Topical issues

OPINION: Dave Etheridge, President of the CFOA, says the Chief Fire Officers’ Association will support Police and Crime Commissioners taking responsibility for fire; but there must be a robust local business case made that identifies enhancements to public safety

OPINION: Police officers are increasingly asked by other agencies to undertake 'welfare checks' on people in mental health crisis. Serving officer 'Nathan Constable' argues that not only do the police have no powers to intervene in many cases, but their involvement can often make matters considerably worse.

OPINION: Last week’s @WeCops discussion on leadership in policing asked, among other questions, how the voices of officers could be heard better by leaders, and whether the proposed reduction in ranks will be positive or negative. Ahead of the chat, @dedicatedpeeler Gareth Stubbs argued that leadership is as much about the people being led as it is about those doing the leading. Here he summarises the debate and the issues that it raised.

LONG READ: High profile shootings like that of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Station in 2005 exposed weaknesses in the accountability mechanism around the police use of fatal force. Maurice Punch, Ralph Crawshaw and Geoffrey Markham, QPM argue that the issue has largely been dealt with through fudge, fiction and a refusal to acknowledge changing realities - leaving individual firearms officers to carry the can.

NEWS: CoPaCC surveyed 40 OPCCs and discovered that support for taking on fire governance is limited at this stage with boundary alignment, existing governance arrangements and political opposition proving a considerable challenge

OPINION: Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service Brandon Lewis says the government is committed to enabling fire and police services to work more closely together and develop the role of elected and accountable PCCs

ANALYSIS: Former Chief Constable Nick Gargan reviews the contributions to the CoPaCC Police and Fire Mergers and Collaboration Report and gives his view on the outlook for the future

ANALYSIS: Catherine Levin looks at the results of CoPaCC's survey of police and fire collaboration among the 40 PCCs in England and Wales and shares an early insight into the evolution of this area

OPINION: Having attended CoPaCC's "Brexit: Implications for policing and security" conference in London earlier this year, North Wales Deputy PCC Ann Griffith provides her personal perspective on Brexit's local ramifications

ANALYSIS: In October, Lord Toby Harris published his review of London’s preparedness for terrorist attacks, commissioned by the Mayor of London. Former Greater Manchester ACC Ian Wiggett examines the report's implications for the country, not just the capital.

OPINION: "Not all policing and justice agencies are embracing collaboration", observes Allan Fairley, Managing Director of Accenture Police Services, Why not? Three reasons, he explains. And why is it now essential that they do so? Read on...

OPINION: Commoditised IT, a federated infrastructure and new attitudes to risk could all contribute to more efficient and effective policing, writes former chief constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary Simon Parr

IN THE NEWS: Our Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

OPINION: The new offence of 'police corruption' is not yet widely understood. Ian Townsend of Rebian Solicitors offers an overview of 'police corruption', and warns that the new offence creates the danger that a police officer’s behaviour which might have amounted to misconduct will in future be criminalised.

OPINION: The SNP government in Holyrood appears determined to push through with its proposal to dismantle the British Transport Police and absorb its functions into Police Scotland. Writer and commentator Wesley Hutchins looks at the evidence and the motivations behind the SNP's strategy.

ANALYSIS: Holly Bontoft, an associate in Fieldfisher's Public and Regulatory Law team, examines today's High Court judgment and argues that it "appears to make some extremely strong arguments for an Act of Parliament being required". Read Holly's detailed view, then download the full CoPaCC Thematic on "Brexit: Implications for Policing and Security".

OPINION: Knife crime has a disproportionate effect on young men who are mostly poor, frequently black and invariably from challenging inner city neighbourhoods. Chief Superintendent John Sutherland calls for urgent action to address the disease of knife crime by listening to those who know what works.

EXCLUSIVE: Today in Parliament, MPs will debate police officer safety. Holly Lynch MP secured the Adjournment debate following a shift with West Yorkshire Police, which opened her eyes to how vulnerable police officers are when single crewed. She blogs about what she's demanding of the government to ensure that officers are safe when on patrol.

IN THE NEWS: Our Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

OPINION: The Isle of Man has become the thirteenth police force to sign up for Northgate Public Services’ CONNECT policing platform, which represents around a third all forces in England and Wales, and the fourth to sign up for it as a stand-alone platform rather than jointly with other forces. Ian Blackhurst of Northgate Public Services hails the ongoing shift in policing to digital platforms.

New Report: Published today, the new thematic report from CoPaCC collates views and analysis on the implications of Brexit for policing and security. Contributors including Sir Hugh Orde, PCC Martyn Underhill and PSAEW President Gavin Thomas highlight the key areas of concern.

OPINION: The Operational Research Society is dedicated to applying advanced analytical methods to help make better decisions. Sue Merchant and Ian Seath, committee members of the OR Society’s Criminal Justice special interest group, describe some recent operational research projects in policing and criminal justice.

IN THE NEWS: Our Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

ANALYSIS: Between 2011 and 2015 the Police Foundation undertook research in two English towns, Luton and Slough. In their third paper dealing with partnership working, published earlier this month, they suggest that, though multi-agency case management can achieve strong local support, it doesn't always achieve its aims. Russell Webster examines the Police Foundation's research and its implications.