United Kingdom

NEWS: Our "quick turnaround" first look at the police and policing references in the Conservative Party's manifesto for the June 2017 General Election

Analysis: Last year's Police Federation of England and Wales' Health and Well being survey of its members revealed a mental health ticking time bomb. The association, representing officers up to the rank of inspector, says officers are at breaking point, so what is the service doing about it? 

NEWS: A look at the police and policing references in the Labour Party's manifesto for the June 2017 General Election

ANALYSIS: Questioned at this week's Police Federation conference about spit guards, the Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott stated she was still "looking at the research, and coming to a considered view". Dr Matt Ashby, a former police officer and now lecturer in criminology at Nottingham Trent University, looks at the evidence currently available.

OPINION: Officers taking a break have been in the news lately, with both positive and negative public responses. Serving officer Chris Excell summarises a recent @WeCops discussion on the vital need for officers to be able to take a break - publicly or privately - and the underlying issues of police welfare, stress and wellbeing in general.

Opinion: In our continuing series, Policing Insight talks to Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl about his achievements and the challenges he faces as he completes the first year of his second term in office.

OPINION: Ahead of manifesto launches and the Police Federation conference this week, Policing Insight editor Carina O'Reilly (also a Labour councillor) takes a look at what we can expect from the parties on policing – and whether what they promise matters.

OPINION: How will ongoing police reforms affect the Special Constabulary? Could their future include further integration with regulars - including the use of Taser? Dr Iain Britton, Institute for Public Safety Crime and Justice, reflects on his attendance at the annual national conference of the Association of Special Constabulary Chief Officers’ (ASCCO).

Analysis: Following the UN's stinging criticism of Prevent last year, senior policing figures have hit back saying the strategy is the victim of bad press and inaccurate reporting, but are the problems with Prevent more than just a 'broken brand'? 

BOOK LAUNCH: "Police Chiefs in the UK: Politicians, HR Managers or Cops?" is a new book by former Met Superintendent Mark Roycroft, now Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of East London. Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix takes a look at a copy hot off the presses.

Opinion: Met Commissioner Cressida Dick explains why she is supporting the new UK Police Memorial campaign.

Opinion: As she prepares to retire after 30 years in the police service, the College of Policing's Lead on Direct Entry, Chief Superintendent Nicola Dale, looks back on her last three years in post.

OPINION: Evidence-based policing has seen tremendous growth in the last few years, but has yet to reach the 'tipping point' where it becomes the norm. Chief Supt. Owen West argues that what's needed is an appetite for risk, and an investment in frontline officers.

Interview: As the end of their first year in office approaches, Policing Insight talks to Police and Crime Commissioners about their successes and challenges. In our continuing series, Derbyshire PCC Hardyal Dhindsa reflects on the last 12 months in post.

Opinion: Former Chief Constable of Cumbria Stuart Hyde QPM explains how the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is helping to mobilise resources to address cybersecurity.  The Yorkshire and Humberside Counter Security Information Sharing Partnership (CISP) champion and Northern Powerhouse partner, aql®'s CEO Dr Adam Beaumont, has appointed Mr Hyde to promote the CISP to local organisations including business, schools, health and charities.

Analysis: With the ever-present pressures on police resources and the need for chiefs and forces to be doing as much (if not more) with less, the appeal of data analytics and predictive policing is stronger than ever.

ANALYSIS: Since the end of the Neighbourhood Policing Programme (NPP) in 2009, the work of neighbourhood teams across the country has significantly diverged. The Police Foundation are undertaking a major project to track these developments, and are looking for police officer and staff insights into what's been happening neighbourhood policing in your area.

ANALYSIS: Concerns have been raised that changes to PACE Code C could have a detrimental effect on vulnerable people in custody at a time when the police service is working to improve its treatment of those suffering mental health problems.

NEWS: A successful bursary scheme to allow police officers and staff to get higher education qualifications is to reopen for applications later this year. Karin Rogers of the College of Policing explains how the bursary works and why it's good for individual officers and policing as a whole.

OPINION: The Cambridge Crime Harm Index offers a new way of measuring crime, by the damage it does rather than the volume of incidents. Supt. Dave Hill and Dr Laura Knights of the East Midlands Policing Academic Collaboration (EMPAC) report on a discussion of what the problems and prospects are for putting the Cambridge Crime Harm Index into practice.

OPINION: Evidence-based policing makes sense in theory - but what about the practice? Serving officer Nathan Constable looks at the problems in embedding new initiatives, and argues that the police service might need to slow down if it wants to speed up the effective implementation of EBP.

Interview: In the second of our new series focusing on Police and Crime Commissioners' achievements in office, West Mercia PCC John Campion discusses protecting neighbourhood policing, modernising the force and cutting the cost of running his office.

ANALYSIS: Policing Insight's publisher, Bernard Rix, identifies three reasons why PCCs - particularly Conservatives - may have wished that Theresa May had not triggered an early General Election.

ANALYSIS: The sixth 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 establishment of regional and national networks for Police and Crime Panels, allowing them to learn from each other, and potentially to speak with a single voice.