FEATURE: With police legitimacy being challenged and examined more than ever, the law enforcement use of technology and data is also coming under close scrutiny; information and intelligence management expert Giles Herdale, and former NPCC ethics lead Dave Lewis, look at some of the key debates around these issues, which were up for discussion at the recent Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) live event.

POLICE SUPERS CONFERENCE 2021: Earlier this year, the Chair of the College of Policing Lord Nick Herbert launched a fundamental review of the College. At the recent Superintendents Association Conference, he revealed some early findings and the likely ‘direction of travel’ for the College.

ANALYSIS: The Covid pandemic and multiple lockdowns have not prompted a “significant increase” in domestic homicide deaths, according to a new police and government report published last month; but the research does raise several areas of concern, including domestic abuse risks associated with lifting lockdowns, and the “entrenched and enduring” nature of the problem, as Policing Insight Contributing Editor Tina Orr Munro reports.

FEATURE: A recent Independent Office for Police Conduct report made a raft of recommendations based on a review of 101 cases of the police use of Taser over a five-year period; but the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Police Federation have both criticised the report for being ‘vague’, ‘statistically insignificant’ and failing to engage with policing, as Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter reports.

OPINION: The requirement for UK police recruits to either be graduates or achieve a degree as part of their training is still a subject of much debate; but University of Sunderland lecturers Dr Jerry Pearson and Adrian Smiles – both former serving officers – believe one area of the PEQF that needs to be addressed is delivering a degree qualification which recognises the skills and experience of those serving officers who are currently non-graduates.

INTERVIEW: Professor Paul Taylor, who became the UK’s first Police Chief Scientific Adviser in May, believes policing leaders recognise that science and technology will be crucial to the service going forwards; he spoke to Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons about what his role will be, the importance of partnerships with education and industry, and how the National Crime Laboratory will drive evidence-based good practice in communities across the country.

OPINION: Police canteens have largely disappeared from the police estate, and with them the opportunity to socialise, offer emotional support, and share hopes and fears; Liverpool John Moores University Lecturer Nick Kealey, and Open University Lecturer Dr Sean Bell – both former Merseyside Police officers – argue that reinstating police canteen or night-kitchen facilities could be an important step in improving mental health support and reducing stigma.

INNOVATION: The recently launched UK Innovation Strategy draws on the many lessons learned from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including seven key takeaways for law enforcement; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth takes a closer look at how the strategy could shape policing innovation going forward, as well as the College of Policing’s efforts to encourage officers, staff and forces to be more innovative in the workplace.

FEATURE: As the UK continues to emerge from lockdown, a new report from the Police Federation of England and Wales reveals that 69% of police officers have experienced work-related mental health difficulties during the pandemic; Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter looks at the report – the latest in a recent series of studies to highlight the pandemic’s devastating impact on emergency services wellbeing.

FEATURE: An interim report by HMICFRS into UK policing’s response to violence against women and girls (VAWG) has urged forces to build on current momentum to improve the service and support offered to the victims of such crimes; Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons takes a closer look at the report, including suggestions for a ‘VAWG minimum standard’ for police investigations, and the need for a ‘radical refocus’ to tackle the problem.

ANALYSIS: A number of forces across the UK have introduced embedded mental health professionals to improve and support the police response to those in crisis, and perceptions of such initiatives have been positive; now a new study by the N8 Policing Research Partnership has formally evaluated the West Yorkshire Police project, with impressive results, as Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter reports.

OPINION: Police ethics advisor Montell Neufville explores the issue of police legitimacy, what it means and its relationship to building trust and confidence in policing, whose role it is to build that trust and confidence, and the opportunities and recommendations for how this can be achieved.

Insight: As Operation Uplift continues to attract new recruits, many candidates appear confused about the process and have ill-conceived ideas of what attributes are required to be a successful police officer; former Deputy Chief Constable Alan Baldwin explains how the service and outside agencies can help promote and hone key skills to ensure appropriate representation from diverse communities.

INTERVIEW: As part of the process of compiling the recent CoPaCC Future Police Contact Management report produced in partnership with Salesforce, Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter spoke to PSNI ACC Alan Todd, the NPCC Lead for Contact Management, about the key issues facing policing in relation to public contact – from the increasingly complex nature of demand, to the growth of digital and expanding channel options, the continuing impact of the pandemic, and the long-term challenges and technological opportunities.

INTERVIEW: Not all officers relish the prospect of a high-pressure ‘no-comment’ interview, where a suspect’s lack of response can lead to oppressive silences; but new research by Acting Detective Inspector Dan McCarthy of Sussex Police suggests additional training to master the uncomfortable interview room dynamics can lead to much more positive outcomes, as Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons reports.

OPINION: The police and crime commissioner elections on 6 May saw a ‘blue wave’ of results, as Conservative successes dominated by more than three to one with 29 candidates elected, compared to only eight Labour, one Plaid-Cymru and no independents; Martyn Underhill, who stood down as independent PCC for Dorset at the last election, muses over the surprising election results and what they mean for policing.

Policing Friendship Tour: Diversity in policing, the role of the College of Policing and the criminal inquiry into the Hillsborough disaster were among the topics discussed by Assistant Commissioner Rob Beckley and Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix, as Bernard embarked on the second leg of his Policing Friendship Tour in Somerset.

OPINION: The findings of the recent Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities Report have been called into question by a number of campaign and community groups; but police ethics advisor Montell Neufville believes that among the recommendations are some important messages for prospective PCCs and mayors on public scrutiny and police-community relations.

ANALYSIS: Vulnerability is increasingly important to operational policing - but how can these complex narratives be best embedded in police education? Jennifer Norman and Dr Emma Williams of the Open University discuss the development of an interdisciplinary approach.

OPINION: While COVID-19 and other immediate challenges have seen many sectors including policing focus on the present, the challenges of the future still need to be considered and addressed; Police Superintendents’ Association President Paul Griffiths looks at some of the key issues highlighted by futures thinking, and the steps the service should be taking to address them.

OPINION: From policing the pandemic and public order to undue political influence, the impact on officer wellbeing and the lack of nuanced, detailed debate about what society wants from its police service, it’s clear that law enforcement in the UK is facing significant challenges; author and former Met Police Chief Superintendent John Sutherland sets out some of those key challenges, along with an 11-step blueprint for how the service can respond to them.

FEATURE: Criminal justice systems both across the UK and internationally are exploring the advantages of adopting public health approaches to policing; Superintendent Justin Srivastava of Lancashire Constabulary reports on last month’s @WeCops Twitter chat which focused on the issue, including progress to date and the challenges ahead.

ANALYSIS: Policing Insight Contributing Editor Tina Orr-Munro explores the growing efforts to understand and acknowledge the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on adult behaviour, and adopt a public health policing approach.

INTERVIEW: As police forces in England and Wales ramp up their recruitment programmes, concerns continue to be raised about the pressure to meet Home Office targets affecting the competence of new recruits; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth spoke to Alison Lyle, Senior Lecturer in Policing at Sheffield Hallam University, about their courses to educate and professionalise the next generation of police officers.