Police management

FEATURE: Last week’s Global Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Conference, supported by Policing Insight as media partner, saw pioneers of the evidence-based approach gather in Melbourne to share insights and best practice, as well as signing a new memorandum of understanding between EBP societies in six countries that could lay the foundations for greater global collaboration and co-operation, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

FEATURE: The effect of tiredness and lack of sleep on motorists’ driving ability has long been recognised by police, but less attention has been focused on the effect of fatigue on police officers themselves; Chief Inspector Dr Yvonne Taylor of the National Police Wellbeing Service explores the impact of insufficient sleep particularly on shift working police officers, and what resource are available to officers and supervisors to address the issue.

ANALYSIS: While a recent raise in the terror threat level has increased awareness among Australians about the domestic terror threat, John Coyne and Justin Bassi of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) warn that Australia’s diminishing role in international counter-terrorism (CT), coupled with uncertainty over CT responsibility and resources at government level, is exposing Australian citizens to greater risk.

FEATURE: A mental wellbeing programme that emphasises the psychological impact of organisational stress on mental health is being rolled out in an Australian police agency. Policing Insight's Contributing Editor Sarah Gibbons reports.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: The Inspire Justice Awards, supported by Policing Insight as media partner, are the UK’s only awards programme dedicated to recognising the achievements of individuals and teams across the entire justice system. From the hundreds of nominations, the 26 finalists can now be revealed ahead of the awards ceremony to be held at the QEII Centre in London next Thursday 12 September.

ANALYSIS: Despite recent negative media headlines and a lack of recognition from politicians and campaigners, evidence shows that diversion and out-of-court resolutions in the UK are usually more effective than court sanctions in reducing offending; Fionnuala Ratcliffe, Research and Policy Lead for Transform Justice, explains how and why out-of-court resolutions are used, and invites forces to take part in new research on the issue.

ANALYSIS: Animal cruelty is recognised in the US as both a potential predictor of intimate partner violence, and as a way to perpetrate that violence; research by Professor Lynn Addington of the American University found that intimate partner violence incidents involving animal cruelty are more likely to end with an arrest, reiterating the importance of expanding intimate partner violence protection laws to include pets, and the need for strong partnerships between police and humane law enforcement departments.

FEATURE: Crucial to defending the UK against the threat of terrorist attack has been the relationship between policing and the Security Service, a unique collaboration that has existed for more than a century and that as a counter-terrorism approach is the envy of many other countries, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth explains.

INNOVATION: New 360-degree camera technology is enabling jurors, lawyers and investigators to get a better, more immersive understanding of crime scenes, while also providing video tours with audio commentary to explain key locations of interest, as DC Simon Chamberlain explained to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons.

INTERVIEW: Former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner and National Police Chief’s Council Lead for Counter-Terrorism Policing Neil Basu QPM is one of the country’s most outspoken former senior cops; in the first of a three-part interview series with Policing Insight’s James Sweetland, he called on the new Government to “bin the 43-force model”, argued that the police and crime commissioner (PCC) model has proven a “disaster”, and talked about the “embarrassing deficit” in leadership training for future top cops.

ANALYSIS: New research by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) based on interviews with more than 40 investigators across five forces in England and Wales has highlighted the lack of experience and mentoring, high workload, and unequal rewards facing detectives, leaving officers frustrated and victims receiving a poorer service, as LJMU Research Director Dr Adrian James told Policing Insight’s Ian Weinfass.

FEATURE: A new report from the Youth Endowment Fund has highlighted worrying levels of knife crime and violence involving children, despite overall falls in other areas of crime; the organisation is now calling on the Government and others in the criminal justice system to prioritise support and diversionary approaches for arrested children, which are proven to have more effective outcomes than going to court, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

INNOVATION: While artificial intelligence (AI) clearly offers significant opportunities for policing, it also comes with inherent risks and concerns; Dr Fatema Zaghloul, Lecturer in Business Analytics at the University of Bristol, and Justin Partridge, Postgraduate Researcher at Leeds University Business School, explore the benefits and challenges of AI in policing, and why it’s essential for policing to shape policies that promote transparency and responsible use of the new technology.

FEATURE: A recent conference focusing on sexual offending, vulnerability and policing saw calls for senior police and academics to take a “pracademic” approach to child sexual exploitation, described as a “public health crisis” for the current generation of children and young people, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

INTERVIEWS: Ahead of the Global Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Conference, Mark Evans, NZ Police Executive Lead for Future Policing and the Vice-President of the Australia New Zealand Society of Evidence-Based Policing, spoke to fellow EBP pioneers about the growth, opportunities and challenges around the approach; in this second of two features, he explores the future of EBP over the coming decade, and how to increase understanding among the public as well as convincing the sceptics.

ANALYSIS: Trust in politics and public bodies has decreased in many countries over recent years, and the UK is no exception; but new research has highlighted that trust in British institutions – particularly policing – among ‘Generation Z’ (those born between 1997 and 2012) is significantly lower in the UK than in other countries studied, as Dr Paolo Morini, Research Fellow at the King’s College London Policy Institute, explains.

FEATURE: As the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reveals strong levels of trust and confidence in New Zealand Police, Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to Assistant Commissioner Bruce O’Brien, the force’s Senior Liaison Officer for the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa, about the importance of delivering on core aims, the need to “get the basics right”, and how social media and crime trends can impact on public perception.

ANALYSIS: Fraud makes up nearly 40% of all crime in England and Wales, but fewer than 1% of cases result in a conviction. With the National Fraud Strategy more than a year old and a new government in place at Westminster, Ian Weinfass spoke to experts to find out whether it is time for action against fraudsters to be stepped up.

ANALYSIS: The changing nature of the modern terrorist threat has meant that the UK government’s response has also had to evolve; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the background to the UK’s CONTEST strategy, it’s political and policing inputs and implications, and how the strategy has evolved to meet that changing threat.

ANALYSIS: Following a series of highly critical reports, Canada’s Public Safety Minister recently announced the separation of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) federal policing portfolio from its contract policing responsibilities; Policing Insight’s Matthew Wood looks at the country’s complex policing structure, challenges currently facing the force, and what the changes could mean for the RCMP.

INTERVIEWS: Ahead of September’s Global Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Conference, Mark Evans, NZ Police Executive Lead for Future Policing and the Vice-President of the Australia New Zealand Society of Evidence-Based Policing, spoke to fellow EBP pioneers about the growth, opportunities and challenges around the approach; in this first of two features, he looks at advice for agencies embarking on EBP, and where should efforts be focused – leaders, front-line officers, or both?

INNOVATION: A successful pilot project using artificial intelligence to support call handlers answering domestic abuse calls in Humberside Police – which increased both officer and public safety, improved evidence and reduced staff stress – could now be applied to other crime types within the force as well as being scaled up nationally, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

FEATURE: Large-scale events such as the annual Eurovision Song Contest are a key part of the modern cultural fabric, and require complex co-ordination to overcome traditional and emerging threats; Dr Rebecca Phythian and Dr Michael Smith of Edge Hill University researched the multi-agency approaches to the Eurovision events in Liverpool and Malmö, interviewing partners including police, local authorities and event organisers to identify key learning for future events.

ANALYSIS: The public disorder that took place across cities and towns in the UK at the start of August was the worst seen for several years, and prompted concerns over the police ability to respond, and the tactics employed; Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone, a former police officer and a subject matter expert on public order and protest groups, looks at the events of the past month, the evolution of public order policing, and what other options may be available to forces.