Dr Jennifer Norman
Head Of Department, Policing Organisation And Practices Head
The Open University Business School
Biography
Professional biography
Jennifer Norman is the Head of Department of Policing Organisation & Practice (POP) in the Faculty of Business & Law (FBL). She started this role in April 2022 and leads a team of interdisciplinary academics in the development of the policing programmes at the Open University that are delivered as part of the Police Education Qualification Framework. Jennifer also is a member of the Centre for Police Research & Learning (CPRL) which aims to develop research and knowledge exchange with the police members/partnerships involved in the centre and is actively involved in research that CPRL undertakes.
Before joining the OU, Jennifer worked at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) as Senior Lecturer. She was the Programme Director for the BSc (Hons) in Policing, a degree programme specifically designed for police professions. During her time at CCCU, she was also involved in several research projects from the Canterbury Centre for Police Research. She conducted research for the Police Federation of England and Wales exploring police officer perceptions of a number of College of Police initiatives, including Direct Entry. She was involved with a small-scale project that focused on police education. She has expanded this work for her PhD study, using a longitudinal research design to track police officer experiences of studying at degree level specifically in relation to them utilising their knowledge in practice.
Before joining CCCU, Jennifer worked for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Her experience within the MPS was both operational and strategic. However, she was primarily involved with research and analysis throughout her 13-year career. She spent most of her MPS working as a Strategic Researcher where she employed social research methodologies to further understand strategic priorities for MPS Business Groups. She was involved in a number of research projects including a long term mixed methods approach to explore issues around rape and sexual violence, a process evaluation on neighbourhood policing, a qualitative study on the role of analysis and a project that gleaned young people’s perceptions of the police to further explore police engagement strategies.
Research interests
Jennifer has a variety of research interests having been involved in a range of research areas in policing. However, her main focus is on police professionalism and the role of police education with a focus on understanding how knowledge meets practice. Having worked within the profession in a research capacity and as an academic delivering a programme to practitioners, Jennifer recognises the importance of research knowledge being transferable and transparent to practice. She is committed to ensure that practitioners voices are represented in research to ensure their experiences are heard within the policing narrative.
Teaching interests
Policing, professionalism, victim vulnerablity, research methods, reflective practice
Impact and engagement
Norman, J., Lambert, J., and Partridge, L. (in press) Police-academic partnerships: delivering the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship. In Baxter, J, Selby-Fell, H and Gilbert, A, ‘Creativity and Critique in digital learning and teaching: Insights for learning design in business and law’ (Palgrave Macmillan, in press 2024).
Williams, E., Norman, J and Barrow-Grint, K (in press) Attrition, rape and domestic abuse. In Pepper, I. and McGarth, R. eds Introduction to Professional Policing: examining the evidence base - 2nd edition (in press)
Norman, J. and Hobbs, J. (in press) Evidence based policing. In Wood, D., Bradshaw, S., Dickins, T., Parker-McCLeod, Davis, C. eds Blackstone's Handbook for Policing Students (in press 2025). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Norman, J. (2024) Evidence based policing. In Wood, D., Bradshaw, S., Dickins, T., Parker-McCLeod, Davis, C. eds (2024) Blackstone's Handbook for Policing Students 2024. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Norman, J., Lambert, J., and Convery-Brown (2024) Politicization of police education: The impact on workforce. CPRL 10th Anniversary Conference: Retention and Prevention. 13th November 2024.
Norman, J., Williams, E., and Harding, R (2024) More than just professionalism: The responsibility of organisations to commit to specialist knowledge. European Society of Criminology Conference (EUROCRIM) 2024
Maguire, L., Sondhi, A., Norman, J. and Abinashi, D., (2024). Care for both victim-survivors and police investigators of rape and serious sexual offences in England and Wales. Criminology & Criminal Justice, https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958241248034
Norman, J., Fox, A., Harding, R., Majid, A., Williams, E., Davies, K and Horvath, M., (2024) Critical reflection: The importance of case reviews and reflective practice in rape and serious sexual offences investigations. International Criminology
Williams, E., Norman, J., Ward, R., and Harding, R. (2022) Linking professionalism, learning and wellbeing in the context of rape investigation. International Criminology
Norman J. and Fleming, J. (2022) Utilising police knowledge and skills - experiences from police practitioners studying a police specific degree Police Practice and Research: An International Journal, Online First
Norman J., and Lennie, S.J. (2021) Evidence Based Policing: What’s the problem? Australia & New Zealand Evidence Based Policing Conference (ANZSEBP) 17-20 August 2021.
Norman J., and Williams, E. (2021) Getting it right from the start: How to get vulnerability on the agenda as business as usual. LEPH 2021 The Sixth International Conference on Law Enforcement and Public Health, Philadelphia – USA, 22 – 26 March 2021
Williams, E., Norman, J. and Boag-Munroe, F. (2021) ‘Direct Entry: Fairness, resilience and the impact on regular cops’ International Journal of Law and Criminal Justice. Vol 64, 100442
Williams, E., Norman, J and Barrow-Grint, K (2020) Attrition, rape and domestic abuse. In Pepper, I. and McGarth, R. eds Introduction to Professional Policing: examining the evidence base – 1st edition London: Routledge.
Williams, E., Norman, J. and Brown, M. (2020) Policing and Mental Health: Do We Really Get It? in McDaniel, J., Moss, K. and Pease, K. (eds) Policing and Mental Health: Theory, Policy and Practice London: CRC Press
Williams, E., Norman, J. and Rowe, M. (2019) ‘The Police Education Qualification Framework: A Professional Agenda or Building Professionals?’ Police Practice and Research: An International Journal, 20 (3). pp259-272.
Williams, E., Norman, J. and Nixon, K. (2018) Violence Against Women: Public health or Law Enforcement Problem. Or both? International Journal of Police Science & Management, 20 (3). pp. 196-206. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461355718793666
Norman, J. (2018) ‘Rape and Sexual Violence – Partnership Problem or Law Enforcement Problem. Or both?’ “Taming the wicked: The role of partnerships in demanding times” 20th & 21st June 2018. Canterbury Christ Church University 3rd Annual Conference
Williams, E. and Norman, J. (2018) ‘Police Federation’s Annual Pay and Morale Survey (2017) – taking an in-depth look at the qualitative data’ British Psychological Society Conference
Norman, J. (2017) ‘Police officer students: experiences of studying a police specific degree’ - British Society of Criminology Annual Conference 2017, Forging Social Justice: Local Challenges, Global Complexities 4-7th July 2017. Sheffield Hallam University
Norman, J. & Williams, E. (2017) ‘Putting Learning into Practice: Self reflections from Cops', European Police Science and Research Bulletin Blog: Permalink: https://policinginsight.com/opinion/taking-time-take-stock-reflective-practice-police-bsc-students/#comment-768
Williams, E. & Norman, J. (2017). ‘Understanding Risks: Practitioner’s Perceptions of the Lottery of Mental Healthcare Available for Detainees in Custody’ Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, pax067, https://doi.org/10.1093/police/pax067. 9th October 2017
Norman, J. (2017). ‘Police officer students: experiences of studying a police specific degree’. Forging Social Justice: Local Challenges, Global Complexities. British Society of Criminology Annual Conference 2017
Williams, E. and Norman, J. (2016) ‘Putting Learning into Practice: Self-Reflections from the Cops’. CEPOL -European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training. GLOBAL TRENDS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING AND EDUCATION. Research & Science Conference 2016 5-7 October 2016 –Budapest, Hungary
Norman, J. (2009) ‘Seen and Not Heard: Young People’s Perceptions of the Police in London’. Conference Paper, British Criminology Conference. 2009.
Norman, J. (2009). ‘Seen and Not Heard: Young People’s Perceptions of the Police.’ Policing – A Journal for Policy and Practice Volume 3, Number 4 364 – 372.
Williams, E., Norman, J. and Wunsch, D. (2009). ‘Too Little Too Late: Assessing Vulnerability.’ Policing – A Journal for Policy and Practice Volume 3, Number 4 355-363.
Williams, E. & Norman, J. (2009) ‘Being an outsider within’ Guest Lecture, Canterbury Christ Church University. 2009.
Norman, J. (2008). ‘Understanding attrition of rape allegations in London’ Guest Lecture, Kingston University. 2008 & 2009.
Stanko, B., Williams, E., Mirrlees-Black, C. Wunsch, D., Norman, J., & Rehman, U (2006). ‘Safer Neighbourhood Research’ Conference Paper, British Criminology Conference. 2006.
Projects
CPRL Research Fellow 25/26
OU Police membership funding 1 FTE Research Fellow working with CPRL
CPRL Research Fellow 24/25
OU Police membership funding 1 FTE Research Fellow working with CPRL
CPRL Project Bluestone 2 WP4
This work package seeks to explore the relationship between the training delivered in the four forces for rape investigators and those involved in RASSO investigations, their developmental requirements and how these are identified, learning experiences and officer wellbeing. Much has been written in policing on the role of reflective practice in the context of officer wellbeing and professional development. Therefore, a model of reflective practice should underpin the iterative and cyclical nature of learning, applying learning and reflecting on the process in practice (for the purposes of development). This is particularly important in an area of policing as complex as investigating sexual violence and should apply both to the learners and the development of the learning materials and outcomes. Therefore, this reflective model will be applied to the exploration in all forces. The completed work package products will build on those developed in the pathfinder site at Avon and Somerset.
CPRL Embedding officer learning and wellbeing at the core of the approach (WP 4)
Work Package 4 (WP4): Embed officer learning and wellbeing at core of performance and learning and development approach This work package seeks to explore the relationship between the training delivered at Avon and Somerset for rape investigators, developmental requirements and learning experiences and officer wellbeing. Much has been written in policing on the role of reflective practice in the context of officer wellbeing and professional development. The final report will set out practical principles for best practice linking learning and development, alongside officer wellbeing, that can become part of the iterative processes of improvement in police services.
