Analysis

RESEARCH: The wealth of CCTV footage recorded in a wide range of public and private settings regularly forms vital evidence in court cases; but a new study of British murder investigations by Professor Fiona Brookman and Research Fellow Helen Jones of the University of South Wales suggests that issues around interpretation, availability and quality of CCTV represent challenges and risks that can make such evidence unreliable and problematic.

ANALYSIS: Ten years after the pilot of the first Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) in England and Wales, this vital safeguarding tool is now on the statute books; while other countries around the world have introduced similar schemes, Dr Katerina Hadjimatheou of Essex University believes the approaches adopted both in England and Wales and South Australia  around who can be given information, and when and how disclosures can be made, set an example for other countries to follow.

ANALYSIS: In this fifth and final article in a month-long series celebrating International Women’s Day, Dr Emma Williams, Dr Linda Maguire, Dr Arun Sondhi and Richard Harding of the Open University’s Centre for Policing Research and Learning share some important insights about the ground-breaking Operation Soteria Bluestone project currently underway to transform the police response to Rape and Serious Sexual Offences.

FEATURE: Religious beliefs remain a key component of the motivations of terrorist groups operating around the world, meaning that places of worship and faith congregation will continue to be potential terrorist targets; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports on the latest EU-funded initiative police initiative to design, develop and deliver enhanced protection to those religious sites.

FEATURE: Hampshire Constabulary’s new Policing PLUS entry route – which enables officers to join without a degree, and those on degree routes to transfer – has been hailed a “game changer” by the chief constable, while the police and crime commissioner believes it could “shape national plans”; but those opposed to moving away from mandatory degrees say returning to traditional police training is both regressive and nonsensical, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

FEATURE: The College of Policing, the first professional body for police in England and Wales, has now been operational for a decade; in the first of a two-part series of features marking the anniversary, Policing Insight’s Ian Weinfass gauges the views of its creator Peter Neyroud and other important figures about how it has performed in that time.

ANALYSIS: In the fourth of a month-long series of articles celebrating International Women’s Day, the Open University’s Dr Shona Morrison, and Daryl Baguley of the Diane Modahl Sporting Foundation, highlight a lesser-known form of violence against young women and girls – exploitation of vulnerable girls in the context of drug dealing and organised crime groups, known in the UK as ‘County Lines’ drug dealing.

FEATURE: A new money-laundering taskforce led by the Australian Federal Police and including the Australian Border Force and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission will target the tens of million dollars believed to be laundered in the country every day that is the ‘lifeblood’ of Australia’s organised crime gangs, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

FEATURE: Disability hate crime has increased significantly in recent years, with autistic people and those with learning disabilities often targeted; Dr Mark Brookes, Advocacy Lead at support and campaign group Dimensions UK, outlines some of the work the organisation is already doing with policing to improve the response to disability hate crime, and the resources and training opportunities available that could help police to tackle such crimes and provide better support to victims.

FEATURE: Disinformation campaigns can impact on citizens’ health, environment and security, potentially provoking community tensions and violence; now a new EU initiative is bringing together academic, industrial and media partners from across Europe, as well as the latest artificial intelligence tools, to tackle the dangerous threat of digital disinformation, as Policing Insights’ Andrew Staniforth reports.

ANALYSIS: In the third of a month-long series of articles celebrating International Women’s Day, Kendal Wright and Dr Keely Duddin of the Open University’s Policing Organisation and Practice Department share an insight into a ground-breaking study exploring women’s experiences of motherhood in the police.

ANALYSIS: Female police officers often find themselves the subject of online misogynistic and sexist abuse – both from current former colleagues, and members of the public – much of which focuses on their physical appearance; University of York Lecturer Dr Susan Watson believes that addressing these issues will be crucial if the service is to successfully recruit and retain a female workforce.

ANALYSIS: Drones are proving an increasingly popular tool in the armoury of police, public sector and military organisations – as well as in the hands of criminals and terrorists; but new research from Germany has highlighted software faults in drones produced by the dominant market manufacturer which could leave the machines open to hi-jack and operators locatable and at risk, as Policing Insight’s Andy Staniforth reports.

FEATURE: A new report measuring police performance on tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) in England and Wales has revealed more than half a million reported crimes in just a six-month period, as well as more than 1,500 police officers and staff facing VAWG-related public complaints or misconduct allegations – with warnings that the real level could be even higher – as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

FEATURE: A new Independent Public Advocate scheme which will work on behalf of victims and families bereaved by major disasters has been launched by the UK Government, to provide support and hold agencies including the police to account – although not all campaigners believe the new initiative goes far enough, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

ANALYSIS: The recent shooting of PSNI DCI John Caldwell has once again turned the spotlight on terrorism in Northern Ireland, but former Police Scotland Superintendent and terrorism expert Martin Gallagher believes many of the supposed ‘freedom fighters’ in the Troubles and other terrorist campaigns were more interested in reputation and criminal gain than any cause, and are turning to organised crime to maintain their relevance and power.

FEATURE: With the ongoing war in Ukraine highlighting the importance of the co-operation between defence, security and policing organisations in protecting critical infrastructure, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the latest EU research funding call for projects that can strengthen protection and resilience.

ANALYSIS: In the second in a month-long series of articles celebrating International Women’s Day, Dr Holly Taylor-Dunn and Dr Anna Hopkins of the Open University’s Policing Organisation and Practice Department share details of two key research projects that concern the policing of domestic abuse.

ANALYSIS: The third and final report of the public inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing highlighted opportunities missed by the intelligence services to prevent the attack, and failings in the response of police and others; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth believes the overall findings of the inquiry underline several key lessons to be learned, and the importance of an holistic approach to avoid further tragedies.

ANALYSIS: Police officers and staff investigating child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) are regularly exposed to traumatic images and videos; but following a survey of officers in 2022, and a conference for CSAE investigators earlier this year, Dr Theresa Redmond of the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER) highlights that it’s often the culture and work-based support around the officer, rather than the horrific imagery itself, that has the greatest impact on wellbeing.

ANALYSIS: The Public Order Bill making its way through the UK Parliament has attracted both support and criticism, with opponents highlighting concerns around new police powers in relation to protest techniques such as ‘locking on’ and tunnelling; Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone, a subject matter expert on public order policing, believes the Bill balances the right to protest with need for new laws to tackle the more disruptive actions of protestors.

FEATURE: In his latest annual report the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner (BSCC) – who regulates the way police use biometrics in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – challenges how policing is deploying facial recognition; a separate survey by the Office of the BSCC also raises major concerns that policing is “shot through” with Chinese surveillance tech, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

FEATURE: As stakeholders from across the criminal justice system gathered last month for a Met Police innovation hub to rebrand out-of-court disposals (OOCDs) ahead of the launch of new two-tier framework, it was confirmed that any new name for the measures would be likely to go out to public consultation to ensure that communities are given a voice, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

FEATURE: Against the backdrop of the public outcry over police criminality and misconduct, Psychologist Dr Heather Taylor argues that the key to reducing the risk of problematic workforce behaviours lies as much in the hands of thoughtful leadership and effective HR management as it does in a powerful culture of vetting checks and professional standards enforcement.