In the wake of 2020’s seismic shifts in public perception, police agencies across the country are reevaluating their strategies for preventing crime. While reactive policing still dominates the landscape, there’s growing recognition that proactive strategies — built on research, precision and community engagement — offer a more sustainable path forward. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley sits down with one of the leading voices in evidence-based policing to discuss how officers and agencies can move beyond fear and resistance and toward effective, proactive crime reduction.

Dr. Cynthia Lum is a former Baltimore police officer turned professor of criminology, law and society, and director of George Mason University’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy. A national leader in translating research into practice, Dr. Lum discusses how police can break away from outdated “toolkits” and instead build smarter, more strategic approaches to patrol. She emphasizes that proactive policing isn’t about doing more stops — it’s about doing the right work in the right way, backed by data and shaped by mentoring, organizational support and critical thinking.

This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.