United Kingdom

OPINION: Laura Knight, Director of the Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice, participated in a recent Police Knowledge Fund conference. Here, Laura provides her views on the key findings from the event.

OPINION: Last week the Police Foundation presented new research on the governance of specialist policing capabilities. Ian Wiggett, CoPaCC Associate and former Greater Manchester Police ACC, responds to the report, and examines the difficulties and opportunities offered by national and regional collaboration.

ANALYSIS: The Police Foundation recently held their Annual Conference, which focused on understanding the policing implications of a digital age. Dr Rick Muir here identifies eight key policing and criminal justice challenges posed by a digitally networked society.

OPINION: College of Police chief executive CC Alex Marshall this week called for an end to the blame culture in policing, and good officers being hung out to dry. Chief Superintendent John Sutherland reflects on the difference between mistakes and misconduct - and the need for police to know that they are supported when doing their jobs.

OPINION: Last week, policing commentator Cate Moore was offered the opportunity to be part of the Stakeholder Panel in the recruitment process for the next Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police. She discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the process - and recommends it for future recruitment

ANALYSIS: Vulnerability in policing is usually taken to mean the way that the police deal with vulnerable victims. However, as shown by last week's College of Policing conference on vulnerability, increasing attention is now being paid to the vulnerability and wellbeing of police officers themselves. Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University and Dr Ian Hesketh, Senior Advisor to the CoP, explore the issues and call for more research.

ANALYSIS: Gavin Hales, Deputy Director of the Police Foundation, takes a look at new research by the Foundation on the governance of specialist policing capabilities. Funded by the APCC and NPCC, the research identifies four key factors for 'good governance' of the Networked Policing Model.

ANALYSIS: This is the first of a monthly series where 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 work being carried out by MOPAC’s Police and Crime Committee on Serious Youth Violence, and Merseyside Panel's review of the problems with their local Appropriate Adults Scheme.

NEWS: Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive and Publisher of Policing Insight, provides details of ten more OPCCs recognised today for meeting their statutory requirements on openness and transparency.

ANALYSIS: The way that Police and Crime Commissioners are elected is set to change, from the current Supplementary Vote system to the more common First Past the Post. Policing Insight's editor, Carina O'Reilly, examines what the changes could mean for future PCC elections, and warns that the winners of future contests will increasingly be determined by local party political dominance, rather than individual competence.

OPINION: Richard Thomas, a Member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, spoke earlier this week at the CoPaCC "OPCC Transparency" Quality Mark awards. In this, his speech, he commends the CoPaCC Awards whilst expressing some Committee concerns about measures on police complaint handling in the Policing and Crime Bill currently before Parliament. He also regrets that nine PCCs have yet to sign up to the CSPL's Ethical Checklist.

OPINION: Evidence-based policing (EBP) is an idea that has been received with enthusiasm among both academics and police officers. But too narrow a definition of EBP could mean missing a huge range of important research. Prof. Simon Holdaway of Nottingham Trent University makes the case for a wider and deeper look at the evidence.

NEWS: Taking place in London on Thursday, 1st December 2016, this Live Blog covered the Police Foundation's Annual Conference, "Policing and justice for a digital age". The conference was sponsored by BT.

ANALYSIS: CoPaCC Chief Executive Bernard Rix takes a first look at today's announcement by the Home Office of which forces and PCCs have been successful in their bids for Police Transformation Fund support.

Fire Mergers: PCC Stephen Mold on the future of joint police and fire initiatives in Northamptonshire and his plans for improving services to the public

FIRE MERGERS: PCC Lord Willy Bach calls for common sense collaboration between services and argues that giving PCCs the power to take over the running of Fire and Rescue Authorities is a step too far

NEWS: Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive and Publisher of Policing Insight, provides details of today's event to recognise OPCCs for meeting their statutory requirements on openness and transparency.

NEWS: Policing of domestic abuse was put under the spotlight at a major research forum looking at innovative ways of tackling one of the biggest issues facing society. The Policing Innovation Forum (PIF) was organised by the N8 Policing Research Partnership (N8 PRP) in collaboration with 12 northern police forces, Police and Crime Commissioners and other partner agencies.

OPINION: Ian Wiggett, CoPaCC Associate and former Greater Manchester Police ACC, casts an expert eye over the Vision published last week by NPCC and APCC, which indicates agreement about the challenges ahead. But will there be sufficient consensus amongst key wider stakeholders to see these challenges addressed?

OPINION: Ché Donald of the Police Federation of England and Wales argues that the much-trumpeted 'uplift' in authorised firearms officers (AFOs) is no uplift at all - and warns that without more Home Office support for AFOs, many may soon down weapons.

OPINION: Over the last months we have run several articles on the proposed integration of the British Transport Police into Police Scotland. Here, Darren Townsend of the British Transport Police Federation offers an update on the Fed's latest negotiations with Scottish Government officials and advisors on the planned merger.

ANALYSIS: This week, during a reception at the Tower of London to mark the Police Dependants' Trust's 50th anniversary, the Trust announced the findings of research they commissioned on the ‘invisible injuries’ of UK policing. Gill Scott- Moore, Trust Chief Executive, explains...

OPINION: "Police officers deal with enough grief and trauma during the service and are exposed to such constant negativity that it must do – and does – affect their mental health". Police blogger and serving officer "Nathan Constable" takes a personal look at the effect that policing can have on an individual, and commends the Police Dependants' Trust on research findings they have recently published..

OPINION: Morale in the police service is a key issue, highlighted by the results of recent surveys by the Police Federation and the Police Dependants' Trust. Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University calls for the embedding of a culture of participatory leadership at every rank, to ensure communication, curiosity, collaboration, and trust.