around police science.
The covenant was signed on 6 May in the Wijnhaven building. SPAN members were present, as were lecturer Joery Matthys and endowed professor Monica den Boer.
SPAN is an independent advisory organisation within the The Hague Police Unit and supports the police on social and internal issues. The network consists of eight students from a range of academic backgrounds and also has access to a broad network of students, academics and professionals from the business community. Within ISGA, the Policing Studies team focuses on knowledge development and research in the field of police science.
Sharing knowledge and practical experience
Through the collaboration, SPAN and the Policing Studies team aim to make it easier to exchange knowledge and practical experience. For example, they can involve each other in brainstorming sessions, share relevant literature and insights, and promote each other’s activities within their networks. They will also invite each other to events, such as SPAN’s Case Night and the study evenings organised by the Policing Studies team.
Keeping in touch
According to Joery Matthys, the covenant reflects a collaboration that had already existed in practice for some time. ‘We had already found each other some time ago, and the SPAN members are regular participants in the study evenings. But we all felt that the already strong ad hoc collaboration could be formalised a little more, so that it goes beyond personal contacts. The aim is essentially to keep seeking each other out and to offer mutual support.’
Through the covenant, both parties aim to strengthen the quality of research, make better use of their networks and further develop the connection between academic knowledge and police work.