FEATURE: The recent maiden public speech from the new Chief of MI6, Blaise Metreweli – the first female head of the Service – highlighted the challenges around state actors operating in the ‘grey zone’ to pose a risk to the UK’s security and stability; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the nature of those threats, including drones and cyber-attacks, and the role MI6 and policing will need to play in countering them.

FEATURE: The horrific terrorist attack on Bondi Beach this week – the worst in Australia’s history – has once again highlighted both the continuing critical threat of terrorism, and the importance of efforts to identify individuals at risk of radicalisation and violent extremism; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the role of the UK’s Prevent Programme in doing just that.

FEATURE: Latest research from Cardiff University and the Stamp Out Spiking charity highlights the scale of spiking across the UK, the various methods used, and most worryingly the fact that around three-quarters of victims don’t report the crime to police; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the insights already emerging from this research, as well as other seasonal initiatives to keep the public safe during the festive season.

FEATURE: A recently foiled plot to assassinate Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever is the latest attempt by terrorists to use 3D printers and drones to create potentially deadly weapons to carry out attacks; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at examples of terrorists employing such technology, the availability of components and manuals to undertake such operations, and what can be done to tackle these threats.

FEATURE: Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the worrying rise of the 764 online network, which targets teenagers and promotes involvement in a range of damaging activities including abuse and exploitation, satanic and neo-Nazi extremism, and online and offline violence, and the efforts to tackle the growth of the network.

FEATURE: Following this month’s EMPACT day of action across Europe to tackle human trafficking, co-ordinated by Europol, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth explores the scale of the problem as well as the efforts of EU members to combat labour exploitation, and takes a closer look at the background and vital role that Europol now plays in leading and supporting operations to target and investigate transnational European crime.

FEATURE: With the frequency and severity of wildfires increasing across Europe, a series of innovative new projects has been launched to strengthen wildfire management and readiness, offering valuable guidance to fire services, other first responders, and police and fire commissioners alike, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

INTERVIEW: The Hellenic Police is a partner in the NOTIONES project, a European network bringing police agencies together to improve the capacity and capability of intelligence functions; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth spoke to Anthoula Bania and Christos Floros, Lieutenant Colonels in the Hellenic Police, about their work with the NOTIONES network, and the benefits of participating in European security research and innovation projects.

FEATURE: This week’s report published by the Environment and Climate Change Committee highlights the damage caused by organised waste crime in England, the “woeful” level of successful prosecutions, and the apparent lack of interest shown by the police in fulfilling their role; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the findings of the report, as well as European efforts to tackle the issue.

FEATURE: A recent paper published as part of collection of insights by the EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation highlights the role played by social media and digital networks and algorithms in creating a landscape of online extremist antisemitism; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the risks to both Jewish communities and wider democracy set out in the paper, as well as efforts to counter the digital dangers.

INTERVIEW: SFJ Awards, an independent regulated awarding organisation born out of Skills for Justice and part of The Workforce Development Trust group, is one of the UK’s leading awarding bodies in police, public and private training provision for counter-terrorism; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth spoke to Kit Salt, SJF Awards Director of Partnerships and Innovation, about the qualifications offered including the new protective security advisers certificate, developed with the Home Office.

FEATURE: With serious and organised crime recognised by Europol as one of the greatest security threats currently facing the EU, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the latest funding opportunities for police forces across the continent including the UK, as well as New Zealand and Canada, to develop projects seeking to improve the intelligence picture and the “enhanced prevention, detection and deterrence” of organised crime.

FEATURE: The recent arrest in Qatar of one of Canada’s most wanted fugitives highlighted the value of the INTERPOL Red Notice system; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth explores how Red Notices work, the level of co-operation required from law enforcement agencies in different international jurisdictions, and why police and border staff need to keep up to date with the active Red Notices.

FEATURE: The recent completion of the two-year EU PRECRISIS project has culminated in the publication of a series of operational briefings designed to “inform and add value” to all stakeholders engaged in delivering safety and security at public spaces, including law enforcement, other first responders, local authorities and urban developers, as well as private-sector partners, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

FEATURE: The Prevent programme has been a vital but often criticised element of the UK government’s counter-terrorism efforts; the latest review of the programme, prompted by the murders of three young girls in Southport and Conservative MP Sir David Amess in separate knife attacks, has highlighted both the failures and fault lines of the approach, as well as its potential to achieve successful interventions, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

FEATURE: With a Foreign Affairs Committee inquiry now underway into the channels, technologies and actors responsible for disinformation and misinformation in the UK, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at research efforts and funding to tackle disinformation across Europe, and how focusing on inclusivity can help to counter attempts to create discord and division.

FEATURE: The 9/11 attacks on the US, which took place 24 years ago this week, were both a shocking series of events on a horrific scale, and a moment which changed the course of world history; Policing Insight’s Andrew Stainforth looks back at the initial response from UK policing and political leaders to those terrorist atrocities, and what it meant for the country both in the immediate aftermath and the longer term.

FEATURE: With children and young people increasingly becoming a target for a wide range of online scams, sexual exploitation, bullying and identity theft by cybercriminals, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports on the inaugural INTERPOL Youth Cybercrime Awareness Webinar which aimed to increase awareness, provide guidance and offer support to youngsters to protect themselves against modern online threats.

FEATURE: Given the ongoing debates around the application of powers under the UK Terrorism Act 2000 in relation to proscribed organisations, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the challenges around keeping non-specialist officers up to speed with ever-evolving terrorist legislation, and why a consolidation act for counter-terrorism laws could benefit both individual rights and the effectiveness of police officers.

FEATURE: With the US and Canada now using counter-terror legislation to tackle drug trafficking cartels, and several other countries expected to follow suit, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the purpose of such legislation – particularly counter-terrorism finance tools – and why adopting such an approach could not only fail in the fight against organised crime, but could also confuse and distract from the legal definition of what terrorism is.

INNOVATION: With the ‘Internet of Things’ – that vast network of physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data – continuously expanding, the cyber threat landscape and the level of opportunities for criminals and bad actors grows with it; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the recently introduced Cyber Resilience Act, one of the first pieces of legislation aiming to improve the cybersecurity of products or software with a digital component.

FEATURE: As daily life for many people moves increasingly online, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the recent Europol report exploring how law enforcement can deliver community policing in the digital age, the “capability and relevance gap” that police urgently need to address, and how the work of the EU’s Koban project could help to build the future capabilities of community policing in both the physical and virtual domains.

FEATURE: The rapid advancement of drone technology – as highlighted by their growing and impactful use in conflict zones such as the Ukraine war – is also expanding the potential threat posed by terrorist organisations, raising concerns for both law enforcement and defence agencies alike, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

FEATURE: Cybercriminals are increasingly using stolen credentials and exploiting legitimate tools and native access to “log in, instead of breaking in”, blend into their target’s environment and carry out ‘living off the land’ (LOTL) attacks; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the nature of LOTL attacks, and why all organisations – including police and law enforcement agencies – should remove all unnecessary files, applications and systems to reduce their attack surface to such threats.