FEATURE: With cyber attacks continuing to grow in number and evolve in approach, and the UK’s National Cyber Force acting as the country’s own offensive cyber arm, a new collection of articles published by the UK Cyber Effects Network and the Royal United Services Institute provides unique insights into how and why UK cyber agencies are fighting back, and how police cybercrime investigations and preventative resilience efforts remain a critical component of UK cyber defences, reports Policing insight’s Andrew Staniforth.

INNOVATION: With the ever-increasing opportunities for the adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in law enforcement, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at one of the outcomes of Project STARLIGHT, the European research initiative which brought together 50 partners (including law enforcement agencies, researchers, industry and practitioners) under a co-ordinated and strategic effort to bring AI into operational practices.

FEATURE: With online platforms, smart devices and digital tools offering unprecedented opportunities for the criminal networks involved in human trafficking, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at collaborative efforts by European countries to improve the intelligence picture and strengthen the fight against people trafficking through more effective use of technology, better understanding, awareness raising, and improved training.

FEATURE: The delays experienced by non-EU nationals at ports and airports due in part to the new Entry/Exit System have made headlines in the UK and abroad, but the system is the latest measure in efforts to provide accurate information about a whole range of potential security threats, says Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth, with a culture of collaboration and co-operation across member states and associated countries a key foundation of the approach.

INNOVATION: The increased potential for the misuse of drone to threaten public safety has long been recognised; the range of measures introduced by the United States – both in terms of counter-drone technology, training, and new legislation – to protect fans and teams at this year’s World Cup offer lessons for nations around the world, and will be further developed to amplify protective measures for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

FEATURE: While Operation Global Chain, the major international operation focused on human trafficking, resulted earlier this month in significant successes, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the ongoing challenges facing law enforcement across Europe in tackling a crime which is now reaching record levels in the UK.

FEATURE: While politicians and the media have focused on the political rhetoric of ‘smashing the gangs’ and ‘stopping the boats’ to tackle the continuing problem of cross-Channel illegal immigration, a new round of EU grants – open to police, academics, charities and the private sector in the UK – are on offer for innovative solutions to dismantle and disrupt criminal networks, their ringleaders and enablers behind criminal activities including people and drug trafficking, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

INNOVATION: As policing increasingly looks to leverage the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) across a range of roles, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth highlights attempts at a European Union level to maximise the potential of the new technology in the community policing environment.

FEATURE: The nature of digital radicalisation across Europe is changing significantly, reports Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth, with the rapid increase in ‘awful but lawful’ content that is ‘gamifying’ extremist violence to ‘seduce’ people – especially children and young people – already acknowledged by European security agencies as a specific threat that needs to be addressed.

FEATURE: Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the findings of a recent study that highlights the role that conspiracy theories spread online play in driving extremist beliefs, and explores some of the subjects to be discussed and organisations involved in next month’s Terrorism and Social Media Conference.

INTERVIEW: Dr Joe Whittaker, Programme Director of the MA in Cyber Crime & Terrorism at Swansea University, spoke to Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth about his research into extremists’ use of the internet, the unintended consequences of the removal of terrorist content online, and the need for policing to recognise that while the internet is often integral to radicalisation, most terrorists and extremists are involved in offline physical networks that play an important role in the process.

FEATURE: At INTERPOL’s annual Heads of National Central Bureaux Conference last month, one of the most insightful updates was on the results of Operation Thunder, the operation to intercept and seize illegally traded wildlife and forestry commodities across the global supply chain, and identify, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

FEATURE: A recent report into how organisations can maximise value from their technology investments highlights the paradox that many pour investment into new and shiny technology without addressing the impact of the legacy systems that are the biggest barrier to effective digital transformation; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth says the report has clear messages for policing, particularly in the UK where major reform is on the horizon.

FEATURE: Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth highlights the opportunities presented by a new Young Leaders in National Security Fellowship offered by the Counter Extremism Group, which aims to identify, nurture, and guide young people – including students, graduates, and young police officers and police staff – interested in counter-terrorism and counter-extremism issues.

FEATURE: While the ‘Run, Hide, Tell’ guidance remains necessary life-saving advice for the public in the event of a terrorist attack, it was never designed to be adopted by businesses, who have a direct duty of care to staff and customers; Policing insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the ‘Guide Shelter Report’ model, launched recently by ProtectUK, aimed at ensuring businesses and organisations have a good security culture in place in response to such scenarios.

FEATURE: Despite campaign groups continuing to voice concerns about potential bias in the use of facial recognition technology (FRT), UK policing is pushing ahead with adopting the technology, with backing from the Government; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at one of the most recent examples of FRT failure, and highlights a new European initiative to enhance objectivity, neutrality, and fairness in the pursuit of justice, particularly in relation to digital technologies.  

FEATURE: As the European Commission (EC) unveils a new agenda to prevent and counter terrorism, which includes new practical tools for countering the radicalisation of minors, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth suggests that the EC would do well to learn some of the lessons from the implementation of the Prevent Strategy in the UK, including the statutory duties on all schools, colleges and universities to protect children and young adults in their care from adopting extremist and violent ideologies.

INNOVATION: The latest report from the European Network Against Crime and Terrorism reveals that the UK continues to play a leading role in European Union security research, highlighting the potential for police leaders to work with other partners and stakeholders to access some of the €40 million funding to develop real-world initiatives in the fight against crime and terrorism, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

FEATURE: With both Europol and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime highlighting the threats posed by Eastern European and Balkans organised crime groups (OCGs) expanding further across the continent, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the efforts of the EU (through CEPOL), Europol, and international collaborations involving the UK’s National Crime Agency amongst others, to tackle these ‘High-Risk Criminal Networks’.

INTERVIEW: This week saw the UK launch of a new Level 3 Award in Counter-Terrorism Protective Security and Preparedness, developed by Skills for Justice (SFJ) Awards in collaboration with the National Counter-Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), and endorsed by Counter Terrorism Policing; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth spoke to SFJ Awards Managing Director David Higham about the aims of the qualification, the involvement of NaCTSO, and how the award helps with the implementation of Martyn’s Law.

FEATURE: With fraud remaining a constant and growing threat to individuals, businesses and national economies, and with the rapidly developing digital tools available to organised crime groups, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the latest assessment from Europol of the need for financial services organisations to prioritise post-quantum cryptography – particularly for point-of-sale systems – to protect both consumers and businesses.

FEATURE: With the latest analyses by both the National Crime Agency and the European Union Drugs Agency highlighting the continuing rise of drug misuse across the continent, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth explores the work of a new project that focuses on upskilling local police, city prevention services, and youth and social workers as part of a multi-stakeholder approach to tackling the impact of the drug misuse.

FEATURE: With the rapid growth of the internet offering law enforcement and security services huge new quantities of increasingly accessible open-source intelligence (OSINT), AI will play an invaluable role in policing and other organisations’ ability to collate, analyse and provide actionable intelligence from that information, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth explains.

FEATURE: The increase in online Holocaust denial and disinformation, alongside the social media surge in both antisemitic and anti-Islamic language, have prompted concerns that such digital hate speech can fuel criminal acts in the real world; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the scale of online antisemitic hate crime and the work of the European Observatory of Online Hate.