United Kingdom

Analysis: The launch of HMICFRS’s consultation earlier this month on the long-awaited force management statements sets out its ambition to use them as the basis for a new, risk-based form of inspection. But what will this mean for forces – and HMICFRS? Mark Cooper takes a closer look.

ANALYSIS: There is increasing anecdotal evidence that, for serving officers, morale is as low as it's ever been. But what evidence is there to back this up? Serving officer Gareth Stubbs shows that, for officers who joined at the height of recruitment, promotion opportunities have plummeted even as demand is growing - and warns this is a looming problem that needs to be addressed.

Opinion: Allan Fairley, MD, Accenture Police Services explores the issues surrounding the lack of joined up data in the criminal justice system. 

OPINION: What kind of research best informs police practice? It depends on the question. Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University and serving officer Gareth Stubbs explore the pedigree of academic research into the police and the political undercurrents that drive it today.

INSIGHT: In the second of a series of articles, Jonathan Rees, owner of Momoho and an expert in developing high-performing teams in the bluelight sector, examines different ways to prioritise your workload.

OPINION: ENABLE UK is a new participant action research project funded by the N8 Policing Research Partnership (N8 PRP), and run in collaboration with Keele Academic Policing Collaboration (KPAC) involving eight police forces, Police Scotland, and the College of Policing. Chief Superintendent Owen West from West Yorkshire Police and Amanda Jacks from the Football Supporters Federation explain.

ANALYSIS: Former Greater Manchester Police ACC Ian Wiggett and Gavin Hales, Associate Fellow at The Police Foundation review the impact of the pre-charge bail reforms implemented in the Policing and Crime Act in April 2017

LONG READ: The experience of terrorist attacks in the US and in Germany shows us how important it is for police and security agencies to share systems. But what can we learn from those countries that have begun the process of harmonising police ICT? In this Long Read,Hans-Jürg Käser of the Swiss Canton of Berne explores what European countries have done towards consolidating police systems and what can be learned.

OPINION: Debriefing and reflection are integral parts of policing after high profile or major events, but what about in normal, day-to-day policing work? Jennifer Norman and Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University describe their police students' experiences of reflection and its benefits.

INSIGHT: Oliver Gower, Deputy Director of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit warns cybercrime is escalating, its impact on victims is significant and the time is right for forces to ready themselves to meet the threat.

INSIGHT: Civil Aviation Authority certification is a necessity for commercial drone use. Gary Mason looks into the steps towards gaining these qualifications and what the test actually involves

ANALYSIS: Following the RUSI's publication of a paper on police use of data, Former GMP Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett explores its potential applications and limitations. 

INTERVIEW: Last month, Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which runs the National Stalking Helpline, secured £4.1m from the Police Transformation Fund, via the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), to carry out pioneering work with perpetrators of stalking. Tina Orr-Munro speaks to Chief Executive Rachel Griffin about how the project will work.

OPINION: Amid growing demand on policing, how can forces manage the flood of offenders arrested for viewing child abuse material? Nick Alston, Chair of Anglia Ruskin University's Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER), outlines a major conference in November that seeks to find new approaches to investigations and prevention.

ANALYSIS: The latest of a monthly series in which CoPaCC's Sandra Andrews takes a look at some of the most interesting and topical issues that Police and Crime Panels across England and Wales are dealing with. This month, Sandra looks at the use of artificial intelligence, and Durham Constabulary's development of the Harm Assessment Risk Tool (HART).

OPINION: Blockchain and other 'distributed ledger' technologies are best known as the basis of virtual currency Bitcoin, but could they be the solution to data-sharing issues in policing and criminal justice? Rick Muir of the Police Foundation explores the implications.

Insight: West Midlands Police launched Operation Close Pass last year to combat the problem of drivers driving too close to cyclists when overtaking them. A year on, the force has seen a 20 per cent drop in cyclists killed or seriously injured, but, as Policing Insight discovered, it has resulted in other unforeseen benefits.

INSIGHT: Mark Cooper, a former HMIC programme director and OPCC Chief Executive, offers an indispensable insight and guide on how to ensure your force inspection goes as smoothly as possible.

Opinion: Sherry Ralph, Chief Operating Officer for the Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA) looks at how some custody suites are failing to cater for women experiencing their period and suggests ways to overcome this.

OPINION: Why should police leaders look abroad for lessons in police oversight? Dr Brian Moss of Coventry University outlines the advantages of examining other systems and what leaders in the UK could learn.

OPINION: What difference does education really make to serving police officers? Serving officer Gareth Stubbs describes his educational journey and how it's affected the way he thinks, and how he goes about the job.

INTERVIEW: The video-enabled justice project, awarded £11m in Police Transformation Funding, will allow people to give evidence via a network of high-tech video links in police stations and other buildings across London and the South East. Tina Orr-Munro speaks to Project lead Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne and explores the benefits of VEJ and the advantages of having a PCC at the helm of such an ambitious initiative.

INSIGHT: The Home Office’s Modern Crime Prevention Strategy was published last year in the hope that police chiefs would read it and disseminate it within their force. Neither of those two things happened, but as the Home Office told senior officers recently crime is changing and crime prevention is changing with it.

Analysis: With the media reporting sharp rises in the number of abandoned 999 calls, former Assistant Chief Constable of GMP Ian Wiggett examines the causes and argues the issue is symptomatic of much wider problems in the call handling and response system.