Features

INTERVIEW: Dr Holger Nitsch, from the Police Department of the University of Applied Sciences for Public Service in Bavaria, explains to Policing Insight the unique research and innovation collaborations between German and UK police forces to tackle the twin threats of cybercrime and terrorism.    

Analysis: Across the globe homicide rates are falling, whilst in the UK they continue to rise. Professor Ian Hamilton, Professor Alex Stevens and Niamh Eastwood, Executive Director of Release, the UK centre of expertise on drugs and drugs law, discuss whether this increase is drug related or due to more complex societal factors.

Analysis: Jennifer Cobbina, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University, discusses whether the recruitment of a more diverse workforce would bring an end to police brutality against black citizens in the US, or whether the answer lies in the remoulding of a more appropriate police culture.

Opinion: The PCC elections are set to take place in May. Deloitte's fourth report into Police and Crime Commissioners is also due out the same month and will enable new and returning PCCs to optimise their role at a time of considerable change in policing. Deloitte's Frances Lysak explains the focus of this latest report.

Opinion: Former police officer and now The Bravest Path's Director Gareth Davies works with high profile organisations, including police forces, to help individuals 'shake off the shame' to find the courage to lead better, based on research by Dr Brené Brown. Here, using her research, he explores the role of shame in police culture and offers way to overcome it, increasing engagement, wellbeing and ultimately productivity.

Interview: Although Gloucestershire is a largely rural county with a lower than average violent crime rate, Gloucestershire PCC Martin Surl recently commissioned its largest ever study into violent crime. Policing Insight spoke to Chair of Safer Gloucestershire and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Brierley (pictured) to find out why and what the report revealed.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE WINNERS: The Durham Community Peer Mentor Project, which recruits volunteers to mentor 'high-impact' users of the emergency services, was awarded 'highly commended' at the recent inaugural World Class Policing Awards sponsored by Accenture. In the seventh of twelve articles focusing on the award-winning nominations, Keith Potter takes a closer look at this pioneering project.

INSIGHT: Drug and alcohol misuse often fuel crime and, as such, many Police and Crime Commissioners are working to reduce the harm it causes to individuals and communities. The latest edition of PCCs Making a Difference highlights the breadth of work taking place to address alcohol and drug dependency and break the cycle of re-offending.

OPINION: With increased police funding providing opportunities for real change, CIPFA Chief Executive Rob Whiteman CBE argues that policing should be high on the agenda of the forthcoming royal commission on criminal justice system promised by the government.

Analysis: With the use of artificial intelligence in policing on the rise, Karen Richmond, doctoral researcher at the University of Strathclyde examines whether utilising this type of technology in relation to DNA extraction is progress or a step too far.

INTERVIEW: Technology that helped former President Barack Obama secure a second term is now helping Durham Constabulary understand better what local communities really think about policing. CEO and co-founder of Elucd Michael Simon and Acting Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner for Durham Steve White explain the potential the technology has for policing.

New Series: In our continuing series aimed at supporting the new police degree entry recruits, Policing Insight's Academic Editor Carina O'Reilly explores the experimental approach to evidence based-policing, how it ranks different types of research and what this means for policing.

Analysis: Consultant to Dubai Police Jorge J. Román PhD explores the benefits of benchmarking for policing and how the Dubai Police applied benchmarking methodology to its fleet management system to improve productivity and reduce costs.

OPINION: With the newly-elected government appearing to want to establish a much closer relationship with police chiefs, in particular, Policing Insight's Publisher Bernard Rix asks if Police and Crime Commissioners are in danger of becoming increasingly marginalised and largely symbolic in this re-alignment of the tripartite system?

Analysis: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises the National Digital Policing Strategy 2020-2030 which was officially launched at this year's Police ICT Summit. The Strategy sets out a new digital ambition for UK policing.

Opinion: Despite the damage caused of the UK's failure to notify EU member states of 75,000 criminal convictions, Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth argues it is critical that trust is restored and close collaboration between intelligence and law enforcement agencies continues post Brexit.

Insight: When the Australian Federal Police's take on 'Love Actually' was released in December 2018, it went viral with 1.3million views in just three days. Manager of AFP's Government and Media Executive Tony Alderman and APF Social Media Manager Laura Haddock discuss the importance of social media for community engagement and how a little humour can be a powerful tool.

ANALYSIS: In September last year, the Police Foundation launched the Strategic Review of Policing in England and Wales. The Police Foundation's Andy Higgins reflects on the publication last week of the first in a series of Insight Papers that will inform the Strategic Review's deliberations.

OPINION: Dr Felia Allum argues that perhaps a new approach is needed to fight organised crime – one that is less centred around the moment a crime is committed, and takes a wider view of the membership and organisational structures of the groups behind those crimes. Are there lessons to learn from how Italy tackles the mafia?

Opinion: The Streatham terror attack has raised a number of questions and calls for more stringent measures to protect the public. Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth argues that it is write to re-examine our approach to terror attacks, but 'knee-jerk' reactions can do more harm than good.

Analysis: New investment offers a huge opportunity to reshape UK policing, but there are still difficult choices to be made. In a co-authored article, Deloitte's UK Policing Lead Partner Richard Hobbs (pictured) and Strategic Adviser Tom Gash examine the emerging themes in Deloitte's 'Policing 4.0: How 20,000 officers can transform UK policing' and their implications for the service.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE WINNERS: Wiltshire Police’s role in leading an extraordinary co-ordinated response to the unprecedented 2018 Novichok attacks in Salisbury and Amesbury was recognised as a winner at the recent inaugural World Class Policing Awards sponsored by Accenture. In the sixth of twelve articles focusing on the award-winning nominations, Keith Potter takes a closer look at an outstanding multi-agency operation.

Innovation: The number of children missing from care in the UK is on the increase and the sole responsibility for finding them often rests with the police, but Durham Constabulary's Philomena Protocol has managed to reverse this trend and has led to a 38 per cent fall in missing children in care reports since its introduction in 2018.

Opinion: In an era of fake news the Director of Policing at the UEL's Centre of Professional Policing (CoPP) and former police officer Dr Sarah Cox discusses how Project Tri- Com, a new and innovative collaborative initiative, encourages inclusion and engagement across London by breaking down barriers and busting myths.