ANALYSIS: When most people are preoccupied with thoughts of summer holidays, there is change afoot in the world of PCCs and fire governance. Briefly thwarted by judicial reviews, both West Mercia and Cambridgeshire PCC can now make progress but, as Catherine Levin explains, it won’t be a smooth ride for either of them.
Opinion: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is working with the MPS to clear a large backlog of requests for personal information after the force was issued with two Enforcement Notices for failing to respond within the allotted time. ICO Director of Data Protection Complaints and Compliance Suzanne Gordon offers practical advice to ensure forces meet their data protection obligations.
Innovation: what3words is an app that allows users to pinpoint locations to within 3 square metres. Here, founder Chris Sheldrick talks about how police forces have been using the app to successfully find callers in areas that are typically hard to find.
INSIGHT: With the Government's announcement of 20,000 extra officers and the suggestion that offering those completing thirty years’ service the chance to stay (or come back) might ease the pressure, Tom Wheelhouse examines whether this is a viable solution and what the alternatives might be looking at the wider issues of recruitment, retention and resettlement.
8th August 2019
INSIGHT: In July, Policing Insight broke the story that Lincolnshire Chief Constable Bill Skelly had begun judicial review proceedings against the College of Policing’s degree entry scheme for new police officers. As the scheme has taken shape, Policing Insight has published many articles from different stakeholders on the proposals. Here is a selection of those articles.
analysis: Following the failure of the European Union Strategy to eradicate human trafficking, Europol has launched a new joint task force. Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth explores the challenges it faces in trying to combat one of the largest international crime industries in the world.
ANALYSIS: With the announcement of 20,000 new police officers, the new PEQF entry routes are back in the news. However, Dr Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University warns that organisational issues bring risks - to forces, to officers, and to the PEQF itself.
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.
analysis: Cybercriminals are turning their attentions to the healthcare industry. Medical technology and patients' records are increasingly under attack, but the Police Service of Northern Ireland's new Cyber Crime Unit is a step in the right direction to tackling this new threat, writes Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth.
Book Review: Over 600 superintendents have benefited from workshops delivered by Jonathan Rees to equip them with the skills to survive and thrive in complex and extensive command environments. Jonathan has now taken his knowledge and expertise and distilled it into 'The Resilience Toolkit - Powerful ways to thrive in blue-light services' to help others succeed.
ANALYSIS: What's the best way of dealing with child sexual exploitation in practice? Kate Thomson, PhD researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University, offers a best practice model from her research with police and other practitioners in Scotland.
OPINION: Leslie Evans talks about the success of Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU) in bringing down crime rates in Scotland. She outlines why violent crime is not just a policing issue, and should be treated as 'something to be cured rather than punished.'
analysis: Leaveism - the practice of always being 'on the job' including checking emails 24/7 - is a growing habit for many. Senior Responsible Owner for the National Police Wellbeing Service Dr Ian Hesketh examines the effects of leaveism and the innovative approaches some companies have adopted to tackle it.
ANALYSIS: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises the findings of a briefing paper published by the End Violence Against Women Coalition (July 2019) which conducted research into 42 Police and Crime Plans to examine the response of Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales towards violence against women and girls.
INTERVIEW: Police trials of Automated Facial Recognition (AFR) may be controversial, but they have recently received support from the Home Secretary. Surveillance Camera Commissioner Tony Porter explains to Policing Insight the challenge of understanding AFR accuracy and the dangers of ‘surveillance creep’ impacting upon civil liberties.
Opinion: Many forces still rely on the 'train the trainer' approach when teaching their workforce new skills, but Me Learning's Shirley Berry argues technology has moved on and now offers creative ways to train people quickly and more effectively.
Opinion: When Managing Director of Aerospace, Defence and Security at Sopra Steria UK Vern Davis joined two South Yorkshire Police officers on patrol, he was struck by how much time is spent in the station completing paperwork, but he says officers can only remain out on the streets if they and their vehicles are equipped with the right information and communications technology.
ANALYSIS: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises the findings of 'The Poor Relation - The police and CPS response to crimes against older people' which examines the response to older people who studies have shown are more likely to fear being the victims of crime than people in other age groups.
NEWS: Policing Insight attended its first international conference in Melbourne, Australia this month. Our staff writer, a stalwart of many police conferences, found the innovative and holistic approach to familiar policing issues at the Australia & New Zealand Police Advisory Agency (ANZPAA) Police Conference 2019 a refreshing experience.
Analysis: With this week’s announcement that the police service must recruit 20,000 extra officers over the next three years, Managing Director of a national police recruitment website Allpolicejobs.co.uk Richard Place explores the facts behind the headline figure.
interview: This month, the Home Office launched new software to speed up online child abuse investigations and limit the number of indecent images police officers have to view. Benjamin Gancz, former Metropolitan Police detective and CEO of Qumodo, which was involved in developing the software, talks to Policing Insight about the potential impact of this new tool.
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.
Analysis: When the National Rural Crime Network launched its report on rural domestic abuse, the Network received calls from victims whose harrowing experiences had left them feeling isolated, unprotected and abandoned. Chair of the National Rural Crime Network and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire Julia Mulligan explores the issues surrounding this hidden crime.
