United Kingdom

OPINION: This June is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History month. Dave Bamber, Police Federation of England and Wales lead for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller police officers, writes about the role of the GRT Police Association, and why it is so badly needed.

OPINION: What are the major challenges for a PCC entering their second term? Katy Bourne, PCC for Sussex, gives us her reflections on the job, her achievements, and the opportunities ahead.

OPINION: Lord Bew is the Chair of the Committee on Standards on Public Life to the Prime Minister. The Committee’s remit is to suggest changes to help promote and maintain the seven ‘Nolan’ principles of public life – integrity, accountability, selflessness, objectivity, openness, honesty and leadership. All public office holders, including PCCs, are expected to live up to them.

OPINION: Dorset PCC Martyn Underhill provides his reaction to the vote to leave the European Union

NEWS: Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive, confirms that CoPaCC is shortly to re-examine OPCCs' transparency

IN THE NEWS: Our new-look Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

OPINION: Jason Ablewhite was elected in May as Cambridgeshire's new Police and Crime Commissioner. He describes his first month on the job - the lessons he's learned and the challenges he sees in the years ahead.

OPINION: Is the UK safer and more secure within the EU? In the introduction to the report Britain is Stronger in Europe, the Rt Hon Charles Clarke, former Home Secretary, makes the case for voting 'Remain', along with co-authors Peter Neyroud, former Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police and CEO of National Policing Improvement Agency, and Lord Carlile of Berriew QC.

ANALYSIS: The shocking murder of Jo Cox MP has brought into sharp focus the personal safety of MPs, PCCs and other political representatives. Carina O'Reilly looks at how we balance the protection of our democratic representatives with preserving their accessibility to the people they serve.

OPINION: What is the real impact of reduced police numbers? Dr Joan Donnelly of the Police Federation of England and Wales discusses the complexity of 'demand', ahead of a conference next week at Canterbury Christ Church University on Evidence Based Policing: Beyond the Randomised Control Trial.

OPINION: Chief Superintendent John Sutherland gives his personal reflections on leadership in the police service - what it means, and why it matters.

BOOK EXTRACT: Policing Insight is delighted to publish extracts from "Police Dog Heroes," by Michael Layton and Bill Rogerson.

IN THE NEWS: Our new-look Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

ANALYSIS: PCCs are overwhelmingly white and male, but what about the people they employ? Sandra Andrews of CoPaCC analyses the diversity of the staff that make up the Offices of the PCCs - and finds that transparency as well as diversity remain challenging issues.

OPINION: With less than ten days to go before the referendum on the UK's continued membership of the European Union, Dorset PCC Martyn Underhill argues that the UK needs to vote 'leave' in order to strengthen our national security.

ANALYSIS: What's the point of NCALT e-learning in the police service, and why is it so disliked? Rich Honess and Dan Reynolds write up a debate held last week on @wecops. Dan is a front line ‘thinking cop' who holds a seat on the College of Policing Membership committee, offering advice to the College board. He is passionate about evidence based policing and a member of the SEBP.

NEWS: A share of the £1 billion available through the Home Office's policing transformation funds will in due course be awarded to the best bids. CoPaCC's CEO, Bernard Rix suggests how, OPCCs, forces and their partners can increase their chances of submitting successful proposals.

ANALYSIS: The police service is the latest sector to launch an innovative initiative to tempt the best and brightest graduates into its ranks. But what can graduate fast-trackers bring to public services? Caoimhe Udom analyses the outcome of a recent panel discussion held by the Institute for Government.

OPINION: In the last of our blog posts celebrating Volunteers' Week, Tina Shelton outlines how Employer-Supported Policing can bring massive benefits to businesses and other employers as well as to the police.

ANALYSIS: What can be achieved and delivered by volunteers in policing? In the sixth of our blogs celebrating volunteers' week, Dr Matt Callender of the University of Northampton outlines two exciting new research projects aimed at understanding the activities and skills of Special Constables.

IN THE NEWS: Our new-look Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

OPINION: Colin Pipe was the first (and so far the only) Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner to hold office as a volunteer. In the fifth of our blogs celebrating Volunteers' Week, he argues that service - and therefore volunteering - should be at the heart of everything that PCCs do.

ANALYSIS: Who are the people that volunteer to support their police service? What is their contribution to policing? And what about their relationships with the police officers and staff who work alongside them? In the fourth of our blogs celebrating Volunteers' Week, Melissa Pepper explores the evidence.

OPINION: In the wake of a recent @wecops discussion on the role of sergeants, Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University examines the nature of leadership at sergeant level in the changing social landscape of policing.