The Research & Development Branch is a newly established branch under the National & Provincial Coordination and Crime Prevention Division of the department.

The branch's function is to research and develop policies or strategies on crime and related matters. That is, it is to undertake research on the reds, fads and prevalence of criminal or unlawful behaviour and its effects on society as well as the global community as it relates to Papua New Guinea, to analyze and produce reports, maintain a database on crime, community profiling and demographics and related matters.