FEATURE: The shocking events of 9/11 in the USA brought the role of Special Branch and ports police – a crucial part of the UK counter-terror apparatus – into much sharper focus, and fed into an inspection process which would lead to major changes in their role and status, as Policing Insight contributor Andy Staniforth explains.

OPINION: Technological innovation is crucial in enabling digital forensics teams to tackle the growth in devices and data; but the success of innovators relies on police engagement, explains Ian Stevenson, Chair of the Online Safety Technology Industry Association (OSTIA) and CEO of Cyan Forensics.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: A pilot scheme providing mentoring and exam support for police officers from underrepresented backgrounds.

OPINION: Superintendent Simon Nelson, President of the Disabled Police Association, looks at the impact language and categorisation can have on individuals in diverse 'minority' groups, including those with a disability.

SUPERINTENDENTS' CONFERENCE: NPCC Workforce Representation Lead Phil Cain warns that the service must stop 'reacting defensively' to concerns of racism in policing, and become more educated and aware of the issues around diversity and inclusion.

SUPERINTENDENTS' CONFERENCE: College of Policing CEO Mike Cunningham, and Christine Elliott, Interim Chair of the Board of Directors, outline the latest developments on leadership training, digital advances, and diversity and inclusion.

OPINION: 'You may be terrified of social media. Unfortunately, you have every reason to be. It's a dangerous place where things get taken out of context and rumours fly': Yael Bar-tur, New York Police Department's former Director of Social Media, explores the risks and opportunities for policing's digital communications.

FEATURE: In our continuing series aimed at supporting the new police degree entry recruits, Policing Insight's Academic Editor Dr Carina O'Reilly outlines a fourth case study of evidence-based policing in practice – this time looking at the promise of technology transforming policing.

SUPERINTENDENTS' CONFERENCE: A proposed police covenant – focusing on physical protection, health and wellbeing, and support – will be extended to include serving and retired officers, staff and volunteers, as well as their families, confirms Home Secretary Priti Patel.

SUPERINTENDENTS' CONFERENCE: New legislation around the use of technology in policing would enable forces to have a clear understanding of the parameters, and make much more fair and effective use of systems such as facial recognition, says Met Police Deputy Commissioner Sir Stephen House QPM.

SUPERINTENDENTS' CONFERENCE: Tackling fatigue among police officers and staff will be a major focus of work for the National Police Wellbeing Service in 2021, as NPCC Wellbeing Lead Andy Rhodes warned that exhaustion among members of the police service has become ‘institutionalised’.

ANALYSIS: AUSTRALIA: The wearing of facemasks as a protection against pollution was increasingly common in some countries even before the pandemic, and masks are now commonly worn by protesters to evade identification. Associate Professor Paul Haskell-Dowland of Edith Cowan University examines how facial recognition systems will need to adapt.

IN THE NEWS: This summary curates the key policing-related research that's been published online in the last week, with links to the original journal articles, and selected abstracts - plus a short guide outlining how serving police officers and staff can get access, free, to many of the articles listed through the National Police Library. You do not need to be a member of the College to access its library.

OPINION: The COVID-19 pandemic and and Black Lives Matter protests have seen policing face new and unique challenges over recent months; but as crowd control specialist Owen West points out, attempting to ban legitimate demonstrations and reclassifying protest groups as serious crime organisations or domestic extremists is both dangerous and futile.

ANALYSIS: A quarter of all police officers in England & Wales now have less than five years’ service, and one in 10 is in their first year in the job; in the second of two articles examining the changing nature of the policing workforce, Ian Wiggett reveals the dramatic shift in length of service and experience, the risks and opportunities it creates, and how forces can respond.

UCL COVID-19 SERIES: Professor Graham Farrell from the University of Leeds, and Dr. Dan Birks from the University of Leeds and The Alan Turing Institute, analyse crime trends both during and post-lockdown and examine the Government's response to these shifting trends.

ANALYSIS: The coronavirus pandemic, the economic recession it has created, and the ongoing, uncertain impact of Brexit are three key challenges currently facing the UK and Europe; they also represent circumstances that – according to a recent Europol report – could enable organised crime groups to flourish, as Policing Insight's Andrew Staniforth explains.

OPINION: Knife crime hit a record high in England and Wales before the COVID-19 lockdown, leading to calls for tougher sentencing; but Sean Creaney, Senior Lecturer at Edge Hill University, and Jo Deakin, Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester, argue that engaging young people in their rehabilitation process is a more effective way of reducing reoffending.

OPINION: Nathan Bird, UK Policing lead for social media company Hootsuite, believes the changes that policing will need to make as a result of the European Electronic Communications Code – known as ‘Next Generation 999’ – should be seen as a real opportunity to revitalise police engagement and public contact in a digital society.

ANALYSIS: While the most recent police workforce statistics in England & Wales show a steady rise towards the UK Government's 20,000 officer uplift target, the figures also reveal growing numbers of officers resigning from the job mid-service; in this first of two articles, Ian Wiggett explores the national and regional trends, their impact, and what forces can do about police officer retention.

OPINION: In the lead up to World Suicide Prevention Day, former police leader turned development coach Gareth Davies highlights the problematic policing culture that contributes to deaths among serving and former officers, and how leadership, learning and emotional development could deliver positive change.

ANALYSIS: In the wake of the recent sentencing of a far-right terrorist in New Zealand for the horrific Christchurch mosque attacks, Andrew Staniforth looks at efforts in the UK to ensure that places of worship, and those who use them, are protected from hate crimes and the threat of terrorism.

IN THE NEWS: This summary curates the key policing-related research that's been published online in the last week, with links to the original journal articles, and selected abstracts - plus a short guide outlining how serving police officers and staff can get access, free, to many of the articles listed through the National Police Library. You do not need to be a member of the College to access its library.

ANALYSIS: AUSTRALIA: A recent survey shows a growing number of Australians support the legalisation of cannabis, and almost three in five back the idea of pill testing; Jarryd Bartle, Sessional Lecturer at RMIT University, and Nicole Lee, Professor at the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University, explore the survey results, and the potential lessons for policy makers.