Technology/equipment/services

INNOVATION: In the latest in a series of articles exploring the opportunities and challenges presented to police by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), Chief Philip Lukens explores how this new technology can be used to improve officers’ decision-making in particularly complex and stressful situations such as the use of force.

INTERVIEW: In his first interview in the role, Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board Tijs Broeke spoke about his goals for the force, how a shocking homophobic attack encouraged him to get involved in policing as a special constable, and why politicians focusing on wokeness in policing are “wasting their time”, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

INSIGHT: Policing Insight’s James Sweetland joined officers and staff from the Metropolitan Police for a live facial recognition deployment, to gain a better understanding of the operational benefits and challenges as well as the public response to this new technology.

FEATURE: With police making increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in crime fighting – including facial recognition – a new compliance framework drawn up by the EU’s PRECRISIS project will help to ensure that the testing of AI surveillance tools in the public domain will meet all the necessary ethical, legal and security guidance and legislation, as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Discover how policing can drive innovation in public contact management. This article explores key principles from the National Contact Management Strategy and shares insights from Salesforce’s engagement with police forces, focusing on effective channel management and improving citizen interactions.

OPINION: National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, believes facial recognition (FR) has the potential to be a game-changer for crime fighting; in this article – which appears as the foreword to Policing Insight’s latest thematic report, Facing the future: the rise of facial recognition in policing – he highlights the potential benefits of FR, and the pledges from UK policing to ensure such technology is used ethically, transparently and responsibly.

FEATURE: From fraud to CSE to radicalisation, generative artificial intelligence is already changing criminal operations; experts at the recent UCL International Crime Science Conference discussed what changes that are “faster than the industrial revolution” mean now and for the future, and debated ways to uphold public safety, as Policing Insight’s Ian Weinfass reports.

INNOVATION: In the latest in a series of articles exploring the opportunities and challenges presented to police by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), Chief Philip Lukens explores how to avoid vendor lock-in while ensuring the ethical and effective use of AI technologies in police departments.

FEATURE: Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the latest opportunities for police researchers and innovators under the Horizon Europe programme, which includes funding specifically to explore the ability to mitigate new threats and to adapt investigation strategies in the ‘Internet of Things’ era.

REPORT LAUNCH: Policing Insight launches a new thematic report – Facing the future: the rise of facial recognition in policing. The report aims to be a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about facial recognition; with contributions from 34 expert stakeholders from around the world, we explain the technology and highlight the big debates around its use.

ANALYSIS: In the first in a two-part series about the modern ransomware threat, Policing Insight’s James Sweetland explores the development and defining features of this complex crime type – including the effect of bitcoin, the potential impact of artificial intelligence, and the role of Russia – drawing on exclusive interviews with the National Crime Agency, the National Cyber Security Centre and other experts.

INNOVATION: An 18-month sleep, fatigue and recovery biometrics pilot programme run in Merseyside Police by the UK’s National Police Wellbeing Service and Liverpool John Moore’s University has received funding to undertake an evaluation of the benefits of wearable technology, with a view to rolling out a toolkit across the service, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

INNOVATION: With UK police forces working hard and looking at innovative approaches to improve the victim experience and enhance public trust and confidence, Jamie Robinson and Saman Ridha of Capgemini Invent look at the latest digitally-driven communications portals being pioneered by Thames Valley Police and others to create a more effective victim-centric approach.

FEATURE: Environmental crimes such as large-scale dumping, illegal waste sites, and illegal export of waste have become one of the fastest growth areas for organised crime groups; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth explores the scale of the problem, and efforts by countries across Europe to tackle the threat using the latest technologies including artificial intelligence.

INNOVATION: In the latest in a series of articles exploring the opportunities and challenges presented to police by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), Chief Philip Lukens explores the potential for improving officer safety, wellbeing and performance though the use of AI systems to detect fatigue in police drivers.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: CTX – The Counter Terror Expo returns to ExCeL London on 19th & 20th June to unite professionals from industry, infrastructure, government and policing to explore the latest counter-terrorism technologies and solutions. The event encourages the development of new ideas and discussion of innovative strategies to combat the latest threats facing the UK and its partners.

OPINION: The pro-Palestinian demonstrations on university campuses in the US and around the world have prompted fresh debates around policing, public order and people’s right to protest; Jess Reia, Assistant Professor of Data Science at the University of Virginia, argues that decisions over what constitutes urban disorder often target the most disadvantaged communities, and that deploying big data under the guise of enforcing public order can backfire.

INNOVATION: In the latest in a series of articles exploring the opportunities and challenges presented to police by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), Chief Philip Lukens explores implications of synthetic identities, how they can be adopted and exploited for criminal use, and the strategies law enforcement needs to put in place to combat them.

INNOVATION: Alongside legitimate and beneficial uses of the internet, the spread of digital hate speech and employing online platforms to harass, threaten, and in some instances encourage real-world violence presents a significant challenge; Police Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the latest attempts to use artificial intelligence to tackle a large and growing problem.

OPINION: Police in Scotland were among the frontrunners on officer safety training and de-escalation techniques, prompted in part by the tragic on-duty murder of PC Lewis Fulton almost 30 years ago; but Michael Greville, a former long-serving officer who played a key role in developing the officer training programme, believes Police Scotland needs to address a significant gap between training and operational application that leaves officers and the public at risk.

INNOVATION: The surge of digital data and evidence has meant that policing is under growing pressure to maximise the opportunities offered by technology, particularly around data sharing; Naomi Bolton, Account Manager for Blue Light Services at Cloud Gateway, examines how police forces can effectively navigate the transition to cloud to enhance their operational capabilities and collaboration.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: In the ever-evolving world of law enforcement, staying one step ahead is critical. The ability to expect, rather than merely react, is what often tilts the balance in solving cases. This paradigm shift is feasible with sophisticated intelligence software like HUME.

INNOVATION: In the latest in a series of articles exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used in policing, Chief Philip Lukens explores how AI can enhance and improve the services police provide without cutting workforces, and ensuring there is no damaging impact on public trust and legitimacy.

INNOVATION: Against the backdrop of changing legislation and technological innovation, police and technology advisor Paul Kennedy, and Josh Hartlage, founder of tech company AdventFS, explore how technologies can help police and other agencies to be more efficient and effective in the application of out-of-court resolutions, guided by the principle that OOCRs should always meet the needs of victims, first and foremost.