Topical issues

OPINION: In what are widely recognised as difficult times for policing, new technology could help to transform service delivery and performance, but is still often regarded as a problem rather than an opportunity; Martin Taylor of cloud communications specialists Content Guru believes the successful implementation of that technology – particularly in relation to omnichannel public contact – could achieve real transformative benefits for both police and the public.

OPINION: A year on from taking up her appointment as the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead in tackling violence against women and girls, Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth reflects on UK policing’s efforts and achievements over the past 12 months, and the plans for continued progress going forwards.

INTERVIEW: A report by the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) has revealed significant growth in gun homicides and a proliferation of firearms, part-funded by Covid support fraud; Policing Insight’s Christine Townsend spoke to MCCA Executive Director Laura Cooper about the findings of the report, the threats posed by ghost guns and irresponsible owners, and why police arresting their way out of the crisis is unsustainable.

ANALYSIS: As many as one in three people in Australia, New Zealand and the UK have experienced image-based abuse, yet fewer than half of those who witness it have intervened; research by Dr Asher Flynn of Monash University, Elena Cama of the University of New South Wales, and Dr Adrian Scott of Goldsmiths, University of London explores why people do or don’t intervene in such instances, and the vital role that bystander intervention programs could play in responding to image-based abuse.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: The 2021/22 PEEL assessments of police forces in England & Wales by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) have highlighted some exceptional performances but also areas to improve in contact management and providing a service to the victims of crime. Steve Norris explains how the Salesforce solution can equip forces with appropriate technology to improve communication with victims of crime and meet their needs.

FEATURE: New Government provisions to safeguard funding for EU-supported research projects include a guarantee scheme to allow UK organisations to apply for this year’s Horizon Europe Security for Civil Society programme – which could be good news for policing agencies with project proposals to tackle drug trafficking, as Policing Insight’s Andy Staniforth reports.

FEATURE: The latest HM Inspectorate review of call handling at Police Scotland – a function that’s been the subject of five reports since the tragic deaths of two members of the public in 2015 – has highlighted impressive progress in the service’s contact model, but has called for better links with other public sector agencies to ease the response burden on policing, as Policing Insight’s Contributing Editor Sarah Gibbons reports.

OPINION: The challenges of digital forensic examinations, and the backlog caused by a combination of limited capacity and capability in policing, and the exponential rise in devices requiring examination, have long been a concern for forces, the inspectorate and other stakeholders; Paul Kennedy, of the Accelerating Growth in Policing programme, and Richard Cockerill, Digital Forensics specialist for CACI, believe closer partnership between policing and the private sector could be the key to meeting those challenges.

LATEST RESEARCH: This summary curates the key policing-related research that's been published online in the last week, with links to the original journal articles, and selected abstracts.

ANALYSIS: Data-driven performance management, local political accountability to PCCs, and the wild west of social media-driven accountability are just some of the factors that have had a disorientating effect on decision-making for UK frontline police officers; Ian Palmer, Academic Lead for Policing in the University of Central Lancashire’s School of Justice, believes the introduction of Schwartz Rounds and reflective practice could significantly improve officers’ decision-making processes.

FEATURE: A series of workshops for UK and international delegates on key policing issues has developed recommendations to tackle some of today’s toughest policing challenges; ahead of next week’s London Policing College International Conference, where the proposals will be further debated and refined, College Managing Director and former Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rod Jarman outlines the workshop outcomes, the recommendations to date, and the potential benefits for policing.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Mark Shaw, Director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GITOC), about the continuing growth of criminal use of the internet, the success of GITOC, and why a global vision is crucial in the fight against organised crime.

OPINION: In the US, like other countries, identity theft is a burgeoning crime, but the nature of the offence and the difficulty in dealing with criminal activity that may traverse different national and international jurisdictions can mean that responses are inconsistent, and victims feel unsupported; David Smith, an independent consultant for the SmartCard Institute, looks at some of the steps policing and lawmakers can take to improve that response.

ANALYSIS: Long-established in America, the focused deterrence approach to tackling violent crime has in some instances reduced offences by a third, but has had limited trials in the UK; now a £6 million pilot project involving four English police forces as well as partner agencies and violence reduction units has been launched to evaluate the potential of the initiative, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

OPINION: The prospect of the increasing police use of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly around predictive policing, have prompted concerns over potential bias, and the need for transparency and explainability; Dr Nick Evans of the University of Tasmania believes that with the right safeguards in place, the use of AI could establish built-in objectivity for policing decisions, and potentially greater trust and confidence in police decision-making.

FEATURE: A recent research collaboration agreement between the UK’s National Crime Agency and Cranfield University could exploit defence research expertise to tackle policing challenges such as organised and transnational crime, and the dark net; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at this latest research partnership, as well as the key to sustaining successful collaborations such as the N8 Policing Research Partnership.

ANALYSIS: A recent research report into the police use of body-worn video, published by the University of Stirling and commissioned by Police Scotland, highlights the opportunities for the service to develop best practice incorporating the experience of other forces, and implement governance and accountability measures that will help to ensure public trust and confidence, as Policing Insight Contributing Editor Sarah Gibbons reports.

ANALYSIS: The growing evidence of the dangers facing communities across the globe prompted the UK Parliament to declare a climate emergency in 2019, but is policing prepared for this crisis? A new study by Dr David Lydon, Dr Katja Hallenberg and Violeta Kapageorgiadou of Canterbury Christ Church University suggests much more planning and briefing needs to done in relation to the future operating environment for policing, ethical dilemmas of policing a climate emergency, and developing thought leadership.

FEATURE: Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on violence against women and girls (VAWG), has warned that long-lasting change can’t be achieved by police alone and will take more than a decade; in an interview with PolicingTV she also highlighted the ‘difficult conversations’ that police leaders need to have around inappropriate behaviour, and the potential of Operation Soteria to improve the rate of rape convictions, as Keith Potter reports.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Dr Seán Columb, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Liverpool, about tackling the trafficking of human organs, the importance of labour protection and better healthcare, and the development of illicit trade around migrant routes.

OPINION: As successful private sector organisations look to develop customer service models built on a rapid and efficient response, UK policing is finding itself struggling with delays in service, lengthy backlogs, and in some cases no response at all; Devon and Cornwall Acting Superintendent Stephen Lenney argues that by changing to a ‘today’s policing today’ approach, forces could improve service, reduce costs and waste, and increase public confidence.

INTERVIEW: A recent survey highlighted issues around harassment and a “toxic” working environment for some members of the Toronto Police Service, as well as opportunities to address those issues and rebuild trust within the organisation; Toronto Police Association President Jon Reid spoke to Policing Insight Contributing Editor Sarah Gibbons about the findings of the survey, the challenges for both uniform and civilian staff, and the importance of creating a safe and comfortable workplace.

OPINION: With more than 100 reported in rapes in South Africa every day, sexual violence across the country is seemingly endemic; Professor Amanda Gouws of Stellenbosch University believes that attempts by police and Government to deliver quick fixes – such as the recent ANC policy calling for the chemical castration of rapists – are destined to fail, with long-term cultural and criminal justice measures the only real option.

ANALYSIS: With rising inflation, the continuing increase in energy costs, global supply chains under pressure and a cost-of-living crisis, funding for policing and the wider UK public sector remains extremely challenging; Charlotte Radford, Police Advisor for the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), believes there’s a real threat of further cuts to an already over-stretched back office staff – and effective long-term financial planning will be crucial.