Interview

INTERVIEW: As cybersecurity threats persist, Dr Reza Montasari, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Threats at the Cyber Threats Research Centre at Swansea University, spoke to Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth about the dangers to law enforcement agencies and public sector authorities, and how new approaches to cyber security and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms present opportunities to transform policing.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Dr Chris Allen spoke to fraud and financial crime consultant Gerald Doyle about researching the true scale of waste crime, the changing focus of organised crime from drugs to finance, and why asset recovery may be the best way to target organised crime’s ever-evolving business model.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Dr Chris Allen spoke to Walter Kemp, Senior Fellow at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), about the illicit economies that profit from war and instability, the creation of a global strategy to fight organised crime, and why concerted global action is needed now.

INTERVIEW: With the Uplift recruitment programme creating a “dramatically changing workforce”, Cambridgeshire Constabulary set about engaging both the workforce and the community in drawing up a force culture statement; one result was the launch of a force-wide Leadership and Culture Programme which is already proving to be a “game changer”, as Ch Supt Becky Tipping explained to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons.

INTERVIEW: In 2021, the UK Government announced Project ADDER – a new pilot programme combining disruption of criminal gangs selling drugs with a renewed focus on recovery; two years on, Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner believes it’s made a real difference to communities in his area, as he told Policing Insight’s James Sweetland.

FEATURE: With mental health policing under increased focus for forces across the UK, Thames Valley Police has established dedicated mental health officer posts to improve data gathering and monitoring, share best practice, and help to embed the Right Care, Right Person approach; Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to Insp Penny Jones about the aims of the initiative.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to David Graves, Managing Director of DG Anti-Fraud Consultants, about the role private investigators can play in targeting crime, the need for policing to go ‘back to basics’, and why organised crime can be viewed as a virus.

FEATURE: While many UK forces have adopted trauma risk management (TRiM) approaches, the peer-led programme and trauma impact prevention techniques adopted by Durham Constabulary have been highlighted again as positive practice by HMICFRS; Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to force Welfare Manager Margaret Toward about the strengths of the programme, and what sets it apart from similar initiatives.

INTERVIEW: With a policing career spanning more than three decades, Deborah Friedl is now bringing all her experience to bear as President of the International Association of Women Police (IAWP); she spoke to Policing Insight’s Christine Townsend about the work of the IAWP, the challenges facing women in policing today, and why she would willingly do it all again.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to former Police Scotland Superintendent Martin Gallagher, now a policing consultant and Associate of the London Policing College, about Baroness Casey’s review, taking drug profits away from organised crime, and the importance of eradicating corruption.

INTERVIEW: For more than 30 years, Victoria Police Senior Sergeant Dermot Avon has provided mental health support and mentoring for colleagues, having experienced his own struggles after witnessing traumatic incidents early in his career; with his efforts recognised in this months’ King’s Birthday Honours, he spoke to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons about the improvements in mental health support across the force, and how officers can help their colleagues.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: With policing facing significant challenges around growing volume and complexity of demand, effective collaboration between forces and with other agencies is moving higher up the agenda for delivering an effective service to the public; Hexagon Director Nick Chorley spoke to Policing Insight about the opportunities for successful collaboration, the barriers to implementation, and the drivers for change.

INTERVIEW: Recognised by the International Association of Women Police as the longest serving female police officer in the world, Victoria Police Det Snr Sgt Joy Murphy this month received the Medal of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday Honours; now in her 51st year as a police officer, she spoke to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons about her passion for policing, her efforts to improve the service to victims, and her continuing advocacy for equal opportunities

INTERVIEW: In the second of a two-part series marking the 10th anniversary of the College of Policing – the professional body for officers in England and Wales – Policing Insight’s Ian Weinfass spoke to Chief Executive Andy Marsh about how it has performed so far, its degree entry programme, plans for vetting units, direct entry and more.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to former police officer Neil Woods, now Chairman of Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) UK, about legalising cannabis, how prescribing heroin can benefit society while landing a blow against organised crime, and the huge impact that the drugs market has on the climate crisis.

FEATURE: With support from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, a women and policing network is encouraging and empowering female officers and staff in the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service; Policing Insight’s Christine Townsend spoke to DCO Nancy Barnard and Supt Wendy Parchment about efforts to increase female representation, and the Island’s unique culture, heritage and policing challenges which create opportunities for women officers.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to former police officer Damian Barrow, now Programme Delivery Manager at data aggregation and automation specialists Synalogik, about the 4Ps approach, the prospect of AI revolutionising organised crime, and the need for greater accessibility to a wider range of datasets.

INTERVIEW: With Warwickshire Police enjoying record officer numbers following the recent Uplift recruitment programme, and a strategic alliance with neighbouring West Mercia ending, the force took the decision to remodel its workforce and operations; Deputy Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith spoke to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons about the aims for performance improvements, and how the changes could future-proof the service to the public.

INTERVIEW: Having taken up a role in the private sector after a lengthy and successful career in the United States Secret Service, Kim Cheatle returned to the agency as its Director last summer, with a glowing endorsement from President Joe Biden; she recently spoke to Policing Insight’s Christine Townsend about her passion for the job, her admiration for her colleagues, and the partnerships being built by the Secret Service to tackle new and emerging crimes and threats.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to former police superintendent Colin Carswell, Director of the Counter Trafficking Network, about his investigations into large-scale human trafficking as a police officer, the importance of partnership working, and the need to ‘follow the money’ to combat organised crime.

FEATURE: A police officer who endured years of sexual abuse is working to establish a network of victim survivor ambassadors across police forces in England and Wales to improve the service delivered to victims of sexual abuse and violence; Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to the City of London’s PC Jon-Jay Needham about the benefits the independent advocate could deliver both for victims and policing.

FEATURE: A new approach to traffic policing is applying the evidence-based principles of the Cambridge Crime Harm Index to target serious traffic collision hot spots in Cumbria; Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to Sgt Jack Stabler of Cumbria Constabulary about the thinking behind the new Road Harm Index, and the benefits the initiative could bring for police, partners and the public.

INTERVIEW: Policing has long struggled to deliver digital transformation programmes, especially those seeking to replace major pieces of legacy IT; but with COVID-19 adding fresh impetus to the digital agenda and the national strategy set for a ‘refresh’, Ian Bell, CEO of the Police Digital Service, sees exciting opportunities on the horizon, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Alan Edwards, a former Royal Military Police officer and detective chief inspector who now works as a civilian expert specialising in serious organised crime, about the growing pressures of investigating online crime, the potential of the ChildLight initiative, and why law enforcement in the West could and should be doing much more to tackle Africa’s barbaric people traffickers.