Regulatory/inspection agencies

Opinion: There have been calls for a new code to regulate the police use of Automated Facial Recognition technology, but Surveillance Camera Commissioner Tony Porter says the current Surveillance Camera Code of Practice could be updated to provide the police service with advice on using AFR.

Analysis: Police Scotland’s efforts to address concerns and potential weaknesses in policing football across the country have been given strong backing by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS). Policing Insight's Keith Potter examines the details.

Analysis: The Police Innovation Fund was introduced in 2013 and replaced by the Police Transformation Fund in 2016, but how successful has it been in bringing the latest innovation and technology to police forces? Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth argues the time is now right for a full evaluation.

Opinion: The high-profile case of a 15 year-old convicted of trying to build a bomb has highlighted the importance of early intervention to combat extremism, via the Government's Prevent strategy. Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth outlines the tension between free speech and trust in the classroom and the importance of preventing the ever-increasing radicalisation of young people.

analysis: In the third of five papers on Police and Crime Panels, Dr Roy Bailey examines the panel's legal powers and how it handles complaints against Police and Crime Commissioners whilst trying to strike a balance between support and scrutiny.

FREE ACCESS: Policing Insight welcomes officers and staff from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and from Suffolk Constabulary, who now have FREE access to Policing Insight with the start of new organisation wide subscriptions. Policing Insight is now available FREE to officers and staff in many UK forces and in other police and criminal justice organisations - read on to find out how to use your FREE subscriber access.

INTERVIEW: As terrorists continue to hijack social media to recruit and spread propaganda, cyber terrorism expert Professor Stuart Macdonald tells Policing Insight how terrorists are exploiting smaller platforms and the continuing challenges social media companies face in removing online terrorist content.

Opinion: Current and newly-retired officers will be able to gain a BSc (Hons) in Policing Studies after completing a one-year 'top-up course' at the University of East London. Director of Policing at the UEL's Centre of Professional Policing (CoPP) and former police officer Dr Sarah Jane Fox explains why it is important that, as the new degree entry scheme comes into being, 'no-one gets left behind'.

ANALYSIS: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises the findings of a joint inspection by HMICFRS and HMICS into the arrangements surrounding how chief officers are selected and developed.

OPINION: HMICFRS and HMICS today published "Leading Lights", their report on selection and development of chief officers. CoPaCC CEO Bernard Rix, Publisher of Policing Insight and Founder of the World Class Policing Awards, sets out how UK policing can (and should) look to learn from good and best practice both overseas and from other disciplines - and vice versa.

Opinion: Police recruitment methods have failed to deliver on diversity. With 20,000 new police officers about to join the service, Chartered Psychologist Dr Pete Jones, who specialises in implicit bias around recruitment selection and assessment, warns the service not to squander this 'once in a generation' opportunity to get it right.

analysis: Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth lays out the opportunities that the Horizon 2020 European research fund presents for policing and urges Chief Officers and PCCs to seize their chance to apply for millions of euros of funding before the Brexit deadline of the 31 October.

Analysis: Following the recent announcement that a pilot which makes section 60 stop and searches easier will be extended to a further 8,000 police officers, policing commentator Ben Twomey argues the 'three pillars' of effectiveness, disproportionality and transparency still sit at the heart of good practice.

Opinion: The MPS is the first force to be issued an Enforcement Notice under the Data Protection Act 2018 but, warns Owen Sayers, an enterprise architect, privacy and security specialist with thirty years' experience in the CJS, it is unlikely to be the last. Here he examines Enforcement Notices in detail outlining what they mean for all police forces.

ANALYSIS: When most people are preoccupied with thoughts of summer holidays, there is change afoot in the world of PCCs and fire governance. Briefly thwarted by judicial reviews, both West Mercia and Cambridgeshire PCC can now make progress but, as Catherine Levin explains, it won’t be a smooth ride for either of them.

Opinion: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is working with the MPS to clear a large backlog of requests for personal information after the force was issued with two Enforcement Notices for failing to respond within the allotted time. ICO Director of Data Protection Complaints and Compliance Suzanne Gordon offers practical advice to ensure forces meet their data protection obligations.

INSIGHT: In July, Policing Insight broke the story that Lincolnshire Chief Constable Bill Skelly had begun judicial review proceedings against the College of Policing’s degree entry scheme for new police officers. As the scheme has taken shape, Policing Insight has published many articles from different stakeholders on the proposals. Here is a selection of those articles.

ANALYSIS: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises the findings of a briefing paper published by the End Violence Against Women Coalition (July 2019) which conducted research into 42 Police and Crime Plans to examine the response of Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales towards violence against women and girls.

INTERVIEW: Police trials of Automated Facial Recognition (AFR) may be controversial, but they have recently received support from the Home Secretary. Surveillance Camera Commissioner Tony Porter explains to Policing Insight the challenge of understanding AFR accuracy and the dangers of ‘surveillance creep’ impacting upon civil liberties.

ANALYSIS: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises the findings of 'The Poor Relation - The police and CPS response to crimes against older people' which examines the response to older people who studies have shown are more likely to fear being the victims of crime than people in other age groups.

insight: The phrase “80% of what the police do has nothing to do with fighting crime” is often bandied about, but where does it come from and is it accurate? Statistic Regulator for the Office for Statistics Regulation Lewis Jack discusses the OSR's review of the value of police statistics in promoting public understanding of policing.

ANALYSIS: With Lincolnshire Police beginning a Judicial Review against the College of Policing, the controversy over the new police entry routes, the PEQF, shows no sign of abating. Dr Emma Williams and Jack Chapman (research assistant) of Canterbury Christ Church University examine the operational readiness of forces for the new qualification requirements.

Analysis: The Independent Terrorism Legislation Reviewer faces increasingly complex terrorist threats, from home-grown extremists to the full scale of international terrorism. Policing Insight Contributor Andrew Staniforth looks at the history of the role and the demands the new Independent Reviewer will face, especially as they relate to policing.

ANALYSIS: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises the findings of the State of Policing report by HMCIC Sir Thomas Winsor which gives an overview of the current situation in policing in England and Wales.