Opinion

Opinion: The number of unauthorised encampments in the West Midlands has more than doubled in the last five years. Inevitably, community tension has escalated too. This has meant, in the last two years alone, calls to the police related to unauthorised encampments have doubled. West Midlands PCC David Jamieson and Policy Officer Ben Twomey believe it is time to strengthen the law.

OPINION: Artificial intelligence could be a huge boon to policing and public safety - but it must be used responsibly and win public trust. James Slessor, Managing Director of Accenture Public Safety, reflects on the possibilities.

OPINION: What are your psychological drivers? In the fifth in our series of articles aimed at supporting you in the workplace, Jonathan Rees, owner of Momoho and an expert in developing high-performing teams in the bluelight sector, looks at our psychological drivers.

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.

OPINION: Police professionalisation is a growing theme internationally, and greater attention is being paid to the links between universities and police forces. Dr Isabelle Bartkowiak-Théron, James Dwyer and Brianna O’Shea of the University of Tasmania reflect on their experiences and the need to keep challenging for greater engagement.

OPINION: Sarah-Jane Lennie was a successful and well-respected DI - until one day she couldn't do it any more. Now on a career break and studying for a PhD at Manchester Met, she tells her story and invites serving officers to take part in her research into the psychological consequences of the emotional work of policing.

Opinion: When Lincolnshire Police's annual Drink Drive campaigns failed to have an impact on the public and the media and with drink and drug driving on the rise, the force took the step of naming those charged to reignite interest and dissuade future offending. But was this the right approach? Cate Moore, Independent Chair Lincolnshire Police Ethics Panel, explores the issues.

Opinion: Mark Cooper, director of Greymalkin Consulting, looks back at some of the work undertaken throughout 2017 to tackle the scourge of modern slavery and considers the challenges that lie ahead.

Opinion: At eight years of age, Scotland’s age of criminal responsibility is the lowest in Europe. The country is currently poised to raise it to 12, but Penelope Gibbs, Director of Transform Justice, asks why aren't England and Wales following suit?

Opinion: The revolving door of justice perplexes many working within the criminal justice system, but Police and Crime Commissioners are in a prime position to stop the cycle of offending. Emma Casey, Policy and Public Affairs Officer for the charity, Revolving Doors Agency, explains how could be achieved.

OPINION: As the New Year begins, yet another scandal has emerged involving potential Scottish government interference with the operation of Police Scotland. Nick McKerrell of Glasgow Caledonian University warns that the crisis in Scottish policing is a structural one - and that without an examination of those structural causes, these crises cannot be resolved.

OPINION: The effects of austerity mean that the pace of innovation in policing may be slowing - but the demand for it is not. In the first of a series, serving officer Gareth Stubbs looks at technology in policing, and argues that innovation isn't a luxury, but a necessity, and one that requires real investment.

OPINION: Can 'Alexa' and other similar devices help forces manage demand?  Rob Flanagan, former police officer and now Innovation Manager for Lancashire Constabulary, believes they can as his force is poised to launch an Amazon app that taps into Alexa's potential.

Opinion: New year, new you? In the fourth of a series of articles aimed at supporting you in the workplace, Jonathan Rees, owner of Momoho and an expert in developing high-performing teams in the bluelight sector, helps you identify your 'time pirate' and its impact on your performance.

OPINION: Newly-retired chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, Steve White, says the service is still in need of radical reform. Here, he suggests a way to drive change.

Opinion: Smart data analysis technology has existed for many years so why haven't forces made the most of it? Clare Elford, Managing Director of Clue which provides investigative software, explores the challenges faced by forces and offers a solution.

Opinion: Former prison governor, Ian Acheson,  who led the 2016 landmark review of Islamist extremism in prisons and probation says the solution to Specials' recruitment has been there all along - prison officers.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS: Our Publisher, Bernard Rix, reflects on Policing Insight's last twelve months, sets out our Christmas and New Year schedule, and takes a look on what we're planning for 2018...

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: Policing Insight's Publisher, Bernard Rix, takes a look at today's police funding announcement by the Home Secretary: a headache for PCCs, whichever way you look at it?

2017 Review: It's been an eventful year at the academic end of policing, particularly for the College of Policing. Carina O'Reilly, Editor of Policing Insight, reviews the year's events and looks forward to 2018.

OPINION: The BBC are advertising roles that are only open to candidates from a black, Asian or non-white ethnic minority background, but is this approach to recruitment a step too far for policing? Tom Webb-Skinner, Resourcing Team Leader for British Transport Police, explores the issues.

OPINION: Northamptonshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold says PCCs are best placed to deliver real transformation across the entire public sector.

OPINION: Last month, serving officer Nathan Constable warned the relationship between the College and serving officers was strained, and set out an urgent plea for the College to reflect and rebuild. Here, Rachel Tuffin, acting CEO of the College, responds.