FEATURE: Continuing the latest series of The Police Student, Policing Insight Academic Editor Dr Carina O’Reilly explores the issue of policing in popular culture – from the earliest historical depictions to the growth of police procedurals, contemporary representations and reality TV – and examines not only how those representations reflect the relationship between society and policing, but how they can shape it.

ANALYSIS: Predictive hotspot policing has been heralded by some as the way to do more with less and secure better outcomes, but others have questioned its effectiveness and the dangers of reinforcing bias; Criminology Lecturer Dr Daniel Marciniak, a key speaker at the recent Policing in the Age of the Machine conference, looks at the learning from existing research into predictive policing, and where the approach goes from here.

OPINION: The introduction of freeports, and the potential economic boost they can deliver, are an essential part of the UK Government’s ‘levelling up’ strategy; but University of Portsmouth Lecturer and former police detective Dr Paul Gilmour believes the approach could open up opportunities for a new wave of international crime including drug smuggling, the illegal wildlife trade, and money laundering.

FEATURE: The latest report into use of force by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has recommended reconsidering the issuing of firearms to all officers, and restricting the use of Tasers; but the Police Federation has warned that such moves would lead to more officers being attacked and injured, particularly with the continuing terrorist threat, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

ANALYSIS: From their earliest implementation by the US in the 1990s to tackle Colombian drug cartels, the potential use of sanctions to target organised crime is attracting growing attention beyond the States; Policing Insight contributor Cathy Haenlein explores some of the key issues highlighted by recent research to assess the wider practical application of the approach.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Amid growing demand and tighter budgetary constraints, police and other bluelight services are under increased pressure to do more with less, particularly by making more effective use of technology; Hexagon Director Nick Chorley spoke to Policing Insight about the potential benefits – for service delivery, citizens and staff – of digital transformation, as well as some of the challenges that journey presents.

OPINION: This week saw calls for a ‘leadership style more open to critique’ to address policing’s ‘toxic’ culture; but Policy Exchange Head of Crime & Justice David Spencer, a former detective chief inspector, argues that while a new leadership doctrine is needed, solutions to the current crisis must be rooted in policing’s history and the unique role officers are asked to do.

ANALYSIS: While significant steps have been taken to improve Police Scotland’s response to domestic abuse, a new thematic review of the issue by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland has highlighted outdated and problematic attitudes to the crime, substantial pressure on resources, and significant delays in securing digital evidence that are hampering that response, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

FEATURE: The ongoing debate about degree requirements for UK policing recruits took a new turn recently, when Home Secretary Suella Braverman told forces to keep open a route into the profession that didn’t involve a degree; former officer turned policing lecturer Tom Andrews, and branch Federation Secretary Jon Carter-Lang – regular sparring partners in the degree debate – sat down together to consider a potential ‘best of both worlds’ alternative entry pathway.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Digital evidence is growing by leaps and bounds, especially with the roll out of new body worn camera systems. But this evidence is not always easily accessible. To address the challenges of managing digital evidence, Lancashire Constabulary adopted a new approach. The force leverages NICE Investigate to make digital evidence from multiple connected systems, including body worn video, readily accessible to officers through a single login and to speed up Lancashire's ability to share video with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

FEATURE: With the increasing range, reach and frequency of international crises and disasters, countries around the world are looking to ensure the right measures are in place to strengthen their resilience; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the key themes and principles of the latest UK Resilience Framework, and the emphasis on local responses to national threats and events.

OPINION: The case this week of serial rapist PC David Carrick has once again highlighted gaps in the vetting and misconduct processes that could have identified the threat posed by the Met officer much earlier; British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi believes there are a number of steps that can be taken quickly and easily to close those gaps, and ensure patterns of complaints lead to a swift identification of any underlying issues.

OPINION: Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s recently unveiled plan for reform of the force is underpinned throughout by the introduction of “precise community crime-fighting”; Police Foundation Research Director Andy Higgins takes a closer look at what the term will mean in practice, how similar ideas have fared elsewhere, and why unifying neighbourhood and evidenced-based policing approaches could deliver significant benefits.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Front-line police deserve to be protected by equipment that not only protects them, but the public too. TASER technology is one of the most studied, safe and effective means of quickly stopping a threat. In this article, we’ll dig into the research around TASER energy devices and address misconceptions and myths.

FEATURE: Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley last week unveiled the outlines of a turnaround plan for the force based on “precise community crime fighting”, a new performance framework and new professional values; but just days after the ambitious plan was announced, the force was facing fresh controversy with the conviction of serial rapist PC David Carrick highlighting concerns over vetting, conduct and complaints, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

ANALYSIS: Public trust in policing is essential in maintaining police legitimacy and effectiveness, and people’s perceptions of police are a valuable indicator of levels of community trust and confidence; Dr Rasha Kassem and Dr Ian Kennedy of the Open University explore some of the factors influencing negative and positive perceptions of policing, many of which were highlighted during a recent University of Oxford public engagement event.

OPINION: The last 12 months have been tumultuous for policing in England and Wales, so what challenges will law enforcement face in 2023? Police Foundation Director Rick Muir explores the key issues for policing in the year ahead, including recruitment and retention, reviews and reform, and the potential impact of politics and new legislation.

FEATURE: Latest figures show a significant increase in disability hate crime (DHC) recorded by police in England and Wales, but the number passed from police forces to the CPS continues to fall; Dr Irene Zempi, Dr Leah Burch, Dr David Wilkin, and Laura Nevay outline the ongoing work to raise awareness of DHC, and to provide resources for police, academics, practitioners and campaigners to help tackle this crime.

FEATURE: Hot-spot policing is widely regarded as a high-profile success of evidence-based policing; but recent trials in London suggest that cities which are already strongly policed see little impact on crime figures from adopting a hot-spot approach, as Policing Insight Contributing Editor Sarah Gibbons reports.

ANALYSIS: A new joint investigation into the police response to ethnic minority victims of sexual abuse who may be at risk of honour-based abuse has found that inadequate ethnicity recording of victims has become an “intolerable problem”, while a lack of cultural understanding and awareness among police officers and staff has left victims facing “unacceptable” further risks, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

FEATURE: Data obtained from digital devices is now as essential to modern police investigations as DNA evidence or fingerprints; but a recent a report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services presents a damning assessment of how forces in England and Wales are handling digital forensics, and calls for new governance structures and more funding, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

FEATURE: Another new report into stop and search has called for major reform and the launch of a taskforce on the topic; Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone looks at the findings of the report, the context and application of existing powers, and how – in the absence of any viable alternative – police and communities could help to ensure that stop and search is used effectively to detect and prevent crime and increase community safety.

New Year Honours: We are pleased to publish and recognise the policing and public safety recipients of the UK and overseas New Year Honours as well as the New Zealand Order of Merit. The team at Policing Insight offer our congratulations and thank all the recipients for their service.

END OF YEAR REVIEW: As 2022 draws to a close, Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter looks back over some of the key law enforcement themes covered over the past 12 months, the challenges met and opportunities offered, and our continuing commitment to provide a platform for sharing expertise, understanding and best practice throughout 2023.