Latest News, Analysis and Opinion  (Page 44)

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Evidence from a series of police reviews and inquiries in recent years has revealed serious and systemic misogyny and violence against women and girls in policing. Both police culture, and police vetting, misconduct, and disciplinary practices have been identified as contributing to this situation. This event, supported by Policing Insight as media partner, brings police researchers, stakeholders and practitioners together to explore these issues, share knowledge in the field, and ultimately shape a research agenda for the future.

OPINION: While full details are yet to be confirmed, some initial information is emerging about the latest ‘fourth route’ non-degree entry into UK policing; former officer and University of Derby Policing Lecturer Tom Andrews fears the new pathway could prompt concerns over validation, delivery, and additional costs for forces.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: LEPH2023 Europe (21-24 May, supported by Policing Insight as media partner, is the first regional European conference exploring the complex and diverse intersections of law enforcement and public health, involving practitioners, policy makers and researchers from these and other related sectors. It carries on the international LEPH conference series, with an opportunity to focus on key regional issues.

INTERVIEW: Having taken up a role in the private sector after a lengthy and successful career in the United States Secret Service, Kim Cheatle returned to the agency as its Director last summer, with a glowing endorsement from President Joe Biden; she recently spoke to Policing Insight’s Christine Townsend about her passion for the job, her admiration for her colleagues, and the partnerships being built by the Secret Service to tackle new and emerging crimes and threats.

OPINION: Online child sexual abuse activity has reached staggeringly high levels and increasing depravity; ahead of this month’s Policing Institute for the East Region (PIER) conference on tackling online harms, Simon Bailey, former Chief Constable of Norfolk and now PIER Chair, argues that a whole system approach to the issue – including education and regulation – is essential, as is the better use of technology by law enforcement.

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 superintendent Colin Carswell, Director of the Counter Trafficking Network, about his investigations into large-scale human trafficking as a police officer, the importance of partnership working, and the need to ‘follow the money’ to combat organised crime.

ANALYSIS: The policing of public protest in France over the past decade has been characterised by both stronger use of force and tougher penal tools against protesters; Professor Jacques de Maillard and Dr Aurélien Restelli argue that an apparent ‘softening’ of approach has failed to materialise, with recent pension protests prompting more aggressive policing methods, and little sign that de-escalation techniques are likely to be employed.

OPINION: The increasing demands on policing to respond to those in mental health crises are creating significant burdens on police resources, and a potentially inadequate service to the public; Vernon White, former Chief of Police for Ottawa Police Service and Senator in the Canadian Parliament, and Joe Carlebach, former Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health at Hammersmith and Fulham Council, believe the solution is to address the systemic problems in mental health care rather than more training for police officers.

FEATURE: A police officer who endured years of sexual abuse is working to establish a network of victim survivor ambassadors across police forces in England and Wales to improve the service delivered to victims of sexual abuse and violence; Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to the City of London’s PC Jon-Jay Needham about the benefits the independent advocate could deliver both for victims and policing.

OPINION: The findings of the recent Casey Review are likely to have the Metropolitan Police and other forces promoting their values and drawing a line in the sand over inappropriate behaviour; but workplace relationships expert Arran Heal believes the best way to develop a positive ‘Clear Air’ culture is by clearly stating behaviours the organisation wants people to exhibit, supported by training in the skills that people need.

FEATURE: A new approach to traffic policing is applying the evidence-based principles of the Cambridge Crime Harm Index to target serious traffic collision hot spots in Cumbria; Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to Sgt Jack Stabler of Cumbria Constabulary about the thinking behind the new Road Harm Index, and the benefits the initiative could bring for police, partners and the public.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Digital transformation is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in policing – from data analytics and mobile workforce optimization to online citizen engagement and investigations. But when it comes to delivering on the promise of digital transformation, one technology that police departments are embracing in growing numbers is cloud-based DEMS (Digital Evidence Management System). This article explores 12 powerful ways that DEMS is transforming policing, from crime to justice.

INTERVIEW: Policing has long struggled to deliver digital transformation programmes, especially those seeking to replace major pieces of legacy IT; but with COVID-19 adding fresh impetus to the digital agenda and the national strategy set for a ‘refresh’, Ian Bell, CEO of the Police Digital Service, sees exciting opportunities on the horizon, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

OPINION: A new report into the policing of the 2022 occupation of parliamentary grounds in Wellington describes a largely successful operation with a positive outcome; but Professors Alexander Gillespie and Claire Breen of the University of Waikato warn that while policing has moved on significantly since previous high-profile demonstrations, there is still room for improvement around practice, equipment, legislation, and ensuring police independence.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: The Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies will host a conference on the topic of police education on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 June 2023. The conference, supported by Policing Insight as media partner, will be of interest and relevance to police practitioners, senior officers, and managers, particularly those who are involved in training and development. Equally to those who are involved in the development and delivery of police education in higher education and those preparing students for these programmes.

FEATURE: In the second of a new series of The Police Student focusing on Criminology in Policing, Policing Insight Academic Editor Dr Carina O’Reilly looks at the classical concept of crime as a rational act, and considers traditional justice, enlightened thinking, and the range of critiques which have founded the wider discipline of criminology.

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: The Mendéz Principles build on interviewing models in England and Wales to offer a global standard for effective interviewing practices that ensure non-coercive methods and procedural safeguards; ahead of next month’s conference on the subject at the Canterbury Centre for Policing Research (CCPR), Policing Lecturer James Harris and CCPR Director Dr Martin O’Neill explore the background to the principles, and the development of techniques and lessons drawn from UK cases.

OPINION: This weekend’s coronation of HM King Charles III is likely to be the largest deployment in peace time of uniformed officers on the streets of London; Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone, who served in the Met Police for 30 years, looks at the challenges of the day – both for those policing the route, and for those maintaining public order and community safety away from the event – as well as the unique opportunity such an operation offers.

ANALYSIS: A series of recent reviews and reports have highlighted issues around misogyny and gender inequality in UK policing; in this article Dr Wendy Laverick, Professor Peter Joyce and Dr Emma Cunningham explore the context of some of those issues, and consider the advances as well as the continuing challenges in relation to gender equity in British policing.

OPINION: As he approaches his retirement, Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection, reflects on 30 years spent in policing, and in particular the work he has done to combat child abuse in all forms.

ANALYSIS: While the Casey Review focused on the shortcomings of London’s Metropolitan Police, other forces around the UK have their own challenges in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion; Criminal Justice Lecturer Dr Ali Malik argues that Police Scotland, the UK’s second largest force after the Met, has plenty of work to do to address concerns around racism, misogyny and bullying within its ranks.

FEATURE: After a series of high-profile incidents and damaging reviews, levels of public trust in policing have fallen significantly; now a new briefing by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology highlights the current trends around public trust and confidence in policing, the barriers to building that trust, and what policing can do to reverse the decline, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

LONG READ: Humberside Police’s Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) initiative has transformed how the force handles mental health incidents, freeing up officers to focus on fighting crime – and with RCRP set to roll out nationwide, policing’s approach to these incidents is about to change significantly; but there’s a more complex story to tell about policing’s role in mental health work, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.