Eric Dlugolenski, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Central Connecticut State University and a retired police sergeant. He served nearly a decade with the West Haven, Connecticut, Police Department, finishing his career as sergeant of the Professional Standards Division, where he drafted and updated departmental policy, oversaw internal affairs, maintained state accreditation and compliance standards, supervised civilian crime analysts, served as grant coordinator, and led research and development. He completed his Ph.D. in criminal justice at the University of New Haven in 2021 and retired from the force to join academia.
A National Policing Institute fellow and a National Institute of Justice LEADS scholar alumnus, Dr. Dlugolenski works with practitioners to translate research and evidence into operational police practice. He is the coeditor of Criminal Justice Management and Leadership: An Anthology, has coauthored two policing books, and has published widely on procedural justice, critical decision making, use of force, and police oversight in leading academic journals. He serves as academic cochair of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Research Advisory Committee, leading a distinguished group of researchers and police executives in advancing evidence based policing, and chairs the Police Section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). He is also the editor of Police Forum, the Police Section’s official newsletter.
Dr. Dlugolenski consults on policing projects nationally, provides command level training for area departments, and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for policing publications. He has presented his work at the IACP, American Society of Criminology, and ACJS annual conferences. His research interests include procedural justice, police operational strategies, critical decision making, use of force, officer health and wellness, police management, and the intersection of technology and police practice.
