Number of BME Met Police officers reaches all-time high
NEWS: MayorWatch's Martin Hoscik reports on news of more than 4,000 Black and Minority Ethnic officers now serving in the Met Police's ranks
OPINION: The 2016 Police Now Summer Academy has just graduated 108 new recruit police officers ready for independent patrol. Chris Heathcote, Director and Gold Commander of the Academy, talks about why he believes passionately in the promise of Police Now and what it can offer to police forces across the country.
NEWS: Ch. Supt. Gavin Thomas of the Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales says officers responsible for protecting vulnerable people should have training and development to an agreed national standard. He sets out what he'll tell the Association's annual conference this week.
ANALYSIS: Did parliamentary scrutiny fail in the case of Police Scotland? Kath Murray argues that at least some of the difficulties that have since beset the force might be allied to the Scottish political system - here, she examines the evidence.
OPINION: How inclusive is the modern police force for LGBT officers, and is there work still to do? On 31 August, @WeCops held an online debate on LGBT officers and modern policing, with Detective Superintendent Joanne Edwards (@Joedwar25098564), supported by @lancpolequality as hosts. Eric Halford (@DSEricHalford) summarises the debate.
Friska Wirya has been engaged for over 18 months at Western Australia Police, the single largest jurisdiction in the world, as a change management specialist supporting the replacement of a mission-critical application. She blogs about the ten key leadership lessons she's learned from working with Western Australia's senior officers.
OPINION: Should the use of Tasers be banned on psychiatric wards, as suggested by Liberal Democrat Health spokesman Norman Lamb? Serving officer Nathan Constable says the proposal fails to acknowledge that there are times when people become so dangerous that staff cannot control them, and that simply banning Tasers doesn't deal with the real issues at stake.
OPINION: With increasing pressure on budgets, police officers are spending more time dealing with vulnerable people, and are forced to go on patrol alone. Holly Lynch MP was so concerned for the safety of one officer with whom she went on patrol that she rang 999 to get back-up for him. She calls on the government to support the police properly and to empower other agencies to take a lead on dealing with the vulnerable.
OPINION: Critics of Police Now, the Graduate Leadership Development Programme for the police, have warned it will lead to poorly equipped constables who will be found wanting once on the streets. Serving officer Dan Reynolds went to see for himself - and found a cohort with a maturity far in excess of their four weeks in the job.
OPINION: The police service is undergoing fundamental change through a combination of austerity and alterations in demand. DCC Andy Rhodes revisits transformational change in policing and introduces the parable of the boiling frog to explain what limits the capacity of forces to adapt and transform.
OPINION: Last week we explored the PFEW's campaign to to reduce prejudice against police officers with tattoos. Serving police officer Gareth Stubbs argues that these kinds of attitudes represent the power of groupthink, and argues for the importance of diversity of thought in policing.
ANALYSIS: Last week, the Daily Mail published a story claiming Chief Constables were raking in huge salaries and benefits at the public expense. Cate Moore explores the story behind the headlines, and finds little true investigation and even less accuracy - and warns that a race to the bottom benefits nobody.
OPINION: Should police forces take a more relaxed approach to recruiting those with tattoos? The Police Federation of England and Wales says yes, and is leading a campaign to overcome 'old-fashioned' attitudes. Steve Bax of the PFEW explores the issue.
OPINION: Why is it that PTSD in some forces will result in an injury retirement, in others a resignation and in the worst cases prosecution? Gill Scott-Moore of the Police Dependents' Trust talks about what's changed in the way police deal with mental health issues, the research the Trust has commissioned, and the work that still needs to be done.
OPINION: The first hundred days of a new PCC are overwhelmingly busy and full of meetings and helpful advice. But few of these will directly address the most important aspects of making a success of the job. Karen Drury looks at the relationships, and the necessary managing of conflict, needed to keep the show on the road.
OPINION: The latest NFU report on rural crime showed marked variations in some crime types and between local force areas. But which interventions are working? Nick Alston, former Essex PCC and now Chair of the newly launched Policing Institute for the Eastern Region, calls for more research into what works to reduce rural - and other - crime.
OPINION: The Curtis Review on the use of targets in policing was published in December 2015, but little actual change appears to have taken place. Simon Guilfoyle revisits the debate and calls once more for the fundamental transformation of performance management in the police service.
OPINION: Armed police officers have made headlines again, this time for shopping in Morrisons. Police blogger and serving officer 'Nathan Constable' outlines the the security threat and the professionalism of armed officers, and argues for a grown-up debate about armed response.
OPINION: Police Now, the Graduate Leadership Development Programme for the police, has been controversial in some quarters. Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University lays out her thoughts after spending a day with the scheme, and argues that talented serving officers also need access to high quality training.
EXCLUSIVE: Lord Willy Bach, the first serving parliamentarian to be elected as a Police and Crime Commissioner, talks about the learning curve for PCCs, appointing a deputy, and why 'blue light' mergers could leave the Fire Service as the poor relation.