Christmas is nearly upon us once again and it’s that time of year when the Policing Insight team begins to reflect on what has come to pass in 2019.
Casting an eye over this year’s Policing Insight articles, there is much to champion and celebrate.
Casting an eye over this year’s Policing Insight articles, there is much to champion and celebrate. Innovation in all areas of policing is thriving, albeit perhaps by necessity, but nevertheless there is some incredible work happening and it is a privilege for us here on Policing Insight to play our part in exploring the issues, widening the debate and sharing fantastic police work.
As 2019 draws to a close, we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to Policing Insight over the year. Your contributions enrich and expand our knowledge and understanding of policing, the challenges it faces and the possible solutions. We would also like to thank our readers, both in the UK and, increasingly, overseas. Your support and feedback are invaluable to us.
So, with the festive spirit in full swing, the Policing Insight team would like to share with you our personal highlights for 2019 which will be ‘registered free’ to access throughout the Christmas period.
Police recruitment in the UK is undergoing a seismic shift. In 2020 all new recruits will either have a degree or be prepared to study for one as part of the new PEQF so it’s perhaps no surprise that Policing Insight’s academic editor Carina O’Reilly, CoPaCC director and former GMP Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett and I have chosen articles that highlight the challenges this presents.
Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth brings an international perspective to many of his selections, reflecting a truism that crime is becoming increasingly global in nature and international partnerships and collaboration are key if law enforcement is to respond effectively.
Whether it’s Sudan or Somerset, policing often faces the same challenges and we are often all working towards the same solutions
Policing Insight’s publisher Bernard Rix has spent much of the year ‘on the road’ and his choices reflects this. Whether it’s Sudan or Somerset, it’s clear policing faces the same challenges and we are often all working towards the same solutions which brings me onto World Class Policing Awards.
I know I speak for the team when I say that a highlight for all of us this year was the World Class Policing Awards ceremony in London last month. The nominations were outstanding, and it was an honour to be involved in an event that bangs the drum loudly and clearly for policing excellence wherever it is happening. There is much to be proud of and, in 2020, we very much look forward to sharing the winners’ stories with you.
It now only remains for us at Policing Insight to wish you, our readers, a very joyful and peaceful Christmas. See you in 2020!
All the articles below can be accessed FREE without subscription throughout the Christmas period – you just need to log in to your account or register a free account with your email address.
Tina picks her favourite Policing Insight articles from 2019
Tina Orr Munro, Editor
Tina commissions, edits and writes articles for Policing Insight. After an initial career as a police scenes of crime officer, she retrained as a journalist and began her writing career on Jane’s Police Review in 2000 as a staff reporter. She became a freelance police and crime journalist in 2004. Since then, Tina has written on all areas of policing for the Home Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Police Federation of England and Wales, as well as national newspapers and magazines. She has edited the Police Federation’s Police magazine, has had three books published and is currently working on her first crime novel.
Domestic Abuse Matters: A training programme written by ‘a cop for cops and by a victim for victims’
This is probably my favourite article of 2019. I’m in awe of Melani Morgan who took her own terrible experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse and combined them with 30 years policing experience to help develop Domestic Abuse Matters, a training programme that has been delivered to 14,500 Police Scotland frontline responders. An incredible achievement and the project is a worthy finalist in this year’s World Class Policing Awards.
Intervention strategy: Cheshire Police trials new approaches to tackling stalking
Among my favourite articles are always those that take a new approach to an old problem. Cheshire Police’s new integrated anti-stalking unit is genuinely ground-breaking in the way that it is tackling the issue by targeting stalking behaviour whilst improving the response to victims.
Protecting the protectors: How Canadian services are making mental health a priority for officers
Mental health in policing is high on the agenda and we’ve run many articles on the subject, but the issue is not unique to UK policing. Tara Macpherson, Director, Public Safety & Justice, PwC Canada article reflects how Canadian forces are facing similar challenges Canadian forces and how they are tackling the issue.
Online child sexual abuse: New AI tool will speed up investigations and help protect officers’ mental health
The police service has yet to tap the full potential of Artificial Intelligence, but this brilliant tool highlights what can be achieved. Benjamin Gancz, former Metropolitan Police detective and CEO of Qumodo, was instrumental in developing this software which not only speeds up online child abuse investigations but also limits the number of indecent images police officers must view. A brilliant symbiosis between humans and machines.
20,000 more police officers – what will it take to make this more than a populist gimmick?
The announcement of 20,000 extra officers is welcome news but the service needs more than just extra boots on the ground. Managing Partner for Chaucer Digital Richard Thwaite sums up the reality that the new officers must be supported by a huge investment in back-end technology.
Winning Hearts and Minds: The implications of the lack of local and central comms on the implementation of the PEQF.
Few things get officers so hot under their body armour as to whether or not police officers need a degree to be a police officer. What I liked about this article is that it delves behind that debate. Whichever side of the conversation you are on, there are significant challenges for police forces as outlined by Dr Emma Williams and Jack Chapman from Canterbury Christ University.
Policing protests: Officers need to know where to draw the line between engagement and law enforcement
In many ways 2019 has felt like the year of protest. We have pro and anti-Brexit demonstrations alongside the rise of Extinction Rebellion. It has posed problems for policing, especially when the service doesn’t have the numbers to call upon it once did. Ian Wiggett’s article explores those challenges. Where do you draw the line between engagement and ‘stepping in’? I suspect this will continue to challenge policing in the years to come.
Dads Unlimited: How one charity is working to ensure custody disputes don’t become a police matter
Whatever your view on Police and Crime Commissioners, up and down the country, they are commissioning some really innovative and impactive services to improve community safety, but also to reduce demand on policing. There are dozens to choose from, but I particularly Kent-based charity Dads Unlimited, awarded £20,000 by Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, for the way it supports fathers in custody disputes that might otherwise have ended in a call to the police.
Origin, transit, destination: Tackling all points of the human trafficking trade is the only way to combat it
The publication of this article predated the terrible discovery of the deaths of 39 Vietnamese nationals in the back of a lorry in Essex in November. While it takes a tragedy of this magnitude to sometimes remind the public of the reality of trafficking, Andrew Staniforth superb article reflects the work that continues in the background and the fact that even when it isn’t in the headlines, trafficking is ever-present and ever-evolving.
Building legitimacy: The police service must react positively to diversity, says retired PSNI Chief.
Legitimacy is a word that is beginning to crop up more and more frequently in policing circles. In the UK, the police service is underpinned by Peelian principles, in particular – ‘the police are the public and public are the police’ but what does that mean in a 21st century policing context? In a brilliant speech delivered at the Police Foundation’s annual conference, Sir George Hamilton, recently retired Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, shares his observations.
Carina picks her favourite Policing Insight articles from 2019
Carina O’Reilly, Academic Editor
Carina O’Reilly is Policing Insight’s Academic Editor with a particular focus on research and academia. She worked at IHS Jane’s for seven years as a writer, editor and senior analyst on European security and organised crime. A specialist on policing, politics and security issues in Europe, Carina is a Lecturer in Policing and Criminal Justice at Anglia Ruskin University, with research interests in police legitimacy, accountability and neighbourhood policing. She also teaches politics at undergraduate level at the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge. Carina took her first degree at Cambridge University in Social and Political Sciences and holds a Masters in Strategic Studies from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
A ten-point plan for policing
John Sutherland is one of my favourite authors; a former Borough Commander for the Met, he writes eloquently about the pressures of the job from an insider’s perspectives, and many of his pieces are a call to arms for the government and police leaders to understand and respond to the pressures that policing is under. This ten-point plan is typical of John: based on a deep knowledge of how policing works and where it is struggling, he reflects what we all know is needed – such as more funding – while not being afraid to also call for more controversial measures – like the abolition of PCCs. A must-read.
When bad evidence is worse than no evidence: Quilliam’s “grooming gangs” report and its legacy
I won’t be the only Policing Insight writer to include this in my top ten. Written by Dr Ella Cockbain, this was such an important article, and not just for its conclusions. We talk a lot about evidence-based policing these days, particularly in this magazine. This piece actually breaks down what that means. The Quilliam report wasn’t just bad because of its conclusions but because of the way it reached those conclusions. There was no proper account of its methods, or its funding; its sample was tiny; and its claims unsubstantiated. This report should never have been given any credence. That its conclusions were repeated underlines how vital it is that the police and others know how to discern good research from bad. At a time of rampant ‘fake news,’ that also applies to the rest of us.
Police stop and search: How academics can help forces to get their tactics right
There’s a theme here. Dr Megan O’Neill of the University of Dundee and Dr Liz Aston of Edinburgh Napier University explain in this piece how academia can actually work well with policing, using good science to improve one of the most difficult areas of policing, that of Stop and Search. The incorporation of not just academia, but also the voices of frontline officers, helped make better decisions, and should act as a template for future collaborations.
Passive or active policing? Building trust through success and honesty
Another of our regular writers, Martin Gallagher, argues here that police officers need to do more to actively police, rather than simply becoming crime recorders. Martin makes the case that active, preventive policing builds confidence in the police and increases police legitimacy – an area of policing that has sometimes taken second place under the pressure of austerity and (as he argues elsewhere) a police culture that is increasingly codified and legislated. Written from the perspective of a serving officer, Martin’s articles are extremely popular and this piece is an example of why that is.
Winning Hearts and Minds: The implications of the lack of local and central comms on the implementation of the PEQF
Here’s a subject that’s close to my heart. Despite being involved in delivering policing degrees, I’ve never been entirely convinced by the arguments for the PEQF to be introduced in the way that it has. Here, Dr Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University explains better than I could what the failures in communication have been, and their ramifications. Emma argues that existing officers feel de-professionalised, while force education and training leads feel underprepared for what is a transformation in recruitment and police training. Such a situation brings real organisational risks for the police, which it may now be too late to assuage.
EXCLUSIVE: Chief Constable seeks judicial review over College of Policing’s degree entry scheme
I’ve included this as a landmark moment in the development of the PEQF – and an excellent piece of reporting from our own Tina Orr-Munro. While the judicial review was later dismissed on a technicality, this story for me was the moment when the in-house opposition to the PEQF crystallised. I suspect the review would have been rejected, as much of the information included in the report released by Lincs was conjectural rather than evidence-based, but it still stands out as indicating that resistance to the PEQF was based on legitimate organisational concerns, and wasn’t just the grumbling of disaffected officers.
Rising violence and verbal abuse towards retailers: Stories from shop floor reveal lifelong impact
This is a top choice for me for several reasons. Firstly, it reflects one of the themes of these picks, which is the actual effects of austerity on front line staff. However, in this case, the effects are somewhere we don’t usually look – nor might we particularly take it seriously. In my own research on community policing I heard anecdotes of forces abandoning the policing of retail crime beneath a certain value, due simply to a lack of resource. But doing so effectively abandons a whole group of people – retail staff themselves – to having no recourse against crime that directly affects them. Here, Dr Emmeline Taylor explains what that impact is and why it’s important that we remember the people and not just the value of the goods that are stolen.
EXCLUSIVE: Kent Chief Constable on why he’s issuing Tasers to all officers, including Special Constables
In another of our exclusive articles, Kent’s Chief Constable Alan Pughsley explains his announcement that Tasers would be issued to all serving officers including Specials. This for me was a massively important story; not because CC Pughsley would be overturning decades of consensus that Tasers were a specialist tool and Specials weren’t special enough, though he was doing just that. For me, this story stands out because it spoke to a crisis in policing that is under-appreciated outside it, which is the amount of violence that officers face and their increased vulnerability due to budget cuts and single-crewing. The combination is beginning to lead to a recalibration of the police relationship with the use of force, which could have huge ramifications – and when that history is written, this may be a key moment in it.
I read 147 Facebook updates across seven pages to see how the Whaley Bridge dam crisis was communicated
I love Dan Slee’s articles and this is no exception. Dan takes a crisis – whether it be terrorist attacks, or in this case, the feared collapse of the Whaley Bridge dam – and he forensically deconstructs the emergency services communications strategy. This is tremendously useful and also fascinating to read. Here, Dan pinpoints the strengths of what was an overwhelmingly effective communications operation: the central role of the local community, the regular updates from the emergency services, and the use of video. Dan’s posts should be required reading for anyone in the police service in charge of communications, particularly during crisis events.
Policing the gender identity debate
This, my final choice, is to my mind one of the most important articles we’ve published this year. Until the recent judicial review challenge to the College of Policing, there has been very little public examination of the decisions made by police about how to deal with gender identity controversies. Dr Kath Murray argues that the almost uncritical acceptance by police of demands made by transgender campaigners is actively damaging not just to women’s rights, but even to our capacity to understand crime and its sources. For example, recording a person’s self-defined gender identity instead of their sex, as the Metropolitan Police and other forces do, makes it impossible to have a conversation about male violence (and makes a nonsense of rape statistics). Kath warns that many women are scared about voicing their concerns about the erosion of single-sex spaces and services, for fear of being labelled transphobic; and that perceived bias in policing this minefield is actively damaging police credibility and legitimacy.
Ian picks his favourite Policing Insight articles from 2019
Ian Wiggett, Policing Insight regular contributor
Ian Wiggett is a CoPaCC Director and a former ACC in Greater Manchester Police, with responsibility for Serious Crime and Counter Terrorism. He was the national lead for systems thinking and for casualty bureau, and was chair of the NPAS Assurance Group. Ian previously had responsibility for specialist operations within GMP. He has led work in GMP to improve responses to missing persons and mental health, and in applying systems thinking approaches across local and specialist policing. Ian began his service in the Metropolitan Police, and gained extensive experience of public order and crime investigation. After being head of CID in three London divisions, he headed the Intelligence and Performance portfolio within Territorial Policing. Following transfer to Cheshire Constabulary, he became Director of Intelligence, held commands in local policing and specialist operations, and led several forcewide change programmes.
I’ve been struck by the span of the topics covered and by the range of contributors – not just from those within UK policing family, but from across academia, business, and governance. Not forgetting the international contributors.
It still feels difficult for conversations across ranks and forces, despite all the channels available these days. Consequently, it was great to see senior leaders contributing to discussions, including a number of chiefs, PCCs and Sir Tom Winsor. Chief Constable Alan Pughsley’s article on taser (21st August) had a reach beyond Kent. It helped bring a long, rumbling debate into the open.
Contributors have continued to anticipate themes ahead of main media headlines.
Time for reform: The London Bridge attack has revealed ‘fault lines’ in UK’s counter-terror strategy
Andrew Staniforth highlighted the need to review counter terrorism strategies in several articles. In a year which saw the Christchurch mosque shooting, the London Bridge attack, and numerous atrocities around the world, we have to keep questioning policies and assumptions.
When bad evidence is worse than no evidence: Quilliam’s “grooming gangs” report and its legacy
Dr Ella Cockbain’s powerful critique (20th March) of a Quilliam Foundation report on grooming gangs (‘a case study in bad science’) generated numerous comments. Police officers should be well aware of the need to assess and validate evidence. They will know that “facts”, “beliefs” and “hearsay” may not always be true. They must be wary of a closed mind and only seeking evidence that supports a pre-formed opinion.
Want 20,000 extra police officers? The police service will need to recruit 45,000
Tina Orr-Munro set out the challenges around the 20,000 recruitment target (26 July). It’s sage advice not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but welcome as the uplift is, there are considerable risks and other implications that the service will need to understand and address when trying to grow numbers quickly.
Winning Hearts and Minds: The implications of the lack of local and central comms on the implementation of the PEQF
Dr. Emma Williams highlighted the communication challenges around PEQF (18th July), and the hearts and minds battle around ‘Degreegate’. Much is misunderstood and some of the pain could have been avoided with better explanation – but there are also some significant practical hurdles which still require communication and preparation.
The future of policing: It’s HR’s time to shine
In addition to the 20k uplift and PEQF, there are growing pressures on conventional HR functions. Wellbeing, leadership, selection, development, skills, accreditation, retention, and professional standards, to name but a few examples. Andrew Lea set out a future concept for Human Resources (6th November). This is an important element that glues policing together, but are we clear on what is needed now, and in the future?
A ten-point plan for policing
Challenges require solutions – or at least ideas that help us work out solutions. John Sutherland set out a 10-point plan to fix policing (17th February), and whilst opinions may differ on what the plan should be, we can probably all agree that it is not just about extra officer numbers.
“Security is a fragile concept that only exists due to our belief we are secure”
Shane Mallory explored the concept of security (4th November), drawing on his experience of policing in Australia. ‘We are safe and secure for as long as we are not’. 24 hour rolling news appeared during the early part of my career, leading to concerns about how commanders could manage media reporting. Now we’re into the era of fake news, self-selection of news, and social media creating the news. Policy making on crime and policing seems to be increasingly driven by emotions and emotional responses – and concepts of fear and security.
Gang culture appeals to disenfranchised young people – but ‘social mixing’ offers a way out
Dr. Robert Hesketh considered the role of ‘social mixing’ in tackling gangs and gang violence (28th May). The ‘public health’ approach to tackling violence has gained wide support, even though I’m not sure it’s fully understood. However, there are no simple solutions to complex problems. Social mixing offers another, complementary approach that will resonate with many on the frontline – but also brings wider challenges to policy making if we are serious about tackling violent crime.
Missing children: North Yorkshire’s No Wrong Door initiative shows the way
The North Yorkshire initiative on missing children (4th February) showed how much can be achieved from a rather small investment, just by working together and in different ways. Good people given some space by their organisations, can overcome barriers and make a difference to children’s lives.
The flickering blue lamp: A sense of history is critical for today’s leadership
Finally, Jim Gale wrote about the importance of history in policing (8th January). History is a favourite subject of mine, and I am firmly of the view that you can’t understand the present without understanding the past. The police corporate memory can be very short, and we quickly forget how things came to be as they are, and why that was. Yet there is a lot of continuity too. Police history is not just about museums, but about understanding the present – and informing the future .
Andy picks his favourite Policing Insight articles from 2019
Andrew Staniforth, Policing Insight regular contributor
Andrew Staniforth is Director of Research and Innovation at Saher (Europe), a security research, training and consultancy operating at a global level, supporting police forces and private sector organisations to identify and implement innovative security technologies to maximise impact. As a founding Board Member and Senior Research Fellow at the Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence & Organised Crime Research (CENTRIC), he is the author and editor of numerous books addressing international policing issues. As a former Special Branch Intelligence Officer and Counter-Terrorism Detective, he has worked across the world and supported missions of the United Nations Terrorism Prevention Branch.
Albanian mafia: The dangerous myth that distorts our view of the global drugs trade
Increasing knowledge and awareness of international organised crime is an important aspect for all police officers, and not just those in Regional Organised Crime Units. The references in this article relating to Albanian organised crime remains of particular concern. All in authority would be wise to note the content of Dr Sergi’s piece which provides a degree of clarity to the complex world of international drug trafficking.
Cyber awareness: ‘Momo’ was a hoax, but there are still important lessons for policing
It was great to read about cyber security issues from a serving police officer at the forefront of tackling one of the most pressing policing issues of our generation. Many congratulations for Greater Manchester Police for allowing this officer to provide information for public consumption, and of course, for the officer himself to share his very good work.
Brexit: What the army could legally do to maintain public order if needed
Whatever your political views on Brexit this article provided a sobering account of military aid to civil power in the event of mass civil disruption. It confirmed my view that the thin blue line – made even thinner by years of police cuts – would not cope with major public disorder across the country, evidenced by the extent of Extinction Rebellion direct actions in 2019 which stretched policing resources to near breaking point.
Common interest: How police and fire can benefit from data-driven collaboration
For many engaged in police, security and defence innovation, it beggars belief that in the digital age of 2019 there remains substantial vulnerabilities in the data sharing capacity and capability between those agencies who serve to keep us safe. The article was right to highlight the findings of the report from which our emergency service agency leaders need to take note and do much better.
NCA Director: We need a ‘whole system’ approach to tackling serious and organised crime
An open, honest and interesting interview from the most senior organised crime fighter in the UK. It is rare that senior leaders provide such insights to their challenges and the interview was a welcome addition to understanding contemporary crime investigation at an international level.
Game changer: How an award-winning collaboration is helping to protect businesses from cyber attacks
Like so many articles contributed by academics during 2019 this insight from a PhD researcher showed how a collaborative approach to tackling cyber awareness issues could result in practical tools and technologies being developed for the real world of policing and protecting businesses. This article stood out for me as a genuine, innovative approach of great future potential for policing to reduce the cybercrime burden on resources.
EXCLUSIVE: Chief Constable seeks judicial review over College of Policing’s degree entry scheme
This exclusive article restored many police commentators faith in the current strength and ability of police constables up and down the country to speak publicly and stand up for what they believe. The comments of the Chief Constable may not have been popular with the College of Policing but given the pressures on local policing – until further officers are recruited – front line cops should be chasing burglars rather than bachelor degrees. Bravo Bill!
Warning signs: “When things get hidden with armed police officers, that doesn’t make for a good equation”
Eamon provided an excellent article that highlighted the shocking state of mental health provision in his police force. It served to remind many police officers of the distinct lack of mental health service provision for police officers and staff at a local level. Unfortunately it exposed the reality of many police forces, who have glossy brochures, apps and websites on mental health but very little practical support of the level required to help those who put themselves in harms way to keep us safe.
A radical approach to tackling knife crime in Scotland
During a year of devastating knife crime attacks and mounting murders on our streets, this insight to fighting knife crime in Scotland provided some hope to find new ways in which to reduce attacks. The article provided further evidence that are many innovations north of the border that police forces in England and Wales should be trialling and adopting – more collaborative approaches in 2020 needed to share best practices!
There’s (another) election on the horizon: The PCC race for 2020
This article was timely, reminding us all that if we had not had enough of elections in 2019, then the forthcoming PCC elections in 2020 provides a real opportunity for all communities to have their direct and democratic say on how safe they feel. Now embedded into local policing, PCC’s have increasing levels of authority and autonomy and have far more power over local policing provision than your local MP so all should be encouraged to vote and have a say!
Bernard picks his favourite Policing Insight articles from 2019
Bernard Rix. CoPaCC Chief Executive, Publisher of Policing Insight and Founder of the World Class Policing Awards
Prior to setting up CoPaCC in 2012, Bernard worked for over twenty years as an independent police, criminal justice and community safety advisor since 1990, across the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East. He led over fifty significant change assignments in this time, work that has – amongst other benefits – improved police investigation of burglary, cut court delays, given victims a better service, helped community relations, and enhanced police officer safety.
NZ Police Chief: Relations with all communities must ‘deepen and broaden’ to prevent another terror attack
2020 has seen Policing Insight considerably increasing its global coverage: my favourites for this year are drawn exclusively from our international content, starting with exclusive coverage of the New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush’s moving and engaging speech to the International Crime Prevention Conference in Dubai just one week ago.
NPCC International Policing Chief: Overseas secondments should be incorporated into officers’ career paths
Avon & Somerset Police’s Chief Constable, Andy Marsh, leads for the National Police Chief’s Council on International. In another Policing Insight exclusive, he argues that overseas secondments for UK police officers should become incorporated into officers’ career pathways.
Dubai Police Youth Council: Enabling the young to be heard
I have been fortunate to visit Dubai Police twice this year, each time being generously hosted by Dubai Police Consultant Jorge J Román. In this article, Jorge explains Dubai Police’s approach to youth engagement.
In conference: Policing Insight attends the Australia & New Zealand Police Advisory Agency (ANZPAA) Conference 2019
This year, we’ve made a conscious effort to increase our coverage of key policing conferences from around the world. This ANZPAA event was one of the first conferences outside the United Kingdom that we covered: a key milestone for us in our growth.
Albanian mafia: The dangerous myth that distorts our view of the global drugs trade
Although this article has already been selected by Andrew Staniforth, it’s worth a second mention to acknowledge how well it fits within my list of international favourites.
The Hong Kong Protests: History and politics in public order policing
This international perspective was written for us by military historian and independent consultant Dr Jill Russell, looking in part at the lessons that forces worldwide might take from the Chinese authorities’ response and experience.
Fresh start: The industrial-scale challenges facing Europol’s new anti-trafficking task-force
Europol’s profile (and activity) has risen considerably over the past ten years. During 2018, Europol made human trafficking a priority crime area: this article looks at the new operational unit focusing on intelligence-led coordinated action.
The Dutch Experience: The role of innovation in creating a national police service
Many excellent examples of innovation in policing are provided by the police in the Netherlands. The structure of Dutch policing was radically reformed in 2013, with the primary focus of government being the desire to reduce police bureaucracy so that officers had more time for primary policing. This article explains more
From Somerset to South Sudan: Community policing in a conflict zone
Chief Inspector Jackie Gold of Avon & Somerset Police describes her personal journey from UK police officer to UK peacekeeper, living and working with the UN to protect communities within compounds where approximately 250,000 people sought refuge.
Developing a training curriculum in fragile and conflict affected states: Lessons learned from the Afghan National Police Staff College
This article by the Dutch National Police’s Inspector Jan Leenslag, who writes here for Policing Insight on his time working as part of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL), helping people in Fragile and Conflict Affected States (FCAS) rebuild their world.
And one extra for luck…
Congratulations! Devon and Cornwall Police take top spot at World Class Policing Awards!
Perhaps my overall personal favourite. I spent much time during 2019 working with a fantastic steering committee of five, setting up the World Class Policing Awards. Our first Awards Dinner took place in central London in November this year, where – with Finalists drawn from policing in New Zealand, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Chile as well as the United Kingdom – Devon & Cornwall’s Operation Encompass was recognised as a truly brilliant Overall Winner.
Do you agree with the team? Why not let us know your favourite article in the comments below with a link and a few words about why you selected the article?
Feature image used with permission from West Midlands Police under Creative Commons. Original image here
