The Role of Academia

The purpose of this chapter is to provide investigators with an overview of the interaction and excellent opportunities for opening cold case investigations to academics. From the start, for transparency, my position should be clarified. I am both an academic and an international cold case analyst working with police and investigators. This chapter, however, is not a “sales pitch” to tempt more investigators into opening up their files to academics. Similarly, while this chapter is written with investigators as a primary audience, academics reading this chapter will also hopefully gain insight into what is expected, required, and necessary to successfully work with police and law enforcement organizations (LEOs). Expectation management from both sides is essential to fostering long-term, successful partnerships. While this chapter is not meant to be an autobiographical account, it may help to further explain a little of my background so that practitioners in policing and academia may understand the perspectives I have. From there, the chapter will provide several insights into the process of positive police-academic collaborations. The chapter will end with a case study based on a real-world cold case collaboration. The main aim is to understand the roles, remits, and possible roadblocks that may occur. Finally, I do not give advice; however, throughout the chapter I shall attempt to give “Lessons” that I have learned—sometimes the hard way.