A researcher measures the fear community residents experience due to crime and the presence of police officers in a sample of urban neighborhoods. Based on findings, the researcher reports that there is no relation between fear of crime and police presence. This statement is:

Answer: An empirical generalization

Explanation:

An empirical generalization in research, is an inference made after observing the relationship between two or more variables under different conditions.

In a research, this is the step after hypothesis and observation. The first step here is a question about correlation of fear of crime and police presence in a community. By proving that there is no relationship between these two variables, the researcher can move on to theory building where he/she reconciles their discoveries and knowledge of related fields.