Interview

Interview: Transferring into An Garda Síochána from Toronto Police, Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon wondered how she would be received as 'an outsider' implementing their reform programme. She needn't have worried. Here she tells Policing Insight's Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons about the warm welcome she's received, her frustrations at COVID restrictions limiting her walks on the beat and how the culturally rich policing style has her smitten.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: Avon and Somerset PCC Mark Shelford is leading the force’s hunt to find a new chief constable following the departure of Andy Marsh; but while traditionally the top job has been filled by existing chiefs or deputies, the force is widening the recruitment pool to include assistant chief constables and overseas applicants who possess the right leadership and Peelian qualities, as Mr Shelford explained to Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix on a recent leg of the Policing Friendship Tour.

INTERVIEW: In the first in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised criminals, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Dr Anna Sergi, Associate Professor in Criminology at the University of Essex and an expert on the Mafia, on how her career has developed, her current research and plans for future projects, and the key challenges presented by organised crime moving forwards.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix’s Policing Friendship Tour recently caught up with Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye, to walk and talk about the policing challenges facing the county including the disproportionality in the number of Black and Asian stabbing victims and offenders, the importance of stop and search – done properly and lawfully – and the task of tackling county lines drugs.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix’s Policing Friendship Tour recently caught up with Ian Bell, CEO of the Police Digital Service (PDS), for a stroll around the urban landscape of Wembley; after 18 months of rapid technological change in policing and across the public sector – driven in large part by the pandemic – Mr Bell spoke about the challenges of COVID-19, the development of the PDS and the National Policing Digital Strategy, and the organisation’s aims and ambitions move forwards.

INTERVIEW: Professor Paul Taylor, who became the UK’s first Police Chief Scientific Adviser in May, believes policing leaders recognise that science and technology will be crucial to the service going forwards; he spoke to Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons about what his role will be, the importance of partnerships with education and industry, and how the National Crime Laboratory will drive evidence-based good practice in communities across the country.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix’s Policing Friendship Tour recently caught up with Andy Marsh, Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset, for a stroll around Bristol ahead of his retirement from the service in July; following a busy year for the Constabulary, which included the BLM protests and the Kill the Bill riots, Mr Marsh talked to Bernard about the challenges over the past 12 months, the changes during his 34 years in policing, and the work of the COPS charity.

Policing Friendship Tour: Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix’s Policing Friendship Tour recently caught up with Police Federation of England and Wales Vice-Chair Ché Donald, for a stroll around the Surrey Downs; as they walked and talked, Ché and Bernard discussed the impact of the pandemic on policing, the relentless pressures on officers and staff, trial by media, the challenges of recruitment, retention and diversity, and the importance of addressing mental health – along with a heartwarming story of overcoming addiction.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix’s Policing Friendship Tour recently arrived in Leamington Spa, where he was able to walk and talk with long-term police tech supplier Simon Hall about the challenges of police procurement, the launch of the new Police Digital Service, and the benefits of partnership working in reaching a global law enforcement market.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: On a recent leg of his Policing Friendship Tour, Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix walked and talked with former West Mercia Chief Constable Paul West; from ‘flaws’ in the current model of police governance and a lack of diversity amongst police and crime commissioners, to abandoned force mergers and increased collaboration, the pair discussed some of the key policing issues as they strolled around the grounds of Hartlebury Castle.

ADVERTISEMENT INTERVIEW: With UK police preparing to handle rapidly growing volumes of digital, multichannel contact from the public, the benefits – both for citizens and forces – of installing integrated contact management and CRM platforms are increasingly obvious; Steve Norris, Police Market Director at Salesforce UK (a specified supplier under the recent framework) highlights the advantages of the latest contact technology in enabling forces to cope with demand and enhance the service to citizens.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: On the latest leg of his Policing Friendship Tour, Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix caught up with Chris Lewis, Policy and Research Officer for Warwickshire OPCC, to talk about efforts to improve support for the victims of crime – and especially those injured or killed in road traffic collisions – as well as his work with the National Association of Retired Police Officers.

Policing Friendship Tour: Policing overseas, recruiting for a fairly unusual role, and the daily challenges of running a small but unique force were among the topics discussed by Port of Bristol Police Chief Officer Jeff Foreman and Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix, as Bernard embarked on the latest leg of his Policing Friendship Tour.

INTERVIEW: As part of the process of compiling the recent CoPaCC Future Police Contact Management report produced in partnership with Salesforce, Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter spoke to PSNI ACC Alan Todd, the NPCC Lead for Contact Management, about the key issues facing policing in relation to public contact – from the increasingly complex nature of demand, to the growth of digital and expanding channel options, the continuing impact of the pandemic, and the long-term challenges and technological opportunities.

INTERVIEW: This week sees the Police Federation of England and Wales hold its annual conference online; ahead of the event, Vice-Chair Ché Donald spoke to Policing Insight’s Bernard Rix on the impact of the pandemic on policing – from the added strain on officer wellbeing and mental health, to trial by media and increasing diversity.

INTERVIEW: Not all officers relish the prospect of a high-pressure ‘no-comment’ interview, where a suspect’s lack of response can lead to oppressive silences; but new research by Acting Detective Inspector Dan McCarthy of Sussex Police suggests additional training to master the uncomfortable interview room dynamics can lead to much more positive outcomes, as Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons reports.

Policing Friendship Tour: Diversity in policing, the role of the College of Policing and the criminal inquiry into the Hillsborough disaster were among the topics discussed by Assistant Commissioner Rob Beckley and Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix, as Bernard embarked on the second leg of his Policing Friendship Tour in Somerset.

INTERVIEW: Advances in technology and the growing demand for digital communication have led to significant changes to police contact management, but the arrival of COVID-19 presented a whole new challenge; Superintendent Aimee Ramm, the National Product Owner for policing’s digital platform Single Online Home, explains how the development team met that challenge, and the continuing evolution of online reporting and contact prompted by the pandemic.

INTERVIEW: In 2019, Northamptonshire Police withdrew from the East Midlands Operational Support Service, bringing its specialist services back within force; and as Chief Constable Nick Adderley told Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons, the move has resulted in the increased capability of specialist teams, improved response times, and a better service to the public.

Policing Friendship Tour: The impact of Covid on policing by consent, the fight against human trafficking and the future challenges of cross-border policing were just some of the issues discussed as Policing Insight’s Publisher Bernard Rix began his Policing Friendship Tour. Bernard was talking to Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer, who joined him on the first leg of the walking tour, which began in Barnstaple.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Involved in policing for over 30 years, the end of 2020 marked Mike Cunningham’s departure from his pivotal role as Chief Executive of the College of Policing (CoP). This year, continuing on his mission to drive change across the sector, Mike has joined Skills for Justice as an associate; here he talks with Toby Lindsay, Principal Consultant for Leadership, Management and Organisation Development (OD), about the skills he deems essential to the future of policing.

INTERVIEW: Ahead of this week’s launch of the UK’s new Police Digital Service, Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons spoke to CEO Ian Bell about the transition from the Police ICT Company,the pace of technological change in policing, and the aims and ambitions of the new organisation.

INTERVIEW: A six-month trial of armed response teams in New Zealand last year didn’t lead to the routine arming of officers; now New Zealand Police Association President Chris Cahill is calling for a national firearms register to be urgently introduced, to cut the number of guns going to criminals, as Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons reports.

INTERVIEW: Following the Home Secretary’s confirmation last week of the recommendations of part one of the police and crime commissioner review, Paddy Tipping, Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, spoke to Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter about the implications of the review for PCCs, and what the second stage of the process could mean.