Analysis: The way in which the police investigate fraud prompted a member of the Home Affairs Committee to recently wonder if the police could be accused of having ‘slopey' shoulders. The reality is far more complex.

INTERVIEW: Support worker Matt Hazelwood has just joined North Wales Police's modern slavery unit, making him the first support worker in the UK to be based within a police modern slavery unit. He tells Policing Insight about his new role and how it can improve the response to modern day slavery.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing including responses from the main stakeholders and media reaction. Here, we look at the Forensic Regulator’s Report Annual Report which examines compliance with standards from those offering forensic services. Despite the issues relating to the discovery of malpractice at Randox Testing Services, progress has been made. However, ongoing cuts are pressurising forces to cut corners and reduce in house forensic services.

INSIGHT: Just under two years ago, Lincolnshire decided to refresh its approach to integrated offender management and the ARC Project was launched. Since then it has helped 130 individuals and significantly reduced re-offending rates.

ANALYSIS: There was a sense at this year’s Police ICT Summit 2018 was that there was much to celebrate about the progress police ICT has made in the last few years, but there is still much to do. The ambition and the commitment are there, but are the police service and the public on board?

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders and media reaction. Here we take a look at HMICFRS' PEEL Police legitimacy 2017 which provides a national overview report based on inspections carried out from April to July 2017. Overall, forces' legitimacy is improving, but there remain concerns over disparities in stop and search.

ANALYSIS: The recent NCA report on County Lines highlighted the disturbing trend of children being targeted to work for drugs' gangs. In the second of two articles, highlighting those children most at risk and the work underway to tackle the problem, Tina Orr-Munro interviews Andy Passingham and Paul Maslin, co-founders of www.safeguardinghub.com and experienced police officers specialising in safeguarding.

ANALYSIS: The recent National Crime Agency report on County Lines highlighted the disturbing trend of children being targeted to work for drugs' gangs. In the first of two articles, examining the nature of County Lines, Tina Orr-Munro interviews Andy Passingham and Paul Maslin, co-founders of www.safeguardinghub.com and experienced police officers specialising in safeguarding.

2017 Review: As 2017 comes to a close, we review Policing Insight’s year in policing and discover modern policing has more in common with a rather famous Dickens’ Christmas story than you might imagine.

OPINION: Last month, the Police Foundation’s annual conference focused on effective collaboration between the police, partners and communities. In his opening presentation, Dr Rick Muir, director of the Police Foundation offered a number of ways in which this could be achieved.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders and media reaction. Here we take a look at HMICFRS' report on police air support which raises serious concerns regarding the ability of National Police Air Support to deliver a consistent service to forces.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. Here we take a look at the National Crime Agency's County Lines Violence, Exploitation & Drug Supply 2017, their third threat assessment.

Analysis: Creativity and innovation may not be two words that automatically come to mind when thinking about policing. Yet, this year’s annual College of Policing conference - Everyday Innovation - revealed that there is no shortage of either within the police service.

Analysis: The results from UK policing's first independent ICT User Survey - published today - are already having a positive impact thanks to the quality of the data, but it is just the beginning of the journey, according to the police associations that have lent their support to the survey.

Interview: This weekend (9-10 December), in the wake of the College of Policing’s Everyday Innovation conference and in the run up to CoPaCC’s thematic report into police ICT, Hack the Police 2 will bring developers and frontline officers together to take innovative ideas and put them into action in a sequel to the UK’s first and original policing hackathon. We interview one of the organisers, Edwin Burns of the Forensic Psychology Unit at Goldsmiths (University of London), ahead of the event.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. Here we take a look at the Office of National Statistics report on Domestic Abuse in England and Wales, which draws on a range of data and examines the prevalence of domestic abuse as well as the CJS response. For the first time, the report includes information on victim services.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. Here we take a look at the Scottish Police Federation's Personal Protective Equipment Survey 2017.

Analysis: Criminal justice reform was the subject of a session at this year’s APCC and NPCC Partnership Summit.  There was a consensus that the criminal justice system is dysfunctional and is failing both victims and perpetrators, so is the answer to take more risks?

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. Here we take a look at Big Brother Watch's report on Police Access to Digital Evidence which examines the effectiveness of current legislation on investigating digital data and levels of police training.

Analysis: Our new 'Report Watch' series summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. In our first Report Watch, we take a look at HMICFRS's latest progress report on domestic abuse.

Interview: Four years ago, Matthew Ellis, Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, commissioned a report that would redefine the police service's entire approach to those with mental health problems. Now, just as legislation comes into force banning the use of police cells as a place of safety for under 18s and restricting their use for adults detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983, Mr Ellis says there remains unresolved issues and it's time to revisit the debate.  

NEW REPORT: Body-worn video has seen huge growth in UK policing with millions of pounds spent on equipment and back office systems. CoPaCC's latest thematic looks at the development of police body-worn video and provides a guide to the key opportunities and challenges in terms of the technology, implementation and use

NEWS: The results of the first annual police ICT user survey will be published shortly. Undertaken by CoPaCC and supported by the Police Federation of England and Wales, the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales, and the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, the survey provides a unique, independent insight into what police officers really think of their police ICT systems. Policing Insight talks to senior stakeholders involved in the survey about its potential impact and what needs to change. We also announce the winner of the survey prize draw for an iPad.

INTERVIEW: The Police Now programme was first introduced in 2015 and has already trained nearly 400 new graduates to become neighbourhood police officers. This financial year it was awarded £3.5m from the Police Transformation Fund. Programme Director Kurtis Christoforides tells Policing Insight what’s next for the organisation.