Expression of Interest

It is recommended researchers seek early feedback to their research idea by submitting an Expression of Interest to Conduct Research form (EOI). This is to ensure that proposed projects are logistically feasible prior to submitting a full application.

The EOI should be written in plain English and include how the project will be of benefit to the WA Police Force and any important dates. If the EOI is supported in principle, the applicant will be asked to submit an Application to Conduct Research document.

Application to Conduct Research

Research applications generally request access to WA Police Force personnel, data, corporate records or facilities. Applications should contain as much information as possible in order to be fairly assessed.

The Application to Conduct Research form and supporting documents should be emailed to Research.Governance@police.wa.gov.au in MS Word or PDF format. Failure to supply all required documentation will result in delays in assessing the application.

Approval Process

Applications take a minimum of four weeks to be assessed (longer in complex or contentious research requests) and therefore should be submitted well in advance of the intended commencement date. This will allow the agency to scope the resourcing requirements and consult with relevant stakeholders within the WA Police Force.

Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be informed in writing of the outcome of their application. If a research proposal is approved, the researcher will be required to return a signed copy of the Code of Conduct for Research to Research Governance, prior to the commencement of the research, or release of any requested data.

Research Ethics Approval

While the WA Police Force does not have a formal Human Research Ethics Committee, all of its work is guided by the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023. Researchers from other agencies may also be bound by their own agency’s code of conduct and by the guidelines for ethics and integrity in the Public Sector Management Act 1994.

All research conducted by university students or staff that involves human subjects or their data, is to be approved by the university’s Human Research Ethics Committee. Researchers will be required to provide evidence of the approval as part of the application process. University ethics approval does not automatically lead to WA Police Force approval. It is therefore recommended that Research Governance is consulted early in the development of potential research proposals.

Submission of Research Report

The sharing of any findings from the research (including the publication of the research report) to a third party must be approved in writing by the WA Police Force Research Governance Office.

To obtain approval for public release, the WA Police Force requires a draft copy no less than 14 days prior to the researcher’s anticipated release date. For more information please refer to the WA Police Force Code of Conduct for Research.