Joshua J. Davis, MACJ
PhD Candidate
Joshua J. Davis (Josh) is a PhD candidate at Texas State University and a policing scholar. He has a decade of experience working in law enforcement, having served as a patrol officer, school resource officer (SRO), investigator, truancy officer, and college security officer.
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Josh uses a qualitative approach in his research agenda. He studies local law enforcement officers and their perceptions. He believes that understanding local law enforcement officers will help us all better understand the policing profession. He also researches school security, often using a mixed methods approach.
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Josh also has an extensive teaching background. After leaving law enforcement, he worked as a middle school and high school teacher and taught law enforcement officers at the state law enforcement training academy. At Texas State, he teaches Introduction to Criminal Justice, Policing, Research Methods, and Serial Murder, focusing on bringing his real-life experiences into the classroom.
Areas of Research
Josh researches and analyzes various aspects of policing, including officer perceptions in rural and community policing, police culture, and police training. His work aims to contribute to the improvement of law enforcement practices and policies.
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He is currently working on multiple projects examining the Texas School Guardian Program law, which went into effect in September 2023. These include investigating Texas's training requirements for the guardians (armed school personnel), the perceptions of the guardians in their role, and understanding the dynamics between law enforcement and the guardians.
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Please use the link below to learn more about Josh’s research agenda, current projects, and previous grant work.
Recent Publications
2025
Hopkins, J. R., Jarzombek-Torralva, A., Scogin, S. C., Barnes, V. R., Martinez-Parther, K. E., Price, J. R., Davis, J. J., Bowman, S. Wm., May, M. (2025). Armed personnel in educational settings: Bridging policy and communication for safer schools. Policing: An International Journal. Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-08-2025-0156.
Please follow the link below to learn more about Josh's publications, including preprints. You are invited to explore his latest work and stay up-to-date on his research.
Academic Courses
Josh has numerous years of teaching experience as he has taught middle school, high school, and at the college level.
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He also has experience teaching in-person, hybrid, and online.
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Please click on the link below to view criminal justice courses he has taught at the college level, along with the respective course syllabi and student evaluations.