Topical issues

INSIGHT: This week’s Police ICT Summit will see suppliers, police buyers and stakeholders discuss current challenges and develop solutions. But where are the voices of the end users in this process? And could a greater focus on user experience help to solve existing challenges as well as develop more effective long-term solutions?

OPINION: The annual Police ICT Summit takes place this week in Manchester, bringing together the key players who can together agree and deliver a roadmap for police ICT across England and Wales. Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix calls on those at the Summit to focus on finding common ground, rather than emphasising their differences.

Insight: With the annual Police ICT Summit set to take place this week in Manchester, Policing Insight asked senior police leaders, police suppliers and stakeholders for their views on the biggest challenges for Police ICT and what they are hoping to see emerge from this year's conference.

opinion: There are 43 Home Office ‘funded’ police forces in England and Wales out of a total of around 50 law enforcement agencies across the United Kingdom. Darren Scates, Chief Technology Officer for the Metropolitan Police Service, offers his personal view on how to deliver technology more effectively in this distributed environment, and asks: "Can we increase the success rate of projects and programmes?"

opinion: Dialling 999 remains the traditional way to contact the police in an emergency, but with demand rising and the public increasingly turning to messaging apps, could chatbots offer policing an affordable alternative to managing demand? Futr A.I.'s Client Services Director Martin Scoble explores the chatbots' potential.

Opinion: The major influx of new recruits into policing is a perfect opportunity to improve BAME representation in the police service, but Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner for West Midlands Police Waheed Saleem argues it will require a fundamental overhaul of the service's approach to recruitment.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE WINNERS: A UK policing initiative to disrupt and prevent crime by combining targeted intelligence with enhanced use of technology and specialist training was, after achieving significant successes across two county forces, recognised as a winner at the recent inaugural World Class Policing Awards sponsored by Accenture. In the third of 12 articles focusing on the award-winning nominations, Keith Potter takes a closer look at Operation Moonshot.

Analysis: The widespread bush fires in Australia have focused attention on how emergency services respond to large scale incidents caused by extreme weather. With incidents such as these set to become increasingly common, Policing Insight Contributor Andrew Staniforth looks at how the EU is tackling the threat to public safety posed by climate change.

ANALYSIS: With the UK set to exit the EU at the end of this month, Owen Sayers, an enterprise architect, privacy and security specialist with thirty years' experience in the CJS, outlines what this means for UK data protection law for Competent Authorities including law enforcement agencies.

Analysis: The grooming of children is on the rise across England and Wales. Policing Insight Contributor Andrew Staniforth discusses this disturbing trend and considers how artificial intelligence is leading the fight against online grooming.

Opinion: Deloitte Public Safety and Justice Lead for the Middle East Andrew Morley argues that the emergency services have an important role to play in working with other agencies in delivering public safety.

Analysis: Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal areas of the North are becoming violent crime hot spots. Policing Insight Contributor Andrew Staniforth argues the rise cannot be entirely attributed to 'county lines' and a major rethink is needed on how forces tackle violent crime locally.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE WINNERS: A groundbreaking Australian Police medical initiative which equips officers to save lives and increase survival rates for those affected by traumatic injury was named a winner at the recent inaugural World Class Policing Awards sponsored by Accenture in London. In the second of 12 articles focusing on the award winning nominations, Keith Potter takes a closer look at the Tactical First Aid Project (TFAP).

OPINION: First introduced in 1937, 999 is the world’s oldest emergency telephone service. It has undoubtedly saved many thousands of lives, but in an age where there are other forms of instant communication Carbyne's UK Vice President for Business Development Tim Ellis argues it's time for a step change in 999 capability.

Opinion: Whilst British policing has given much to the world, former chief police officer Paul Kennedy argues that it is now time for the UK to adopt 'Next Generation 999' that is already improving officer safety, as well as efficiency and effectiveness, in forces across the globe.

analysis: With ransomware attacks on the rise, Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth examines how the cyber threat is expected to evolve in 2020 and how police and partner agencies face increasing challenges in protecting their data from both cyber criminals and their own staff.

Opinion: The hacking of the MPS's social media account by two teenagers has been widely reported in the UK. Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth examines this growing threat and the latest innovations collaboratively developed to combat cyber crime.

insight: With all the results of all 45 fire and rescue services inspections now in, Catherine Levin considers how those services under Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners (PFCCs) have done and if those aspiring to become PFCCs may get a boost from the findings. It’s a mixed picture to say the least.

Opinion: Bedfordshire Police Stop and Search Panel has been highlighted as one of the most effective in the country. Panel Chair Montell Neufville explains the importance of being open and transparent with both local communities and police officers.

Interview: As cybercrime continues to rise, patterns of repeat victimisation are being investigated by new collaborative research between Southern Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit and the Cyber Threats Research Centre at Swansea University. Ph.D. Researcher Sara Correia shares with Policing Insight the preliminary findings of this ground-breaking research.

Opinion: In Britain, three quarters of those who die by suicide are male. Prior to taking their own lives, men's behaviour can be markedly different to that of women. As the police service is predominantly male, freelance mental health consultant Toni says it's time the service acknowledges this and develops suicide prevention initiatives specifically for men.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE WINNERS: A scheme that helps support children exposed to domestic abuse scooped 'Overall Winner' at this year's World Class Policing Awards sponsored by Accenture. The awards aim to promote excellence in policing by sharing insight into the winning nominations. In the first of 12 articles focusing on the winning nominations, Policing Insight's Keith Potter takes a closer look at Operation Encompass.

OPINION: Over the past few decades, in pursuit of accountability, policing has become increasingly codified and legislated. Serving officer Martin Gallagher argues that this has not just damaged police discretion, but the capacity of the police to fulfil their core functions: preventing and solving crime.

Opinion: The addition of 20,000 new police officers will coincide with the new degree entry qualification requirements, including degree apprenticeships. Former head of Innovation for Kent and Essex police and now senior consultant at Enlighten Training Martin Wilson considers the potential challenges this presents.