FEATURES: As the Novichok poisoning in Salisbury three years ago and other chemical agent attacks have highlighted, the CBRN threat can have a real, traumatic and long-lasting impact; Policing Insight’s Andy Staniforth reports on a new joint European initiative to protect shopping malls – potentially a soft target for terrorists and state-sponsored actors – from CBRN attack.
OPINION: The COVID-19 crisis has reignited the debate around resilience and emergency preparedness in the UK; police officer and former army reservist Jonny Briggs believes the creation of a Civil Defence Service – a structure which already exists in many other countries – could provide invaluable support for the emergency services in times of crisis and high demand.
INSIGHT: The armed forces community – those who are serving or have served, and their families – have a strong link with policing, both as members of forces, and sometimes as individuals struggling with life outside the military. Inspector Jim Jones, GMP's Tactical Lead for the Armed Forces Covenant, explains the importance of the Covenant, and how his force has committed to doing more for that community.
