SUPERINTENDENTS' CONFERENCE: College of Policing CEO Mike Cunningham, and Christine Elliott, Interim Chair of the Board of Directors, outline the latest developments on leadership training, digital advances, and diversity and inclusion.
OPINION: 'You may be terrified of social media. Unfortunately, you have every reason to be. It's a dangerous place where things get taken out of context and rumours fly': Yael Bar-tur, New York Police Department's former Director of Social Media, explores the risks and opportunities for policing's digital communications.
FEATURE: In our continuing series aimed at supporting the new police degree entry recruits, Policing Insight's Academic Editor Dr Carina O'Reilly outlines a fourth case study of evidence-based policing in practice – this time looking at the promise of technology transforming policing.
SUPERINTENDENTS' CONFERENCE: A proposed police covenant – focusing on physical protection, health and wellbeing, and support – will be extended to include serving and retired officers, staff and volunteers, as well as their families, confirms Home Secretary Priti Patel.
SUPERINTENDENTS' CONFERENCE: Tackling fatigue among police officers and staff will be a major focus of work for the National Police Wellbeing Service in 2021, as NPCC Wellbeing Lead Andy Rhodes warned that exhaustion among members of the police service has become ‘institutionalised’.
ANALYSIS: A quarter of all police officers in England & Wales now have less than five years’ service, and one in 10 is in their first year in the job; in the second of two articles examining the changing nature of the policing workforce, Ian Wiggett reveals the dramatic shift in length of service and experience, the risks and opportunities it creates, and how forces can respond.
ANALYSIS: While the most recent police workforce statistics in England & Wales show a steady rise towards the UK Government's 20,000 officer uplift target, the figures also reveal growing numbers of officers resigning from the job mid-service; in this first of two articles, Ian Wiggett explores the national and regional trends, their impact, and what forces can do about police officer retention.
OPINION: In the lead up to World Suicide Prevention Day, former police leader turned development coach Gareth Davies highlights the problematic policing culture that contributes to deaths among serving and former officers, and how leadership, learning and emotional development could deliver positive change.
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.
OPINION: The challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic have stretched emergency services around the globe in strikingly similar ways; Oscar Bachs, from Barcelona technology company Unblur, describes how innovations such as AI and situational awareness software could be used to enhance the safety and effectiveness of blue light workers.
INNOVATION: A review of Lancashire Constabulary's Force Control Room, which receives more than 1.2 million calls a year, led to the development of an award-winning voice to text system which will significantly improve the force's call handing and service delivery to the public. Project leaders Chief Supt Ian Dawson and Insp Andy Doran explain the background to the project, the actions already completed, and the potential for further advances.
OPINION: Ian Stevenson, Chair of the Online Safety Technology Industry Association (OSTIA) and CEO of Cyan Forensics, outlines the ever-increasing challenge facing police digital forensic teams targeting issues such as online child sexual abuse, and highlights the opportunities for transformational change by utilising new technology to tackle such crimes.
ANALYSIS: In the second in a series of three articles on Canadian policing, Keith Taylor and Gail Stephens of consultants perivale+taylor explore police governance in Canada, and the structures, legislation, membership and challenges relating to police boards.
OPINION: Last week saw the inaugural police-focused Changing Times, Changing Practice event, a one-day webinar hosted by Skills for Justice to share good practice and learning, and explore how organisation development and change can help to create a diverse, trusted and modern police force. Event facilitator Toby Lindsay looks at some of the key issues discussed on the day, and the next steps.
OPINION: As policing by consent and the basis of police interaction with the public are widely debated, Dr Brian Moss of the University of Southampton argues that a hardening of police tactics – such as increased used of CEDs and predictive policing – have been met largely with silence by the UK police inspectorates.
FEATURE: COVID-19 has represented a major challenge to the emergency services, but has also led to an acceleration in collaborative working; now a new survey aims to capture and share successful collaborations, as a foundation for future workforce transformation
ANALYSIS: Policing Insight contributor Sarah Gibbons outlines the findings of the latest report from the Commissioner for the Retention and Use of Biometric Material, highlighting the need for stronger governance and clarity on the use of biometrics technology.
Opinion: In 2019, Dubai Police became the world's first law enforcement agency to achieve the British Standard Certification for delivering effective governance of organizational performance. Force consultant Jorge Román, and Dubai Police Major, Dr Hamdan Al Samt, explore what the standard means for both the force and the community.
OPINION: At the inaugural Round Table Event of the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO) in June, the organisation’s President, Dr Phil Kowalick, outlined plans for transforming the intelligence workforce. His presentation is published here in full, ahead of AIPIO’s National Forum on Wednesday (19 August).
OPINION: The recent stop of London MP Dawn Butler under the Road Traffic Act (RTA), and the media storm which ensued, once again brought the issue of police legitimacy into the headlines; Montell Neufville believes amending the RTA could improve interactions with the public.
13th August 2020
ONLINE EVENT ADVERT: Skills for Justice invite you to join them virtually for the first interactive Organisation Development and Changing Practice event on Thursday 20th August 2020
OPINION: The nature of policing is complex and fast moving, as highlighted in the recent Police Foundation Strategic Review. Ahead of their forthcoming one-day online event on changing practice, Skills for Justice Consultant Toby Lindsay highlights the need for effective leaders to master adaptive challenges.
