Topical issues

OPINION: A new collection of essays published by Polamk, the Finnish Police University College, provides an insight into policing innovation, and the disruptive thinking and fresh approaches necessary to overcome some of the barriers to change; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth, a long-term Polamk collaborator, believes the collection is essential reading for police leaders and innovators worldwide.

FEATURE: Continuing a new series of The Police Student, Policing Insight Academic Editor Dr Carina O’Reilly explores the challenges around policing a diverse society, including the issue of institutional racism, the police use of stop and search, and the implications of the latest rulings in relation to hate crimes and free speech.

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: With online communication – and social media in particular – highlighting society’s growing prevalence of abuse and the incitement to hatred and violence, the UK’s proposed Online Safety Bill has been welcomed by many as a step towards tackling big tech’s ‘land of the lawless’; Policing Insight contributor Gareth Bryon looks at the background to the Bill, and some of the measures set to be introduced in 2022.

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 Amber Phillips, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol, about the mafia, asset confiscation, and the importance of grassroots initiatives when tackling organised crime.

FEATURE: NZ Police has paused introduction of live automated facial recognition technology (FRT) after researchers highlighted concerns over accuracy, the disproportionate impact on the Māori community, and legal and ethical issues; Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons spoke to researchers and the force about the report’s recommendations, and what they mean for the police use of FRT.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: While UK policing has faced major challenges as a result of COVID-19, the innovative ICT responses to the pandemic from police forces, government and the private sector have driven change that will deliver benefits for years to come, as VMware Chief Technology Officer Joseph Langford explained to Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix on a recent leg of the Policing Friendship Walking Tour.

ANALYSIS: Politically motivated crime has been recognised as an issue needing specific attention for more than a century, but with multiple agencies now active in the sector, co-ordinating that response can be difficult; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the challenges presented by politically motivated crimes, and the importance of differentiating between extremism and terrorism.

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.

FEATURE: Police Now’s first Frontline Leadership Programme (FLP) launched in September, and – with applications already now open for the third cohort – in December the organisation ran an online Women in Leadership event to support the application process; Policing Insight spoke to the three officers on the event panel about the challenges facing women in policing, the work of Police Now, and how the FLP could help to change the culture of policing.

INNOVATION: Four years ago Dubai Police launched its first Smart Police Station (SPS) driven by artificial intelligence (AI), as part of the force’s wider Strategic Plan for the use of AI: Dr Jorge Román and Khalifa Al Room of Dubai Police explain the reasoning behind the development of the SPS, how it works, and the impact it has already had on interaction between the police and the community.

END OF YEAR REVIEW: For many, 2021 – like 2020 before it – was a year to forget, as Covid combined with other challenges to leave policing on the back foot; but behind the headlines there were some real achievements, so let’s take the positives – for policing and Policing Insight – into 2022, and see if we can rewrite some of that negative narrative.

FEATURE: The British Government’s National Cyber Strategy, published at the end of 2021, sets out a vision for the UK’s role in global cyberspace over the next decade; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the expectations of the new Strategy, the challenges presented by the ever-changing cyberspace, and the course of action policing and national security will need to take for the UK to fill that role.

FEATURE: This month a trial began in Belgium of 23 people accused of involvement in the human smuggling ring that led to the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants in a lorry in the UK in 2019; with such high-profile cases making modern slavery an ever-more visible crime – and the subject of significant government funding – Policing Insight’s Chris Allen takes a closer look at how law enforcement is tackling the issue.

FEATURE: December’s London Rape Review highlighted that just 1% of rape cases in the capital are reaching the courts, with significant increases in the number of victims withdrawing within the first 30 days of an investigation; Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons explores the findings of the Review, the concerns highlighted by London Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman, and the recommendations made to improve the service to victims.

ANALYSIS: The rapid advancement of new technology is creating a range of potential uses and applications in law enforcement settings, as well as mounting public and community concern around the ethical use of tech; in this article Inspector Carla Gilmore, Manager - Emergent Technologies for New Zealand Police, explains how the force is creating new policies and frameworks to ensure emerging technology is used safely and responsibly.

FEATURE: Europol’s latest terrorism trends report has highlighted the success of far-right extremists in exploiting the isolation and increased internet use driven by the pandemic to spread right-wing ideologies and propaganda; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the nature of the online far-right terrorism threat, and how COVID-19 has created a breeding ground for extremism.

ANALYSIS: Despite increasingly sophisticated security measures, vehicle theft in the UK is back on the rise – much of it involving cars stolen by international organised crime groups; West Midlands PC Andrew Lavanchy looks at the scale and changing nature of vehicle theft, and what steps policing could take to combat the car thieves.

Top Articles 2021: Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter leads the team in selecting their favourite articles published in 2021. The editorial team have each selected their ‘Top 3’ picks and we have made them freely available during the Christmas period for all users with at least a free registered account. We hope you enjoy our selections!

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 Josh Torrance, Lecturer and PhD Researcher at the University of Bristol, about heroin-assisted treatment, NCA technology, and £50bn of missing cash.

ANALYSIS: As the Police Foundation prepares to report next month on Phase Two of the Strategic Review of Policing in England and Wales, Research Director Andy Higgins looks back at the turbulent events of 2021 – from Covid to Clapham Common and accusations of institutional corruption – and considers what impact they may have on policing legitimacy moving forwards.

OPINION: The UK Government’s recently published consultation on ‘Delivering justice to victims’ focuses on criminal justice as the gold standard, an attitude reflected in the media emphasis on punishment and retribution; but Transform Justice Director Penelope Gibbs argues that for many victims a ‘day in court’ is not the key component of a successful resolution or increased satisfaction.

OPINION: The Government’s recent public consultation on a new National Resilience Strategy sought views and submissions from a wide range of agencies and organisations, with leading international blue-light computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems provider Hexagon among those contributing to the process; Ian Holmes of the company’s Public Safety team picks out some of the key themes from their submission.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: Improving the ability of police IT software and systems to “talk to each other”, enhancing the recruitment process, and creating a “citizen-centric approach” to public contact were among the issues discussed by Simon Bradford, Salesforce’s Regional Vice-President for Public Sector UK, when he joined Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix on a recent leg of the Policing Friendship Walking Tour.