Topical issues

ANALYSIS: Last week the Police Foundation published its latest paper, A Natural Experiment in Neighbourhood Policing, from its Police Effectiveness in a Changing World project. Andy Higgins of the Foundation outlines the ramifications for neighbourhood policing, as the Foundation launches its new research project to explore its future.

OPINION: Research by the PSAEW into public protection units (PPUs) in police forces across England and Wales explored how cultural attitudes are creating difficulties for the recruitment, retention, morale and effectiveness of PPU. Gavin Thomas of the PSAEW argues that a change in police culture from blame to learning could help to overcome many of these difficulties.

OPINION: A recent survey of Metropolitan Police officers suggested that, while few wanted to be routinely armed, as many as three quarters of officers would like to be able to carry Tasers on duty. However, Professor Peter Squires of the University of Brighton argues that doing so could make the public less rather than more safe.

Interview: Last year, the Internet Watch Foundation marked its 20th anniversary.  Policing Insight talks to CEO Susie Hargreaves OBE about the organisation's changing role and its relationship with its police partners. 

ANALYSIS: The Home Affairs Select Committee has recently launched an inquiry into policing for the future, examining changing demands and new challenges. In the first of two articles for Policing Insight, crime expert and author Tom Gash suggests the Committee needs to focus their attention on cybercrime.

NEWS: Armed police should face less suspicion and be trusted more, said Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe today in his final set-piece speech delivered at the Royal United Services Institute. Hogan-Howe, who retires later this month, also made a pointed case for the budget of the Metropolitan Police to be maintained. Here we reproduce the full text of Hogan-Howe's address.

Interview: As deaths in custody have reduced, the general trend for suicides following custody has increased. Can the national strategy on police custody help forces protect vulnerable people? Syreeta Lund speaks to Surrey chief constable Nick Ephgrave, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead on custody.

OPINION: Increased demand and the push to professionalisation can have a human cost. Police blogger and serving officer 'Nathan Constable' says the number of officers considering leaving the job is higher than he can ever remember - but explains why he's personally decided to stay in the service.

ANALYSIS: Should policing become a 'profession'? What does that mean for serving officers and their sense of themselves as professionals? Emma Williams of Canterbury Christ Church University and Dr Ian Hesketh, Senior Advisor to the College of Policing, unpick the College's radical mission to professionalise the police service.

ANALYSIS: Why are there so few applicants for many senior police jobs? Following the publication earlier this week of College of Policing research into the issue, Gavin Hales of the Police Foundation describes his own findings on the barriers to promotion at chief officer level.

Analysis: In 2015, the National Audit Office revealed forces were sitting on nearly £2bn in reserves sparking media outrage. Two years on and it is a very different story. Policing Insight reports on how forces are using their reserves to secure their finances and fund their futures.

OPINION: The role and future of the Special Constabulary has been much debated in recent months, and in January, @wecops hosted a debate on the topic, led by Special Constabulary Chief Officer Dale Checksfield. Here, Dale summarises that debate, and suggests some priorities for the years ahead.

NEWS: CoPaCC is to undertake a major new Thematic, "Unlocking the Power of Police ICT". Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive, provides more details.

ANALYSIS: Headline figures from the Police Federation's recent survey of officer welfare show shocking levels of demand, overwhelming workload, and stress-related illness. Here, Mary Elliot-Davies of the Federation outlines the key findings and what comes next in the Fed's campaign for change.

ANALYSIS: Earlier this week, the Reform Think Tank published a new report examining the public-sector workforce of the future. Here, Reform's Alexander Hitchcock and Emilie Sundorph examine the implications of this report for policing.

ANALYSIS: Ian Wiggett, CoPaCC Director and former Greater Manchester Police ACC, reflects on the current state of police ICT, and argues that much greater collaboration on ICT between forces is urgently needed.

Interview: Tina Orr-Munro talks to former chief constable of British Transport Police, Andy Trotter who as police lead for communications, was closely involved with the implementation of Airwave

ANALYSIS: In a recent report, the the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) set out a vision of a whole-system approach to offender management, where powers, resources, and decisions are transferred to the local level. Laying out the report's key findings, author Marley Morris argues that in the long term, city region mayors or PCCs should have responsibility over probation services and custody budgets for short-sentence, young, and women offenders.

Opinion: For a number of years now, a growing number of critical communications experts from UK and around the world have been watching with horror as the UK Government, led by HM Treasury, Cabinet Office and Home Office, has attempted to deliver a next-generation communications network for public safety and emergency services personnel.

Analysis: The second report by Forensic Science Regulator Dr Gillian Tully has warned that a lack of funding for forensic science is “jeopardising the integrity of the criminal justice system”.

Opinion: Behind last month’s national crime figures another story is emerging: a growing shift in the nature of crime and a widening gap in policing demand. This in turn increases the urgency of decisions being made about future police funding.

OPINION: The penal system may not have many good news stories to tell - but one is the reduction in child arrests, down 59% since 2010. Andrew Neilson of the Howard League says the role of the police in this has been largely overlooked - but that there is still work to do to keep children from entering the criminal justice system.

opinion: PC Upile Mtitimila is a neighbourhood officer for Cheshire Police and a member of the 2016 Police Now Cohort. Here he writes about his new policing ‘family’ and how the job has matched his expectations.  

Interview: When the first cohort of exceptional graduates joined the Police Now programme, 56 per cent said they had never considered the police service as a career. Six months into their training and 'the vast majority of them' are planning to stay in the service beyond their initial two-year commitment which is encouraging news as many are from minority ethnic backgrounds.  Tina Orr-Munro talks to Kurtis Christoforides, Police Now's programme director.