Leadership

OPINION: In this opinion article former Police Scotland superintendent Martin Gallagher gives his views on some of the challenges facing his former force, and why Chief Constable Jo Farrell is right to call for reform of three key areas – the courts process, policing mental health, and the response to minor crime – but argues that proposals put forward are unlikely to succeed.

OPINION: With communities across Canada considering whether the Royal Canadian Mounted Police should be responsible for municipal policing, the city of Surrey in British Columbia has become one of the first to look to replace it with a newly-formed Surrey Police Service; but Royal Roads University Lecturer Dr Bryce Casavant believes the controversy and conflict between the RCMP and Surrey Police highlights the challenges around the transition.

OPINION: In an opinion piece that sets out to challenge UK policing’s “intellectual and doctrinal confusion”, recently re-elected Wiltshire PCC Philip Wilkinson argues that most of the public “feel abandoned to the intimidatory threats of vocal and shrill minorities”, amid concerns over “risk-averse” policing leadership and a perception that forces are failing to police without fear or favour.

ANALYSIS: With police ‘culture’ the focus of several reports and reviews, and a hot topic for conversation inside and outside the service, many UK forces have been re-examining their own internal cultures and looking for routes to improvement; Richie Maddock, an organisational development and cultural change specialist, explains the work he has been doing with Lincolnshire Police to help the force embark on its own culture journey.

ANALYSIS: Last week’s PCC elections in England and Wales were a combination of predictable wins, surprise victories and tight contests, against the backdrop of a low turnout and minimal media coverage; Policing Insight’s Academic Editor Dr Carina O’Reilly takes a closer look at the policy and political implications of the results, and whether this year’s outcomes could affect campaigning techniques and voting intentions in future PCC elections.

OPINION: With many discussions around what policing’s core mission should entail and how it should be achieved, author, lecturer and former Police Scotland superintendent Martin Gallagher argues that a more Platonic philosophical approach to the debate could deliver some benefits in determining the role and remit of the service.

INTERVIEW: In the second of two interviews with long-serving police and crime commissioners ahead of next week’s elections, Hertfordshire Conservative PCC David Lloyd spoke to Policing Insight’s James Sweetland about putting victims “at the centre of everything we do”, how officers are now “far closer to society than they were”, and made the case for new PCCs to “be joyful and do the little things”.

INTERVIEW: Voters in England and Wales go to the polls next week in the police and crime commissioner (PCC) elections; in the first of two interviews with long-serving PCCs now stepping down, Labour PCC for South Wales Alun Michael spoke to Policing Insight’s James Sweetland about the risk of “hubris” among chief constables, why the PCC-chief relationship “shouldn’t be too comfortable”, and his reflections on 12 years as a PCC and 50 years as an elected politician.

OPINION: Policing in the UK faces a major challenge around recruitment and retention, with much of the debate focused on recruits’ resilience, life experiences, and expectations; but Professor Tony Blockley, Head of Criminology, Investigation and Policing at Leeds Trinity University, believes that such discourse overlooks both generational differences and entrenched police practices, and argues that it’s time to “refocus the lens”.

FEATURE: A survey carried out as part of November’s Investigator Wellbeing Week of Action has highlighted the need for improved localised support as well as concerns that seeking help can negatively impact career prospects; Policing Insight's Sarah Gibbons spoke to NPCC programme manager Sarah-Jayne Bray and national Investigator Wellbeing lead, Det Ch Supt Martin Brunning, about the findings and what more forces should be doing.

FEATURE: In a speech at a recent Staffordshire University conference on police leadership, former West Midlands Police Chief Constable Sir Dave Thompson called for a “simplified” mission for local forces, with some functions and technologies taken out of local level to reduce “wasted money” and make policing fit for the future, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

ANALYSIS: Most law enforcement agencies now recognise the importance and potential of community policing, but for many the practical application of the concept remains elusive; Policing Insight’s Matthew Wood, a Professor of Public Safety and former Toronto Police Service officer, looks at the key components, tools and behaviours needed to take community policing forward from theory to successful implementation.

INTERVIEW: The New Blue fellowship programme in the US is looking to empower “forward-thinking” front-line officers with the skills, awareness and support to develop innovative solutions around engagement and public trust that can address issues identified in the communities they serve, as programme Executive Director Kristin Daley explained to Policing Insight’s Christine Townsend.

FEATURE: A recent joint report by inspectorates across the criminal justice system in England and Wales warns that police forces will need to recruit almost 20,000 more officers as increasing numbers of resignations – particularly among inexperienced and under pressure Uplift recruits – continue to drive the growing attrition rate, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

ANALYSIS: Police forces in England and Wales are regularly assessed to see how well they meet demand and provide public service; Jon Freegard, Principal Consultant (Workforce Planning) at Skills for Justice, explores how these assessment cycles work, and how workforce planning and leadership development efforts are graded.

INTERVIEW: In this first in a two-part interview, City of London Police Temporary Commissioner Peter O’Doherty spoke to Policing Insight’s James Sweetland about the unique challenges of policing London’s Square Mile, efforts to rebuild trust and confidence with the public, and his personal reflections on taking over a major force for the first time.

FEATURE: In the wake of recent reports and inquiries, and his own experience as the former Regional Director for London at the Independent Office for Police Conduct, Sal Naseem recently called for “structural reform” of the Met, more investment in police leadership, and a new approach to the current “fragmented system of police accountability”, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

OPINION: With the recent report from the Angiolini Inquiry the latest high-profile criticism of UK policing culture, former officer turned police trainer Graham Goulden believes it is time to drop conformity, e-learning and a ‘whack a mole’ approach to misconduct in favour of an active bystandership that will help to instil critical loyalty among colleagues.

OPINION: When a social media post earlier this month announced Met Police Commander Karen Findlay as the new Assistant Chief Constable of the British Transport Police, the response included a barrage of misogynistic and homophobic comments that drew strong criticism from the leaders of both forces and many other senior officers; former police officer Oliver Laurence, now host of the Protect and Serve podcast, believes more could and should be done to protect officers from online abuse.

OPINION: The ‘New Met for London’ plan is an ambitious turnaround framework for the UK’s largest force, in the wake of a series of critical reports and concerns around performance and public confidence; but former police officer Oliver Laurence, now a consultant and host of the Protect and Serve podcast, fears that poor communications – both internal and external – could derail the plan before it has chance to make real progress.

INTERVIEW: Kurtis Christoforides, CEO of police recruitment and training charity Police Now, spoke to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons about the importance of attracting the “broadest and best” range of talent through a variety of entry routes, the new recruitment programme for specialist counter-terror detectives, and the need for all officers to be supported to ensure a representative service.

FEATURE: Speaking at a recent Police Foundation event, Mark Evans – Executive Lead for Future Policing at New Zealand Police – explained how forces can build effective partnerships and take steps to improve trust and confidence, the benefits of listening to ‘angry friends’, and what senior officers must do to change the organisations they lead, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

INTERVIEW: After 41 years in policing – the past four as Commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force – Trevor Botting retired recently, although admits he may have not hung up his uniform altogether; he spoke to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons about the challenges leading an island force in the West Indies, the need to nurture local recruits, and why the force’s firearms officers are among the bravest he has worked with.

FEATURE: Initial findings from the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue investigation into activism and impartiality, revealed in an interim update from HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke, highlight striking concerns about politicisation, with most senior officers saying they’ve experienced “improper pressure or interference from significant political figures”, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.