Training/learning/development

OPINION: An arrest earlier this month of an autistic 16-year-old girl by officers in West Yorkshire for a suspected ‘homophobic public order offence’ received widespread attention after her mother posted a video of the incident; University of Hull Policing Degree Programme Director and former officer Mike McKue, and Senior Lecturer in Criminology Dr Meron Wondemaghen, believe more police training in understanding and responding to neurodiversity can improve trust in policing and reduce harm.

ANALYSIS: In the latest in our series of articles on the policing workforce in England and Wales, Policing Insight’s Ian Wiggett reviews the official data for the 2022/23 financial year, and explores some of the resulting challenges facing police forces – including the significant reduction in staff and PCSOs, the struggles for some around retention and resignations, and how to adapt to the ‘new normal’.

INTERVIEW: As cybersecurity threats persist, Dr Reza Montasari, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Threats at the Cyber Threats Research Centre at Swansea University, spoke to Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth about the dangers to law enforcement agencies and public sector authorities, and how new approaches to cyber security and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms present opportunities to transform policing.

OPINION: Despite concerns about the use of ‘release under investigation’ powers in the UK, police were given greater discretion to use the alternative approach – pre-charge bail – in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022; but Penelope Gibbs, Director of Transform Justice, argues that both the legislation and the subsequent guidance for police are muddled, with the powers punitive, stigmatising, and ultimately unenforceable.

FEATURE: Just a year after completing the Multi-Agency Gold Incident Command Course (MAGIC), David Marshall found himself leading the multi-agency response for a significant major incident; here he reflects on the steps he took as Gold Commander, how the MAGIC training and Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles proved vital in shaping and delivering that response, and the lessons learned from the experience.

OPINION: With a combination of municipal, provincial and regional law enforcement, Canada’s policing environment is both complex and in need of national standards; in this first of two articles, Vernon White, former Chief of Police for Ottawa Police Service, and Joe Carlebach, former Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health at Hammersmith and Fulham Council, argue that establishing a college of policing for Canada could help to create those standards while also professionalising the policing role.

FEATURE: A new report from INTERPOL reflects on how law enforcement across its global membership of 195 countries is working towards greater gender inclusivity; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at how the agency – which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary – recognises efforts by countries including Australia and New Zealand to improve female representation within all level of law enforcement.

ANALYSIS: UK police leaders and inspectorates have frequently highlighted the importance of neighbourhood policing, and community engagement is a crucial element to that approach; University of Northampton Associate Professor Dr Tim Curtis, Executive Director of Intensive Engagement, discusses his latest research which surveyed the neighbourhood policing skills of 150 police officers and PCSOs, and how effectively those skills are applied to a real-world policing scenario.

FEATURE: In the fourth of a new series of The Police Student focusing on Criminology in Policing, Policing Insight Academic Editor Dr Carina O’Reilly explores psychological theories for explaining crime – including the differences between cognitive and behavioural theories, the importance of cognitive learning and social learning theories, and how evaluating these and other theories can make you a better police officer and happier human!

FEATURE: A new study by researchers from the University of Portsmouth suggests that despite increases in the number of women being promoted to senior posts in policing, structural and cultural barriers mean that in many instances female officers continue to be ‘overlooked and undermined’ in relation to career progression, unless they ‘exhibit qualities which accord with the hegemonic masculine norms of policing’, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

OPINION: When former Police Scotland Superintendent Martin Gallagher attended a reunion dinner with the officers from the first shift he had led as a sergeant, it was an opportunity to look back at some of the experience and guidance he had passed on to those younger in service, and also to consider what principles, fundamentals and approaches were integral to being a successful skipper.

ANALYSIS: The requirement for a degree qualification as part of the professionalisation of UK policing is opposed by the Home Secretary and several chief constables, who argue that academic work is too far removed from operational policing; a study by the University of Portsmouth with student officers has found that problem-based learning has the potential to make academic policing more relevant to student police officers by linking theory with practice, as Lecturer in Policing David Knowles explains.

INTERVIEW: With the Uplift recruitment programme creating a “dramatically changing workforce”, Cambridgeshire Constabulary set about engaging both the workforce and the community in drawing up a force culture statement; one result was the launch of a force-wide Leadership and Culture Programme which is already proving to be a “game changer”, as Ch Supt Becky Tipping explained to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons.

FEATURE: With mental health policing under increased focus for forces across the UK, Thames Valley Police has established dedicated mental health officer posts to improve data gathering and monitoring, share best practice, and help to embed the Right Care, Right Person approach; Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to Insp Penny Jones about the aims of the initiative.

ANALYSIS: Police forces in England and Wales have yet to find a way of resolving low rape charging rates and poor victim experiences, but creating specialist rape investigation units is frequently proposed as part of the solution; Det Ch Supt Phil Sparrow of South Wales Police, and Operation Soteria joint academic lead Professor Katrin Hohl, explore how the Soteria approach to specialism has helped the force climb to the top of rape charging rate table, and discuss why distinguishing between ‘dedicated’ and ‘specialist’ units matters.

FEATURE: Whenever a death or serious injury occurs following police contact in the UK, a post-incident management (PIM) process is instigated, but not all officers are aware of or understand what this entails; former Kent Police Sergeant Darren Moor, a PIM Manager during his own career, looks at the history of the approach, how PIM operates, and what officers need to know to be comfortable taking part in the process.

OPINION: One key area of discussion at the recent Liverpool John Moores University Police Education Conference was the decision to re-establish a non-degree entry route into UK policing; Tom Andrews, a Lecturer in Policing at the University of Derby who attended the conference, believes the statistics clearly demonstrate the benefits of the PEQF routes, and forces that struggled to realise the benefits were often those that were most reluctant to embrace the pathways.

INTERVIEW: With a policing career spanning more than three decades, Deborah Friedl is now bringing all her experience to bear as President of the International Association of Women Police (IAWP); she spoke to Policing Insight’s Christine Townsend about the work of the IAWP, the challenges facing women in policing today, and why she would willingly do it all again.

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INTERVIEW: In the second of a two-part series marking the 10th anniversary of the College of Policing – the professional body for officers in England and Wales – Policing Insight’s Ian Weinfass spoke to Chief Executive Andy Marsh about how it has performed so far, its degree entry programme, plans for vetting units, direct entry and more.

FEATURE: In the third of a new series of The Police Student focusing on Criminology in Policing, Policing Insight Academic Editor Dr Carina O’Reilly explores the biological theories of crime heralded by the emergence of positivism, which saw the focus switch from the offence to the offender, and considered the implications of biological predisposition, heritable traits, and the need for a response that includes rehabilitation.

ANALYSIS: Reports of ‘deaths following police contact’ often include instances of individuals being restrained, but for anyone suffering from Acute Behavioural Disturbance (ABD), such an approach can prove fatal; former Kent Police Sergeant Darren Moor outlines the key indicators of ABD, the steps officers can take to ensure medical support is available, and what to do if restraint is unavoidable.

LONG READ: In February, leading police officers were joined by law enforcement stakeholders, suppliers and academics for a one-day round table on transforming police public contact, organised by policy advice and strategic development organisation Cityforum; in this report – based on contributions made at the round table – independent policing consultant Nick Gargan, who chaired one of the event sessions, explores the key issues including addressing public expectations, the increasing shift to digital channels, and the options for improving service delivery.

ANALYSIS: When the Government announced its intention to recruit an additional 20,000 officers in under four years, there were many who doubted it could be done, but the target has been surpassed by some way; with headcount grown by 20,951 from the November 2019 baseline, and only one force – the Metropolitan Police – failing to recruit its allocation, Ian Wiggett takes a deeper look at what all this means for the service.