Jim Burch -From DOJ Halls to NPI: Building Evidence-Based, Human-Centered Policing

The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 162

Policing changes fastest when leaders listen first and translate ideas into real work. That’s the throughline in our conversation with Jim Burch, president of the National Policing Institute, who shares a candid view of how a small team amplifies big impact: distilling research into actionable guidance, helping agencies adapt—not copy—what works elsewhere, and building partnerships that move from concept to implementation. Jim draws on decades across DOJ and ATF, and he’s blunt about what unlocks progress: focused mission, field-driven priorities, and a healthy respect for regional differences that shape what “evidence-based” looks like on the ground.

We dig into NPI’s multi-city hot spots training experiment that cut crime by more than 20 percent without driving arrests up, and how implementation science turns studies into day-to-day practice. Jim opens up about cross-sector learning—borrowing just-in-time training from airlines and safety culture from fire and EMS—and why policing earns “profession” status when cities budget for standards, education, and officer wellness, not just cars and calls. He also tackles mission creep, the limits of co-response in under-resourced regions, and the practical ways agencies can pool capacity without losing local trust.

AI is the tension point many leaders feel. Jim explains why NPI moved from tight restrictions to governed adoption—policies, transparency, and training—after seeing real productivity gains in analysis, drafting, and data work. Forget the narrow use-case fights; the near-term upside is smarter internal workflows that free experts to make better decisions faster. Paired with clear research summaries and careful adaptation, AI becomes a legitimate force multiplier for public service.

If you care about evidence-based policing, officer wellness, and practical innovation that respects community nuance, this conversation offers both realism and hope. Subscribe, share with a colleague who wrestles with these issues, and leave a review telling us where your agency most needs help—implementation, AI literacy, or wellness—so we can explore it next.

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If you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome, Intros, and Jim’s Roots
• 2:45 DOJ Years and Lessons in Partnership
• 6:05 Leading NPI: Listen Before You Lead
• 10:20 Mission, Focus, and Regional Nuance
• 14:30 Translating Research for Practitioners
• 18:30 Adaptation, Not Copy-Paste Implementation
• 22:05 Learning From Other Sectors
• 26:10 Field Engagement and Real Pain Points
• 29:20 Landmark Hot Spots Training Results
• 31:45 Fellows, LEADS, and Reality Checks
• 35:10 Policing as Profession vs Vocation
• 38:20 Post-2020 Reform, Funding, and Staffing
• 42:00 Convening Power and Mission Creep
• 45:05 Co-Response Limits and Regional Models
• 48:00 Leading With Questions Inside Agencies
• 50:35 Bringing Conference Insights Back
• 53:00 Funding Cuts and Service Orientation
• 55:15 AI Adoption: Policy to Practice
• 59:20 Teaching Leaders to Use AI Wisely
• 1:03:00 Wellness, Safety Culture, and CIT