Topical issues

ANALYSIS: The Police ICT Company has announced its latest collaboration with Chorus Intelligence which they believe has the potential to save thousands of hours across UK policing. Northamptonshire Police has already successfully trialled the software and is now looking to extend its use. Tina Orr-Munro reports.

ANALYSIS: The latest CoPaCC thematic report 'Police ICT: User perspectives' was published recently. The report provides a unique insight into the views of the frontline on the provision of ICT in their force, based on CoPaCC's national survey. Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive, takes a look at user responses to Question 10 (of eleven).

OPINION: Artificial intelligence is increasingly used in policing to predict crime and direct scarce police resources. However, Professor Michael Rowe of Northumbria University warns that the moral and ethical ramifications of using such technology are potentially serious, and need to be kept in view.

ANALYSIS: The charity Revolving Doors Agency works with Police and Crime Commissioners to tackle issues that blight their communities. In their latest report on Violence Against Women and Girls, Ellie De, a policy officer with Revolving Doors Agency, highlights the good practice that is taking place around the country.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. Here we take a look at the NPCC's Livestock Worrying Police Working Group Final Report which has analysed four years of data to determine the extent of livestock worrying and the criminal justice response.

INTERVIEW: HMICFRS recently highlighted Gwent Police for its innovative approach to police training when it became the first force to use virtual reality technology for routine officer training. Mick Keyte, Director at Detect Deter Defend Limited and Tim Luft Director of Virtual Reality Simulation Systems worked with Gwent Police to implement the technology. Mick Keyte explains its benefits.

ANALYSIS: The Metropolitan Police Service is moving from a Borough-based policing model to Basic Command Units (BCU) which will mean fewer, but larger policing areas. The force believes this will improve its service to its communities, but is bigger necessarily better? Former Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett examines the issues.

INSIGHT: CCTV plays a vital role in police investigations reducing costs, time and effort as well as improving prosecution outcomes. Richard Perkins explains the challenges of optimising the future use of CCTV, exploiting opportunities in interoperability, biometrics and artificial intelligence.

ANALYSIS: Pressure on budgets is forcing police resources to be spread ever-thinner - but could this put them in greater physical danger? Mary Elliott-Davies of the Police Federation presents early results suggesting that single-crewed officers are more likely to be the victims of physical attacks and injuries requiring medical attention.

ANALYSIS: In late 2015, coercive control became a criminal offence in England and Wales, but to what extent has the new legislation led to convictions? Working with Merseyside Police, Kelly Johnson and Dr Charlotte Barlow of Lancaster University have explored police responses to domestic abuse since the introduction of the new offence.

ANALYSIS: The latest CoPaCC thematic report 'Police ICT: User perspectives' was published recently. The report provides a unique insight into the views of the frontline on the provision of ICT in their force, based on CoPaCC's national survey. Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive, takes a look at user responses to Question 9 (of eleven).

NEW REPORT: The latest CoPaCC thematic report, 'PCCs and Statutory Transparency,' is published today. CoPaCC has undertaken a review of PCCs and transparency in every year since 2012, when Police and Crime Commissioners were first elected. Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive and Policing Insight's Publisher, introduces the latest review and outlines what additional related work is planned for next year.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. Here we take a look at HMICS' Strategic Review of Undercover Policing in Scotland which examines the scale and extent of the use of undercover officers in Scotland.

OPINION: Millions of images of faces have now been accumulated and digitised by police, but questions remain over how to search them, and how long to keep them. Prof. Martin Evison of Northumbria University outlines the problems.

INTERVIEW: Sheldon Thomas is the founder of Gangsline, a training and consultancy company specialising in tackling gang culture, serious youth violence and child sexual exploitation. A former gang leader, Sheldon has spent 28 years helping to combat gang crime. He tells Policing Insight how his formative years, coupled with his recent experience, means he can offer policing and other agencies a unique approach to tackling gang violence. 

ANALYSIS: The latest CoPaCC thematic report 'Police ICT: User perspectives' was published recently. The report provides a unique insight into the views of the frontline on the provision of ICT in their force, based on CoPaCC's national survey. Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive, takes a look at user responses to Question 8 (of eleven).

OPINION: Neighbourhood Policing Teams are being depleted, but for Martin Surl, Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner, it is a vital policing function which is why Gloucestershire is taking a different approach.

ANALYSIS: The Police Federation's 2016 survey of officer welfare showed shocking levels of demand, overwhelming workload, and stress-related illness. The latest blog from Mary Elliot-Davies of the Federation shows how stress and demand are linked to poor wellbeing, and what the Fed is doing in its campaign for change.

ANALYSIS: CoPaCC's Police ICT User Survey had its first public airing this month when CEO Bernard Rix presented its findings to a conference of police ICT suppliers. But what can the service and suppliers learn from the results of the survey?   

INSIGHT: In an article from the CoPaCC "Bodyworn Video in Policing" thematic report published in September 2017, Gary Mason looks at how police firearms units require a more nuanced approach to body-worn video than their unarmed colleagues. From camera positioning to reviewing sensitive footage, questions about their ideal and fair use persist.

ANALYSIS: Report Watch summarises the main findings of reports that impact on policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction. Here we take a look at HMICFRS Peel Leadership 2017 which gives a national overview of leadership in the police service.

ANALYSIS: The latest CoPaCC thematic report 'Police ICT: User perspectives' was published recently. The report provides a unique insight into the views of the frontline on the provision of ICT in their force, based on CoPaCC's national survey. Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive, takes a look at user responses to Question 7 (of eleven).

OPINION: This is the second part of a blog by serving officer Sarah Jane Lennie. In Part One she told us about herself and how she came to be on a career break studying for a PhD. In this second instalment, she goes on to talk more in depth about her research and what she hopes to identify.

Interview: North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones launched his Social Value Policy in November 2017. The aim of the policy is to procure consumables in a way that significantly boosts the local economy and strengthens local communities. Stuart Davies, director of Sustainable Supply Chains Ltd who devised the policy, explains to Tina Orr-Munro how it works.