Latest News, Analysis and Opinion  (Page 165)

OPINION: In a report out today, the Centre for Social Justice calls on the Government to give more local freedom to Police and Crime Commissioners to fund the fight against crime. Rory Geoghegan, Head of Criminal Justice at the CSJ, explains what could be achieved if PCCs raised an additional £180 million locally.

OPINION: Last month, the Police Foundation’s annual conference focused on effective collaboration between the police, partners and communities. In his opening presentation, Dr Rick Muir, director of the Police Foundation offered a number of ways in which this could be achieved.

OPINION: New technologies such as computer vision and machine learning are transforming CCTV and enhancing public safety. James Slessor, Managing Director of Accenture Public Safety, explores the possibilities of the new generation of CCTV.

ANALYSIS: Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) were Introduced as part of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 as a key tool for forces to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination. Former head of West Midlands Police Diversity and Community Cohesion Unit (DCCU) Mick Gillick MBE says not only do forces have a legal and moral duty to use EQIAs, but there are considerable benefits to be had.

OPINION: Following the publication of David Anderson QC's review of the four terrorist attacks this year, Ian Wiggett, formerly Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, examines the wider issues. While counter-terror policing relies on striking the balance between resources, powers and human rights, local policing teams can expect greater demands to be placed on them. 

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: The vast majority of UK forces now have drone capability, but whilst the emphasis has been on their potential to assist policing, little attention has been paid to whether their presence compromises people's privacy and undermines basic Peelian Principles of policing by consent. Inspector Darren Green says it's time to have the conversation. 

OPINION: Last week, @WeCops hosted a Twitter chat on how austerity had affected policing. Serving officer Gareth Stubbs discusses the responses and what it tells us about the state of policing, and the need for police organisations to take trauma and wellbeing seriously.

OPINION: Arrests of football fans have fallen by 14% according to recent figures - but the numbers don't tell the whole story. Anecdotal evidence suggests that fans still face confrontational policing and aggressive stewarding at matches. Chief Supt. Owen West calls for clubs, fans and police forces to come together to change the match day dynamic.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders and media reaction. Here we take a look at HMICFRS' report on police air support which raises serious concerns regarding the ability of National Police Air Support to deliver a consistent service to forces.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. Here we take a look at the National Crime Agency's County Lines Violence, Exploitation & Drug Supply 2017, their third threat assessment.

OPINION: As they commence a new national research project into Special Constabulary leadership, Dr Iain Britton and Dr Carol Borland-Jones of the Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice at the University of Northampton, discuss why they feel the leadership of Special Constabularies is such an important issue, and raise some key debates.

Analysis: Despite austerity measures putting both police and courts under financial pressure, recent years have seen a large decline in out of court disposals. Rob Allen, author of a new report published today by Transform Justice, says it is time to reverse the trend.

Analysis: Creativity and innovation may not be two words that automatically come to mind when thinking about policing. Yet, this year’s annual College of Policing conference - Everyday Innovation - revealed that there is no shortage of either within the police service.

Analysis: CoPaCC’s Police ICT User Survey results revealed superintendents in Scotland expressed some of the highest levels of dissatisfaction with aspects of their ICT provision.  Chief Superintendent Ivor Marshall, President of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS), takes a closer look at what the results mean.

Analysis: The results from UK policing's first independent ICT User Survey - published today - are already having a positive impact thanks to the quality of the data, but it is just the beginning of the journey, according to the police associations that have lent their support to the survey.

NEW REPORT: The latest CoPaCC thematic report 'Police ICT: User perspectives' is published today. Following a survey of police officers from 44 police forces, the report provides a unique insight into the views of the frontline on the provision of ICT in their force. The results and feedback from end users are required reading for police managers, buyers and suppliers.

ANALYSIS: In the fourth of a series of special articles examining the progress of Police and Crime Commissioners as they assume joint governance over police and fire services in their areas, Catherine Levin reports on an increasingly exclusive club of forces intending to take on fire governance.

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.

Interview: This weekend (9-10 December), in the wake of the College of Policing’s Everyday Innovation conference and in the run up to CoPaCC’s thematic report into police ICT, Hack the Police 2 will bring developers and frontline officers together to take innovative ideas and put them into action in a sequel to the UK’s first and original policing hackathon. We interview one of the organisers, Edwin Burns of the Forensic Psychology Unit at Goldsmiths (University of London), ahead of the event.

OPINION: The 24th annual Lord Ferrers Awards, which recognise the contributions of Police Support Volunteers, Special Constables and Volunteer Police Cadets, took place in London on Tuesday 28th November. Dr Iain Britton, a member of the panel of judges for the awards this year, reflects on the inspirational individuals and teams who were awarded for their voluntary contributions.

OPINION: Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner has become the latest PCC to appoint outside expertise in the form of a new Deputy to help drive the county's response to modern slavery. Justine Currell explains why she is the right person for the role. 

OPINION: The Valuing Victims report by the charity, Why me?, revealed wide variations in PCC spending on RJ schemes. In the second of two articles, Richard Monkhouse, the charity's chair, says the findings also demonstrate the benefits of restorative justice.

ANALYSIS: Recent figures from the ONS suggest that almost two million adults experienced some form of domestic abuse last year. But does this still under-estimate the problem? Dr Hannah Bows of Durham University explores the problems with recording - and supporting victims - of domestic violence.