Policing Insight publishes a wide range of independent editorial content, as well as editorial material that is supported by commercial partners. Credibility and transparency are core values for Policing Insight; the aim of this guide therefore is to ensure that our audience can recognise and have faith in our independent editorial content, and also understand what content may funded or influenced by our commercial partners.

Independent editorial

The independent editorial on Policing Insight is always conceived and produced without external influence. A significant majority of our editorial content is either self-financed or submitted free.

As a publisher, we are sometimes commissioned by external organisations to research and publish articles or reports on a specific topic brief. In this scenario the Policing Insight Editor will assess the editorial viability of the topic and its value to our readers; if the topic meets those criteria, we will work on the project.

Although such projects may be financed by an external organisation, the content is developed with independence and integrity by our team to Policing Insight’s editorial standards; the partner has no further influence on how the content is shaped, other than that it fulfils the topic brief.

Our independent editorial comes in three forms:

1. Commissioned articles and reports from the Policing Insight team of journalists and analysts
   – This content is conceived, financed, developed, researched, written and published independently.
   – This content always has a Policing Insight byline.
2. Free submitted articles from policy makers, practitioners, academics, commentators and representatives from third sector and commercial organisations.
   – These articles are assessed and only published after approval and editing by the Policing Insight Editor.
   – The authors and their organisation are clearly bylined.
   – We accept credible editorial submissions from representatives of commercial organisations as commentary on or analysis of policing issues and challenges; we don’t allow any direct promotion of products or services in contributed independent editorial (this would need to be published as advertorial and marked as such).
3. Commissioned articles and reports from the Policing Insight team of journalists and analysts, where the topic is commissioned and financed by an external partner
   – This content is financed by external partners who commission Policing Insight to research and write content on a specific non-commercial topic that is approved by our Editor.
   – The partner has no further influence on the content, other than it fulfils the topic brief.
   – This content is developed, researched, written and published independently.
   – This content always has a Policing Insight byline and is presented as independent editorial, but will have a box clearly stating that the content was commissioned by a named partner.

All independent editorial features a red label describing the type of content (eg ‘analysis’, ‘innovation’, ‘interview’, ‘opinion’ etc).

Commercial content

As an influential platform for policing information, Policing Insight is approached by many commercial partners to help them promote their products and services to our readers. Making our readers aware of innovative solutions that improve policing outcomes can be a valuable service, but it’s important that this content is clearly differentiated from our independent editorial.

Commercial content published on Policing Insight is wholly controlled by the advertiser, who provides the text and images that we lay out for publication. If commercial partners don’t have the resources to write their own advertorial content, we offer a service for one of our journalists to write content for them based on interviews and any materials provided.

All commercial content features a prominent green label describing the content (such as ‘advertisement feature’, ‘event promotion’ or ‘partner content’), whether the commercial partner has supplied the text or used the services of one of our journalists.

Our commercial content generally takes one of five forms:

1. Advertisement feature
   – Text and images wholly supplied by the advertiser.
   – Labelled ‘advertisement feature’ in green.
   – Bylined to the advertiser.
2. Advertisement feature with journalist support
   – Text written by Policing Insight journalist from interviews and materials supplied by the advertiser.
   – Images supplied by the advertiser.
   – Labelled ‘advertisement feature’ in green.
   – Bylined to the Policing Insight team journalist or the advertiser if ghost written.
3. Promotional box at the end of an independent editorial article
   – Sometimes we publish credible editorial about a topic related to a presentation at an event; we will credit the event in a box at the end of the article with information and links for the event.
4. Partner reports
   – Sometimes we publish a report written by a commercial partner that they have paid us to publish in our reports section.
   – The report is clearly labelled as ‘Partner report’ in green.
5. Advertisement banners
   – These appear in various sizes across the website and on our email newsletters.

If you have any queries about our content or wish to find out more about contributing to Policing Insight then please email us at [email protected]

You can also find further information on our ‘contributor guidance’ page