Professor Stephen Tong

Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
Department of Criminology, Politics and Sociology
School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences
Penrhyn Road

Head of the School for Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences

[email protected]

ORCID

About

I am a professor in policing and criminal justice and Head of the School for Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences. My role is dedicated to the leadership and strategic direction of the school.

I obtained my PhD and MPhil in Criminology at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge. Throughout my career, I held various roles, from Lecturer to Professor at Canterbury Christ Church University (2002-2022) before being appointed to the position of Head of School at Kingston University in 2022.

I have held various academic roles, including leading research projects, directing undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD courses, founding and leading a research centre, external examination roles ranging from undergraduate to PhD (at 18 different universities), and strategic research leadership.

My research interests focus on a wide range of policing issues, with a particular interest in police training/education, police whistle-blowing and complaints, miscarriages of justice, technological development in policing, police professionalisation, criminal investigation, and international policing.

Qualifications

PhD
MPhil
BA (Hons)
Senior Fellow of Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy)

Domains

Research impact concerns the improvement of detective training, workplace learning and reduce attrition and contribution to the development of new pathways.

Tong. S & O'Neill. M (2021) ‘Final feedback:- Responding to workforce transformation: Detective recruitment and training Recruitment', NPCC, Retention and Wellbeing of Investigator's working group 21 January 2021, Virtual Presentation.
Tong. S & O'Neill. M (2021) ‘Final feedback: - Responding to workforce transformation: Detective recruitment and Training Recruitment'. MPS, 19 January 2021, Virtual Presentation.
Clayman. S, Tong. S & O'Neil. M (2019) ‘Direct Entry Detective: Independent Evaluation' NPCC Investigator Resilience Learning Event, 25 November 2019, College of Policing Ryton.
Tong. S & O'Neill. M (2019) ‘Interim feedback - Responding to workforce transformation: Detective recruitment and training Recruitment', NPCC, Retention and Wellbeing of Investigator's working group Thursday 12 September 2019, Croydon, London.
Tong. S (2019) ‘Embedding Research in Policing, invitation from the Metropolitan Police Southern Area Evidence-based Policing lead to deliver a presentation on embedding research in policing to a delegation led by the Head of Strategy, Innovation and Research from the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice, 16.07.19 Charing Cross station.
Tong, S (2019) ‘Brexit and the future of European Policing: Views of police professionals and the changing context of European Policing." Counter Terrorism Policing in a Diverse and Changing World – Leadership event Kent Police, 6 February 2019.
Hadfield. A & Tong. S (2018) ‘Delivering a Brexit Border: Policing, Security, Freight and Customs', Palace of Westminster, Committee Room 6, hosted by Helen Whately, M.P. for Mid-Kent and Faversham, 13 November 2018.
Mozova. K & Tong, S (2017) Public fear of terrorism and counter-terrorism awareness, Tuesday 14 November, New Scotland Yard, London, Metropolitan Black Police Association.
Tong, S (2016) ‘Learning from Mistakes? Policing Under Siege: An examination of high profile criticisms of policing and potential responses'. Thursday 21 July, New Scotland Yard, London, Metropolitan Black Police Association.
Tong, S (2013) ‘Privatisation of Agencies in the Public Sector,' the London Practitioner Forum, London Metropolitan University, Thursday 10 January 2013
Tong, S (2013) ‘Evolving partnership and collaboration', for the College of Policing conference ‘Growing Police and Academic Partnerships', 28 November 2013, Bramshill, Hampshire.
Tong, S (2011) ‘The Detective Past and Present: An examination of an evolving profession' presentations at the invitation of the Police Federation, Detective Forum (December 2011)

Publications

Identity fracture: a social identity theory analysis of police whistleblower narratives in England and Wales

Stubbs, Gareth and Tong, Stephen, 2025, Policing and Society, E-pub ahead of print

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United Kingdom-European Union policing and law enforcement cooperation in the post-Brexit era

Bullock, Karen, Hadfield, Amelia, Keningale, Paige, Mallett, Ellis, Tong, Stephen and Wellings, Fennel, 2025, Policing and Society (35), 7 pp 901-914, Published

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The 'haves and have-nots' of social support during police recruitment: why the playing field is anything but level

Stubbs, Gareth and Tong, Stephen, 2024, Policing and Society pp 1-17, Published

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UK-EU law enforcement cooperation post-Brexit: a UK law enforcement practitioner perspective

Shellaker, Matthew, Tong, Stephen and Swallow, Paul, 2023, Criminology and Criminal Justice, E-pub ahead of print

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Women police leaders in Europe: a tale of prejudice and patronage

Silvestri, Marisa and Tong, Stephen, 2022, European Journal of Criminology (19), 5 pp 871-890, Published

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More lesson learning, less risk aversion in England and Wales? Prospects for the police (conduct) regulations 2020

Heaton, Robert and Tong, Stephen, 2022, The Police Journal : Theory, Practice and Principles, E-pub ahead of print

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Police learning in the context of change and diversity

Green, Tracey and Tong, Stephen, 2020, Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice (14), 2 pp 295-299, Published

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Operational risk, omissions and liability in policing

Heaton, Robert, Bryant, Robin and Tong, Stephen, 2019, The Police Journal : Theory, Practice and Principles (92), 2 pp 150-166, Published

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The Schengen evaluation mechanism: exploring the views of experts in the field of police cooperation

Kaasik, Joosep and Tong, Stephen, 2019, European Law Enforcement Research Bulletin (18) pp 53-69, Published

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The importance of context and cognitive agency in developing police knowledge

Wood, Dominic, Cockcroft, Tom, Tong, Stephen and Bryant, Robin, 2018, Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (91), 2 pp 173-187, Published

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Evidence-based policing: from effectiveness to cost-effectiveness

Heaton, Robert and Tong, Stephen, 2016, Policing (10), 1 pp 60-70, Published

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Leading policing in Europe: an empirical study of police leadership

Caless, Brian and Tong, Stephen, 2015, European Police Science and Research Bulletin (12) pp 13-17, Published

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Investigative decision making: missing people and sexual offences, crossroads to an uncertain future

Alys, L., Massey, K. and Tong, S., 2013, Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling (10), 2 pp 140-154, Published

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Gender and police leadership: time for a paradigm shift?

Silvestri, Marisa, Tong, Stephen and Brown, Jennifer, 2013, International Journal of Police Science and Management (15), 1 pp 61-73, Published

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'An appropriate space': chief officers and police accountability

Caless, Bryn and Tong, Stephen, 2013, Police Practice and Research (14), 1 pp 4-16, Published

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Graduate police officers: releasing the potential for pre-employment university programmes for aspiring officers

Tong, Stephen and Wood, Dominic, 2011, The Police Journal (84), 1 pp 69-74, Published

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Critical issues in rape investigation: an overview of reform in England and Wales

Horvath, M., Tong, Stephen and Williams, E., 2011, The Journal of Criminal Justice Research (1), 2 pp 1-18, Published

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The future of initial police training: a university perspective

Wood, Dominic A. and Tong, Stephen, 2009, International Journal of Police Science and Management (11), 3 pp 294-305, Published

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Art, craft and science of detective work

Tong, Stephen and Bowling, Ben, 2006, The Police Journal (79), 4 pp 323-329, Published

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Conclusions and the future direction of policing research

Martin, Denise and Tong, Steve (2024). In: Martin, Denise, Tong, Stephen, (eds.), Abingdon: pp 322-328 [Published]

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Homicide detectives: transformational change and challenges

O'Neill, Martin, Tong, Steve and Clayman, Stephen (2024). In: Allsop, Cheryl, Pike, Sophie, (eds.), Abingdon: pp 63-75 [Published]

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Introduction

Martin, Denise and Tong, Steve (2024). In: Martin, Denise, Tong, Stephen, (eds.), Abingdon: pp 1-6 [Published]

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Researching detective pathways: opportunities and challenges

O'Neill, Martin and Tong, Steve (2024). In: Martin, Denise, Tong, Stephen, (eds.), Abingdon: pp 65-76 [Published]

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Education and the police professionalisation agenda: a perspective from England & Wales

Tong, Stephen and Hallenberg, Katja M. (2018). In: Rogers, Colin, Frevel, Bernhard, (eds.), Cham, Switzerland: pp 17-34 [Published]

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Professionalising policing: seeking viable and sustainable approaches to police education and learning

Tong, Stephen (2016). [Published]

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Conclusion: challenges and changes in policing research

Martin, Denise and Tong, Stephen (2015). In: Brunger, Mark, Tong, Stephen, Martin, Denise, (eds.), Abingdon, U.K.: pp 217-224 [Published]

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From the briefing room to the class room: the pedagogical value of researching police elites

Brunger, Mark, Caless, Bryn, Tong, Stephen and Gilbert, Paul (2015). In: Brunger, Mark, Tong, Stephen, Martin, Denise, (eds.), London, U.K.: pp 137-148 [Published]

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Introduction to policing research

Brunger, Mark, Martin, Denise and Tong, Stephen (2015). In: Brunger, Mark, Tong, Stephen, Martin, Denise, (eds.), Abingdon, U.K.: pp 1-6 [Published]

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Watching the detectives: researching investigative practice

Hallenberg, Katja, O'Neill, Martin and Tong, Stephen (2015). In: Brunger, Mark, Tong, Stephen, Martin, Denise, (eds.), Abingdon, U.K.: pp 101-118 [Published]

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Police training and education: past, present and future

Bryant, Robin, Cockcroft, Tom, Tong, Stephen and Wood, Dominic (2014). In: Brown, Jennifer M., (eds.), Abingdon, U.K.: pp 383-397 [Published]

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Problems within the police: blame, corruption and whistleblowing. An Exploratory Study in England and Wales

Tong, Steve(2024). [Published]

Professor Stephen Tong

About

Qualifications

Domains

Teaching and learning

Research

Business, knowledge transfer and international

Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact

Leadership and management

Publications

Articles

Books

Book Sections/Chapters

Conference Items

Working Papers

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