Latest News, Analysis and Opinion  (Page 43)

FEATURE: Evidence-based policing is increasingly used to prevent crime and pursue offenders, but an innovative Cumbria Police approach is assessing student officers’ workloads and wellbeing through a crime harm index – with results including a reduction in resignations and a greater support for those early in their careers, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports

FEATURE: With environmental crime highlighted as a key organised crime threat in Europol’s Serious Organised Crime Threat Report (SOCTA), the new EU PERIVALLON project will use AI-based tools to tackle the crime; but as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports, any law enforcement use of such technology will need to abide by the risk criteria set out in the proposed European Artificial Intelligence Act – the first law of its kind by a major regulator.

FEATURE: With the new Forensic Science Code of Practice coming into force later this year, policing has a chance to boost standards across its forensics functions; but as a panel at the recent Digital Forensic Forum argued, meeting these stringent requirements is only possible if policing leaders are willing to step up their interest in forensics and push for cultural change, reports Policing Insight’s James Sweetland.

OPINION: A series of recent cases in New Zealand has seen offenders under the age of 25 given home detention despite being found guilty of sexual assault, on the basis that were too young to fully understand the consequences of what they were doing; University of Canterbury Associate Professor Debra Wilson believes these and other cases underline the need for the country’s Sentencing Act to be reformed.

FEATURE: A report into the policing of care-experienced and LGBTQI+ young people in Scotland – part of a series of studies on policing ‘seldom-heard groups’ published by Police Scotland, the Scottish Institute for Policing Research and the Scottish Police Authority – has recommended changes to police training, declaring being care experienced as a ‘protected characteristic’, and adopting a ‘policing with empathy’ approach, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

LATEST RESEARCH: 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.

FEATURE: New research from the Australian Institute of Criminology presents shocking findings on the level of domestic violence among members of outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs); with higher rates of violence and lower conviction rates, it’s a complex challenge for police officers in New South Wales to solve, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

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INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to former police officer Damian Barrow, now Programme Delivery Manager at data aggregation and automation specialists Synalogik, about the 4Ps approach, the prospect of AI revolutionising organised crime, and the need for greater accessibility to a wider range of datasets.

ANALYSIS: Reports of ‘deaths following police contact’ often include instances of individuals being restrained, but for anyone suffering from Acute Behavioural Disturbance (ABD), such an approach can prove fatal; former Kent Police Sergeant Darren Moor outlines the key indicators of ABD, the steps officers can take to ensure medical support is available, and what to do if restraint is unavoidable.

OPINION: Advances in technology are emerging at incredible speed, but policing is not always keeping pace with the new tech available – or the potential that it offers forces; Mark Preston, Policing Vertical Lead at ICT specialists Tisski, a Node4 company, believes that if forces can overcome budget constraints and their inherent resistance to change, there are significant benefits to be realised from digital transformation in policing.

FEATURE: The final report of the Commission on Crime and Gambling-Related Harms has called for reforms and a stronger commitment at a political level to address crime and other harms, a message echoed by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, which argues that crime linked to problem gambling must be tackled with the “same urgency and focus as other addictions”, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

LONG READ: In February, leading police officers were joined by law enforcement stakeholders, suppliers and academics for a one-day round table on transforming police public contact, organised by policy advice and strategic development organisation Cityforum; in this report – based on contributions made at the round table – independent policing consultant Nick Gargan, who chaired one of the event sessions, explores the key issues including addressing public expectations, the increasing shift to digital channels, and the options for improving service delivery.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Presented by the Australia and New Zealand Police Commissioners and supported by Policing Insight as media partner, this two day conference will bring together police personnel and the law enforcement community and industry to explore how partnerships can improve community safety.

FEATURE: Several European countries have experienced the devastating effects of often low-tech fatal terrorist attacks on public spaces such as shopping malls, concert halls and city squares; now a new EU-funded project involving police, public safety stakeholders and the private sector aims to develop innovative security measures using artificial intelligence (AI) and integrated technologies to make public spaces more secure, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

OPINION: In January this year, four years after the suicide of Vancouver Police Constable Nicole Chan following her devastating experiences of bullying and harassment at work, a coroner’s inquest delivered 12 recommendations highlighting severe systemic issues within the Department; University Canada West Associate Professor Jason Walker argues that this latest example of the toxic side of cop culture and the ‘blue wall’ of silence is more evidence of the need for a lawmakers’ response to preventable violence at work.

LATEST RESEARCH: 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.

ANALYSIS: When the Government announced its intention to recruit an additional 20,000 officers in under four years, there were many who doubted it could be done, but the target has been surpassed by some way; with headcount grown by 20,951 from the November 2019 baseline, and only one force – the Metropolitan Police – failing to recruit its allocation, Ian Wiggett takes a deeper look at what all this means for the service.

OPINION: The role of leaders in policing has never been under closer scrutiny, but not all of those in command roles can point to a wealth of experience in operational leadership; former Police Scotland superintendent Martin Gallagher believes that successful operational experience – alongside ability and achievement – should be a cornerstone for promotion to the most senior roles.

FEATURE: The authors of a new report – the second in a series of five on policing ‘seldom-heard groups’ published by Police Scotland, the Scottish Institute for Policing Research and the Scottish Police Authority – have highlighted greater visibility and engagement, better cultural awareness and more funding among the key steps to building better relationships between Police Scotland and refugee and asylum seeker communities, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

INNOVATION: In a ground-breaking Lincolnshire Police initiative, the first Indirect Victim Support Officer is now offering help, advice and guidance to the partners and children of online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenders left devastated by their family member’s activities; PC Tom Scott spoke to Policing Insight’s Keith Potter about closing the gap in support, delivering on the duty of care, and bringing benefits for policing.

INTERVIEW: With Warwickshire Police enjoying record officer numbers following the recent Uplift recruitment programme, and a strategic alliance with neighbouring West Mercia ending, the force took the decision to remodel its workforce and operations; Deputy Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith spoke to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons about the aims for performance improvements, and how the changes could future-proof the service to the public.

OPINION: Three Ontario Provincial Police officers involved in the fatal shooting of an 18-month-old baby and his father are shortly due to stand trial for manslaughter; Adjunct Professor Patrick G Watson, Postdoctoral Fellow Carmen Nave and PhD Candidate T Sidhu believe that aside from holding officers accountable for their actions, such trials are also positive mechanisms that allow for public scrutiny of the use-of-force training, policies and practices of police forces.

FEATURE: The new National Fraud Strategy has been welcomed by many, especially as the last full national plan expired back in 2011; but alongside the resources the new strategy provides – including 400 investigators and a new reporting service – it comes with a tough target to cut fraud offences by 10% in just over two years, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.