Innovación educativa en formación policial: una revisión crítica y propuestas para contexto colombiano

Abstract

In recent years, debates both in Colombia and abroad have highlighted a shared concern: the need to rethink how police officers are trained. This article joins that conversation by approaching educational innovation not as a catalogue of new techniques, but as a process that weaves together pedagogical decisions, technological developments, and ethical considerations about the role of policing in society. With this perspective in mind, the review focused on two broad questions: what initiatives other countries are adopting to renew their training models, and what obstacles and opportunities emerge when examining the Colombian context. The methodological approach was a documentary review that included recent research, institutional reports, and experiences from police academies in different regions. Across these sources, a gradual but steady shift becomes evident toward models that incorporate simulators, virtual environments, hybrid learning structures, and strategies that support more active learning grounded in real service situations. Applied research also appears as a key component that provides continuity and sustains innovative practices. Despite these advances, several challenges persist, including cultural resistance to change, gaps in technological access and use, and the distance that sometimes separates institutional policies from day-to-day pedagogical practice. In Colombia, the Institutional Transformation Process, Law 2179 of 2021, and the recent transition toward a Police University mark a particularly meaningful moment to revisit and strengthen the Institutional Educational Project. Together, these developments create opportunities to consolidate digital ecosystems, reinforce academic observatories, and move toward training standards that integrate technology, research, and an ethical understanding of police service. Overall, the findings suggest that educational innovation can become a central pillar for modernizing police training and fostering a stronger and more legitimate relationship between the institution and the public.