ANALYSIS : The pandemic has focused attention on our reliance on infrastructure; but organised criminals rarely miss opportunities to 'repurpose' technology. Martin Gallagher, serving officer with Police Scotland, and Chris Foster of the University of Manchester, explore the concept of 'shadow infrastructure' and its dangers.

ANALYSIS: What are the benefits of mobile working? When Police Scotland rolled out devices to 11,000 officers, they called on an independent academic team to assess the results - which were overwhelmingly positive. Chief Inspector Martin Gallagher, Deputy Business Lead, outlines the project, alongside Professor Lesley Diack of Robert Gordon University and Dr. William Graham of Abertay University.

OPINION: Scholars and practitioners have debated the extent to which terrorism and organised crime form a nexus. Serving officer Martin Gallagher examines the evidence - and concludes that, regardless of the overlap, the criminal justice system needs to be alive to the distinction in motivations between serious and organised criminals, and those engaged in terrorist activities.

OPINION: The culture of policing has undoubtedly evolved over the last decades, but what does the latest stage mean? Serving officer Martin Gallagher argues that the 'fourth age' of policing could see mobile working undermine the capacity of senior officers to lead on the frontline.

OPINION: Over the past few decades, in pursuit of accountability, policing has become increasingly codified and legislated. Serving officer Martin Gallagher argues that this has not just damaged police discretion, but the capacity of the police to fulfil their core functions: preventing and solving crime.

OPINION: Though many new technology programmes introduced to policing have been plagued with difficulty, one recent programme has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm. Chief Inspector Martin Gallagher, Deputy Business Lead for Police Scotland's Mobile Working Project, describes its success.

OPINION: The expansion of the policing task in recent decades has seen the police become the service of first resort for many social ills. Serving officer Martin Gallagher warns this is damaging police capacity, and calls for a retrenchment of policing away from issues of social cohesion to focus instead on crime.

OPINION: Increasing pressure on police has led to officers recording incidents, rather than actively preventing them. Serving officer Martin Gallagher warns that this trend is damaging to public confidence and that police need to position themselves as society's active guardians, not passive observers.

OPINION: What lessons can international military command offer to policing? Serving officer Martin Gallagher reports from a personal conversation with Gen. David Petraeus.

OPINION: As Israel joins the Netherlands and Canada in legalising medicinal cannabis, serving officer Martin Gallagher warns that there are significant and largely unexplored potential consequences of legalisation - not least, the future for organised crime groups currently operating in the cannabis trade.

OPINION: The task of policing has become increasingly regulated over recent decades, largely for well-understood reasons. But has this regulation stifled creativity, autonomy, and the development of 'natural' police officers? Serving officer Martin Gallagher makes the case for a bit more chaos.

OPINION: After two and a half years as a Chief Inspector overseeing Paisley, serving officer Martin Gallagher is moving on. Here, he describes the lessons he's learned about leading police officers in one of the busiest Sub-Divisions in the country.

OPINION: Though recorded crime has fallen over the last decade, demand is rising, and policing vulnerability is the order of the day. Serving officer Martin Gallagher argues that the focus has shifted too far: police need to take a step back from these multiple demands and focus on traditional police work.

ANALYSIS: The Scottish town of Paisley has experienced troubling increases in violent crime over the past year, prompting a robust response from the local division of Police Scotland. Martin Gallagher and Del Middleton, two of the architects of this response, provide the context and outline of this policing initiative. Dr Colin Atkinson of the University of the West of Scotland reflects upon the impact of this work for local communities and, importantly, for the police service itself.

ANALYSIS: What kind of structures might help deal with a crisis like the murder of Lee Rigby or the Grenfell Tower disaster? Martin Gallagher, a serving officer with Police Scotland describes Grey Space, a group he set up to monitor community tensions - and how he tested its capacity.

OPINION: Many recent terrorist attacks have been undertaken by individuals, only loosely associated with the source of the ideologies to which they claim adherence. Serving officer Martin Gallagher argues that the polarisation of political debate, and the extreme politics of identity, are leading us into dangerously uncharted territory.

OPINION: Working with partners can have its difficulties. Serving officer Martin Gallagher explains how closer, informal partnership working with local NHS hospitals led to a culture shift in collaboration - and a reduction in demand.

OPINION: How important is the police uniform to officers' authority - and morale? Serving officer Martin Gallagher explores his own attitudes, and what the evidence shows, about the role of the constable's hat.

ANALYSIS: An increasing number of terrorist attacks on the West are being perpetrated by 'lone wolves'. But where does their allegiance to wider groups come from, and how close are these ties? Serving officer Martin Gallagher examines the phenomenon.

OPINION: Will the Mafia (or other organised crime groups) help whoever can pay? What does that mean for the nexus between organised crime and terrorist groups? Serving officer Martin Gallagher argues that the decision goes well beyond the amount of cash on the table.

ANALYSIS: Recent 'lone wolf' terrorist attacks have been ascribed to extremist Islamism - but is this a fair way of describing the ideology that motivates these attackers? Serving officer Martin Gallagher argues it's time to think about what the attackers really want, rather than the religion to which they claim adherence.