Topical issues

INTERVIEW: Chief Inspector Phil Vickers is Lincolnshire Police’s rural crime lead and the co-ordinator of policing’s first national strategy on hare coursing - the illegal hunting of hares with greyhounds. He tells Policing Insight what impact the new national strategy will have and why it matters that hare coursing is taken seriously.

opinion: Resourcing Manager at British Transport Police Tom Webb-Skinner examines the essential differences between positive action (PA) and positive discrimination (PD) and what the police can do to lessen the confusion that surrounds this. Tom’s views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of British Transport Police.

OPINION: New Zealand Police has established the world's first Evidence-Based Policing Service Centre. New Zealand Police’s Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery Mark Evans OBE explains why it was set up and how Evidence-Based Policing is helping New Zealand 'be the safest country'.

opinion: The police can be heavily criticised for adopting what is called the warrior mentality of an "us versus them" approach to policing communities. RCMP Inspector Kevin Cyr looks at the nuances of this approach - and why we shouldn't give up on it altogether if we want to keep communities and police officers safe.

analysis: The nature of crime is ever-changing and increasingly complex. The National Crime Agency has warned that, when it comes to innovation in policing, it is either sink or swim. Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth urges the UK to look to the Netherlands as an example of innovation done well.

Interview: Kent-based charity Dads Unlimited has recently been awarded £20,000 by Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott to help reduce police demand. Its founder and chief executive Nav Mirza tells Policing Insight how proper support for fathers involved in custody disputes eases the pressure on frontline policing.

Announcement: We’re delighted to announce that the police staff associations representing 122,000 officers in England and Wales are backing this year’s inaugural World Class Policing Awards 2019 to be held in London, 14 November.

OPINION: Police forces are increasingly moving towards cloud-first solutions to data storage. Troy Batley of Chorus Intelligence outlines the benefits of storing police data in the cloud.

analysis: With Prime Minister Theresa May's departure imminent, the Tory leadership candidates are now fighting over who's tougher on crime, which, according to one poll, has become the second greatest public concern. Ian Wiggett looks at the candidates' promises, the reality of funding allocation, and potential obstacles.

INNOVATION: An award-winning collaboration between academia and police has led to the creation of a new tool to help small businesses increase their cyber-resilience. Project Manager and Research Fellow at CENTRIC Alison Lyle explains how the project came into being and its potential benefits for the business community.

Advertorial: Innovation has always been a part of policing, but how do you harness it? Charlie de Rusett, co-founder of Idea Drop which provides a platform for forces to share innovative ideas, introduces the speakers at this month's Public Sector Innovation Summit 2019 who will offer tips and strategies on promoting innovation in your organisation.

analysis: While the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners has brought benefits to policing such as greater accountability, research carried out by Dr Steve Watts has revealed significant concerns among chief constables that the power imbalance between PCCs and chiefs threatens the operational delivery of policing.

ANALYSIS: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises the findings of a report by the National Appropriate Adult Network - There to Help 2 - which looks at the provision of appropriate adults for vulnerable adults who have been detained or interviewed by the police.

Interview: Following the terrorist attacks in New Zealand and Sri Lanka, international counter-extremism expert Dr Richard Burchill explains to Policing Insight the importance of understanding the root causes of extremism as well as enhancing physical security to combat terrorism.

Opinion: Virtual courts have been heralded as a route to quicker and more effective justice, but Penelope Gibbs of Transform Justice says there is no support within policing to oversee the running of these courts.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: When Lincolnshire Police decided to transform their control room, they wanted a system that was a 'resolver of demand' rather than a conduit. Motorola Solutions' Mohammed Rafiq describes how the force's innovative approach to procurement and subsequent collaboration with Motorola helped the force achieve its aims.

Analysis: With reports that gang violence is increasing, Dr Robert Hesketh, a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, examines the potential benefits of 'social mixing' in helping to divert those at risk from joining gangs .

Analysis: Honorary Clinical Professor at UCL Adam Winstock and Royal Holloway PhD candidate Alex Aldridge examine the findings of The Global Drug Survey which challenges a number of "rape myths" including the idea that most women are likely to be assaulted when walking home alone.

Analysis: Continuing our series on the implications of the Data Protection Act 2018, Owen Sayers, an enterprise architect, privacy and security specialist with thirty years' experience in the CJS explains the principles of Part 3 of the Act and how they impact law enforcement.

OPINION: As a Founder Sponsor of the World Class Policing Awards and a long term supporter of policing in the UK and internationally, Sopra Steria are proud to be a part of celebrating all that is great in world class policing this year. Muz Janoowalla, Head of Emergency Services at Sopra Steria, shares some of his many stories demonstrating policing at its best.

Opinion: Following an initial inspection of 14 forces as part of the PEEL Inspection process for 2018/19, HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr says the cracks are starting to appear in policing. But, none of HMICFRS’ concerns are new, suggesting the cracks are already there - they are just getting wider.

Analysis: There have been nine reports and reviews of forensic science over the past decade, highlighting numerous problems. The latest House of Lord's report has described the quality and delivery of forensic provision as "inadequate". Keith Potter explores the ongoing issues facing this sector and what needs to change.

Interview: EXCLUSIVE: The former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation Lord Carlile of Berriew QC CBE explains to Policing Insight the challenges of delivering Prevent, defining Islamophobia, preserving peace in Northern Ireland, and what to do about Shamima Begum.

Analysis: In March, 50 people were killed and a further 50 were wounded when a gunman opened fire on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Former UK police officer and now Research Fellow at Western Sydney University Alan Beckley takes an in depth look at the impact this tragedy has had on New Zealand as it seeks to make sense of what has happened and to prevent it ever happening again.