claudiamccready | Policing blog

From Rhineland-Palatinate to the South West: International reflections on Community-Centred Policing

claudiamccready | 26 February 202626 February 2026

This blog has been written by Lynn Mohring, Simon Hauk and Simon Grethlein.

This January, three student officers from the Rhineland-Palatinate University of Police immersed themselves in a week of policing, culture, and community at UWE Bristol and with Avon & Somerset Police.

Lynn, Simon and Felix’s reflections uncover meaningful contrasts— from court procedures and officer safety approaches to discovering a policing style grounded in communication, patience, and community engagement. This blog captures a week of international knowledge exchange, showcasing the value of openness, curiosity and shared learning across policing cultures.

And if all of that is not enough, it also features photos of our local police horses and working dogs… because no international exchange is completed without a few four-legged colleagues.

What were your first impressions when you arrived in England?

When we arrived at London Heathrow in the morning of Saturday Jan. 10th, we were welcomed by sunshine which was a surprise, England being known for its rainy weather. We then got our rental car, which led us to our first challenge: driving on the left side of the road. But for Felix, being an experienced driver, it was no problem after a short time of getting used to it. On our way from London to Bristol, we made a little detour to Oxford where we were just in awe of the beautiful old buildings and the city’s history being present in every street. After spending some time just roaming through the city, we drove to Bristol where we met Claudia McCready, who turned out to be the loveliest and most welcoming person. She showed us around UWE Campus, which is different from the German School of Policing at Campus Hahn as it is a normal university which includes the department of Policing. The part of school where the policing students work really impressed us because it is so modern. For instance, the simulation rooms are not comparable to the ones on Hahn – we felt like we were walking through Ikea.

One Monday we first had a lovely chat with Dr. Anne Eason, the Associate Director of Policing, over some tea and coffee she treated us to. Thanks again, Anne! It was really nice to see a woman as the “Big Boss”.

We then met the second year DHEP students who were super nice and open-minded. They enthusiastically joined our little German quiz at the end of our presentation on the German Police in Rhineland Palatinate, where we asked them what words like “Zeugnisverweigerungsrecht” meant.

During the week we met many interesting people – Martin and Gary took us to visit Crown Court, the Major Crime Department and CID. We had very informative conversations with the first year students, and also with one of the lecturers, Imogen Hirst, who shared many of her valuable experiences.

Sam and Lloyd showed us the Mounted Police facilities, their Headquarters, the dog and drones units, and most interesting for some of us (looking at you, Felix), the firearms unit at Black Rock. Everyone we met had such a positive and friendly attitude which made our stay really comfortable.

Even outside of UWE and the police, the people we met were super friendly, open-minded and interested. All in all, we found the British people to always be very polite and considerate.

What did a typical day on the exchange look like?

A typical day on the exchange began with meeting Claudia in the morning and joining her and/or the students to lectures, scenarios or presentations from people outside the Police. We met peers from the CPS and people who support street sex workers to stay safe.

It was really interesting because it gave us a good understanding of how the Avon & Somerset Police operate. Especially the scenarios were very interesting to watch, showing us how all in all the British and the German police are very similar. However, there are some differences such as how to perform a body search, or in the general dealing with a citizen.

On Tuesday and Friday, we had a diverse program off UWE Campus, visiting Crown Court, criminal departments and various police units. For me as a horse rider, seeing the mounted police was a highlight of course. At Crown Court we were surprised by the wigs the officials wore and the fact that the barristers switch between prosecuting and defending, which in Germany are two completely separate jobs.

At CID we were shown the timeline of a crime, created with the help of CCTV. You could trace back every step of the involved thanks to the footage which is a huge benefit for the investigation. German data protection could never!

By the end of the daily program we were always very tired because of the many new and interesting impressions – but we had to take advantage of our rental car… So every evening we visited cool new spots, and although we saw everything in darkness it was totally worth it. We were almost blown away by the wind on the south coast (shoutout to the friendly stranger who showed us the fossils in the cliffs). We also walked over the beautifully illuminated Clifton Bridge, tried fish & chips, watched football in a British pub, visited Bath, and even crossed the border to Cardiff/Wales. Together with Claudia we enjoyed a lovely trip to Bristol City where we visited a really nice museum and had discussions over some politics, went souvenir shopping and just had a wonderful time.

Are there any policing methods or approaches in England and Wales that stood out to you?

Of course, the biggest and most outstanding difference between the British and the German police to us is the fact that British police officers don’t carry firearms. In the German police, officers are trained and getting used to carrying a gun within the first year of police training. Being out on the streets and not carrying a gun as protection is unimaginable to most of us. But it must be said that using a gun in a real-life scenario is really uncommon and bound by strict rules.

However, seeing the British approach and the deep respect for it within the police, but also in society, showed us that this method works just as well. From all the conversations with the students, the lecturers and the other police officers we learned that the goal with this method is to appear more citizen-friendly and approachable to the community. We got the impression that in this way the police seem more ‘harmless’ and that in return people are somewhat less prone to violence, which seems a good danger prevention tactic.

In general, the British police are more sensitive and more in contact with the people and communities. The officers take the time to explain everything in detail and sometimes even a few times, so the person really understands the measures and feels understood. The students are explicitly trained in this approach. Communication is also very important in the German police, but I feel the patience is quickly lost and officers want to move on, which is often (sadly) necessary because there is always too much to do with too few officers.

There are many reasons for this, including the fact that in Germany there are always two officers working together. In the car, on patrol or while taking measures, we are never alone. This is different in the British police where the officers are usually on their own. With this method they get more tasks done but from a German point of view this comes with a high risk. The so called “Eigensicherung”, the self-protection, is always of utmost importance for German police officers – after all everybody just want to get back home safely. When you are always with somebody you can discuss how to handle a situation, learn from one another and in case of a fight or attack, you always have immediate backup.

Even the students go out alone after only a few months of training which seems kind of crazy to us. Our students are always the third officers of the patrol for the entire three years of education. Personally, I would be more than overtaxed with being on my own after such a short time of learning, but on the other hand the British students have a much quicker learning progress.

In conclusion, the British police have some very different approaches in parts which I mostly appreciate and admire, only being on my own while doing such a dangerous job would be too high risk for me.

Written by Lynn Mohring.

How did the experience challenge or change your perspective on policing?

I would not say that the exchange influenced my point of view or created a new perspective on policing in general but during the exchange I have learnt that there are many different approaches.

During our week we spent time with the students of Avon & Somerset Police at UWE Bristol.

Having watched a few training scenarios and other lessons I noticed that the biggest aim of the English police is to communicate with the citizens in a friendly and comprehensible way and to impose their measures by words. Therefore, at first the police officers are eager to understand the problems of the citizens and then come to a solution with a positive communication.

This approach reinforced my thinking of communication as probably the strongest tool when it comes to handling police situations. Back in Germany I am sure that I can transfer this approach into my daily work routine as a German police officer.

What was the most memorable moment during your exchange?

The whole week was full of highlights and entertaining conversations. If I had to pick one moment or event of the whole exchange, I would probably name our visit to the Police Headquarters.

On this day we were able to see the Dog Unit, the Mounted Police, ‘Black Rock’ and other practical parts of the Avon & Somerset Police. This day and especially the conversations with colleagues enabled a certain comparison to our practical training, education and special forces.

But I can also recommend our short visit to the Crown Court in Bristol where we could be part of a real trial and discover how the English court system works. Each of us were able to feel the influence of the past and we could see some old traditions during a trial. A good example would be the curly wigs the prosecutors and the defending barristers have to wear.

In addition to that, we finished the day by visiting ‘CID’ and the ‘Major Crime Investigation Team’.

Did you notice any significant difference in how the police engage with the public in Avon and Somerset compared to Rhineland-Palatinate?

I have already mentioned the importance of the communicating with the opposite person being very important for the English officers. This kind of sensitive treatment of the citizens and detailed way to explain or to justify the measures done by the police is much more relevant and existent than it is in Germany. For instance, in Germany you do not spend that much time determining whether the person involved understood your assignment or not.

Therefore, I admired the patience of the English colleagues they put in to make the person involved feel comfortable.

Another big difference between German and English policing is obviously the fact that not every police officer in England is allowed to carry a gun during their shifts.

During the whole week we had some discussions about this interesting topic. Afterwards I was able to fully understand the thoughts and the aim behind the limited access to guns inside the police and the limited presence of armed police officers on the streets. For us it still remains a completely different approach but also an extraordinary approach worthy of admiration and respect.

Written by Simon Hauk.

How has this experience influenced your development as a student officer?

I think for me it was a great experience to gain insights into a police context outside of my own police organization. Until now, approaches and possible courses of action only came from “our own ranks.” Through the exchange with English colleagues and the insight into their methods of working, I was able to gain some great ideas, which I believe will also help me in Germany to handle my assignments. For example, we had the chance to watch the role plays of our fellow police students. We especially noticed some very helpful victim protection techniques in dealing with affected individuals, which I definitely want to take home with me.

How did it feel to represent your university and police service on an international platform?

For me, it was an absolutely wonderful experience, which also made me very proud. That applies to all of us. We were also very happy to present our host, Claudia, with our state emblem, under which we do our daily duty as police officers, as a gift.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience to exchange ideas with our British colleagues about everyday police work and to contribute experiences from Germany. Therefore, we would definitely recommend not missing any opportunity for an exchange with the Police of Avon & Somerset. For us, it was a unique experience that brought us many wonderful moments. Therefore, we would also like to thank Claudia, UWE Bristol, and the Police of Avon & Somerset, as as well as all other participants from the Rhineland-Palatinate Police University.

Written by Felix Grethlein.

Final thanks

Claudia and the Editorial Team would like to extend a huge thank you to Lynn, Simon and Felix for sharing their reflections. It was a pleasure to spend the week with such positive, engaged and genuinely inquisitive student officers. All the best with your upcoming graduation and the wonderful career ahead of you.

Editorial team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

UWE Policing Book Club: Third Edition.

claudiamccready | 11 December 202511 December 2025

With the festive season fast approaching, and those last-minute gift requests flying around, we thought why not publish a further edition of the UWE Policing Book Club…

Spoiler alert: this one is for the non-fiction fans!

Join Mike, Brian, Paul and Ian as they share a few of their top reads from this year. Whether you are planning to switch off over Christmas or are working in the vital services that keep everything running, we hope you find a moment to enjoy a great book.

Mike Griffiths recommends ‘Black Box Thinking’, by Matthew Syed.

Black box thinking is a concept popularised by Matthew Syed, which involves learning from mistakes and failures to improve future performance. I came upon this book some time ago and I was interested in the cross over between completely different aspects of commerce and industry, such as hospitals and the world of aviation. My interest stemmed from the fact that my father worked in the aircraft industry in the 1950s, a time of great innovation but at the same time, plenty of disasters, such as the D.H. Comet mark 4.

As I read it, I saw a direct relevance to modern day policing where mistakes can have serious consequences, including loss of public trust and safety issues. Black box thinking, would encourage police officers to analyse errors systematically, much like aviation industry investigators who analyse flight data after an incident. By examining what went wrong and why, police can identify patterns and underlying issues that need addressing. This process helps to prevent similar mistakes in the future, thereby improving overall effectiveness and reliability. Black box thinking aligns well with evidence-based policing, which uses data and research to inform practices and policies.

I think that if we introduced a more detailed examination of policing practices, as Matthew Syed suggests, we could greatly improve policing.

“When people don’t interrogate errors, they sometimes don’t even know they have made one (even if they suspect they may have).” – Matthew Syed

Brian Clifford recommends ‘The Forgotten Slave Trade’, by Simon Webb.

This book explores the slave trade starting with slavery in the ancient world and widens the reader’s knowledge of this subject across the world. A century before Britain became involved in the transatlantic slave trade it was involved in the wider slave trade. Some of what the reader will discover may challenge current thinking and understanding of this subject.

Most people are aware that Bristol was a major centre for the transatlantic slave trade in the eighteenth century but hardly anyone knows that 1000 years earlier it had been an important staging post in the slave trade of English slaves to Africa.

This book highlights how slavery cuts across all cultures, races and religions. This book will change the way you view the slave trade and show that many commonly held beliefs about this controversial subject are almost wholly inaccurate and mistaken.

This book does not seek to lessen the impact of this terrible trade. Instead, it highlights how widespread the practice has been and that virtually all parts of the world have both practiced and been affected by slavery.

I have sometimes struggled to find time to read but in recent years I have always enjoyed the learning and entertainment reading provides. More recently I have used the hour drive home from campus to listen to audiobooks. I find this a good way to unwind and reset after a busy day and make use of what may be considered unproductive time. While I enjoy a good thriller the opportunity to learn something new is always welcome. This book has done that.

Paul Williamson recommends ‘How to Strangle a Jelly’, by Les King.

How to Strangle a Jelly is a compelling and often humorous exploration of communication through the lens of a remarkable 50-year career spanning policing, probation and university lecturing. Les brings to life a wide range of experiences, from operational briefings and courtroom encounters to university lectures and wedding speeches, showing how the right words, delivered the right way, can inform, persuade, console, and even protect lives.

I had the privilege of working with Les earlier in my policing career, and I learned a great deal from his natural, people-centred style of communication. He had a remarkable ability to put people at ease, whether they were victims, colleagues, complainants or suspects. That same authenticity and calm confidence runs right through this book.

Now, as a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Policing and Criminology, I see even more clearly the value of what Les models so well, communication that is grounded, purposeful, and human. One of my favourite moments in the book involves a lesson he learned on a sergeants’ course about the power of effective briefings—a reminder of how much thought and preparation goes into good leadership communication.

Key Takeaways

Communication is not just a technical skill—it’s an evolving, reflective practice.
People respond best to communicators who are authentic, emotionally intelligent, and adaptable.
Les’s blend of storytelling and practical models makes this book a great read for anyone working in policing, education, or public service.
It is often the everyday interactions, not just the high-pressure moments, that define your effectiveness as a communicator.

How to Strangle a Jelly is thoughtful, funny, sometimes sombre and profoundly practical. Whether you are a new policing recruit or decades in, there is something in this book for everyone who wants to connect more meaningfully with others.

Bonus chapters – Ian Lowe recommends…

If you like ‘Black Box Thinking’ by Matthew Syed, Ian Lowe also recommends ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell and ‘Peak’ by Robert Pool & Anders Erricson.

I can’t help it; Sorry. I have to push the boundaries, bend the rules. Which might be why I like the above books.

I read them all reasonably close to each other. Each one in its own right is worthy of reading (see Anne Eason’s recommendation for Black Box Thinking). However, if you take the time to read all three, you gain a greater level of perspective on the subject matter.

For example: All three books discuss the now infamous, it takes 10000 hours of practice at anything to become an expert. Well Peak invented this rule, although it is actually. It takes 10000 hours of deliberate practice. Which is a very specific type of practice. Outliers simplified it and made it famous and that is how most of us have heard of it. Blackbox thinking applies it further and in new ways.

I suppose what I am saying is read. Our thoughts and ideas are made from the content that we consume, so make that content the best quality that we can.

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Senior Lecturer) & Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

Please feel free to leave a comment below which will be shared with the contributors.

UWE Policing Book Club: Second Edition.

claudiamccready | 17 July 202517 July 2025

With the traditional academic term over and the summer holidays upon most of us, now feels like a fitting time to share some further recommendations from the UWE Bristol Policing Team. From a good old-fashioned ‘whodunnit’ to a psychological classic, or a perhaps a non-fiction based on science and nature – there is something for everyone.

Join Eve, Ian, and Stephen in their recommendations below and enjoy!

Eve Smietanko recommends ‘The Fury’, by Alex Michaelides.

If you’re like me and struggle to read crime fiction for the frustrating inaccuracies but miss the thrill of a whodunnit, then this is the book for you. Set on a small Greek island, several friends meet, and one, unsurprisingly is murdered. A kind of modern Agatha Chrisie with a twist begins to unfold. Learning more about each of the characters and the relationships between them, you see that they are far messier and more complicated than appears on the surface. The story is told through the perspective of one of the characters, but as he explains at the beginning – can you trust the storyteller? Through the classic twists and turns of crime fiction you guess and second guess who the culprit is. Most satisfyingly for me, due to the remote and somewhat idyllic setting, there are no police in sight! This is a murder that has to be solved by the people involved who are stuck on an island knowing one of them guilty.

For anyone who has been out of the habit of reading for a while or finds it difficult to get stuck in, this is a great book to start with. It is easy to read and has cliffhangers and short chapters that leaving you thinking ‘oh I’ll just read one more’. This is also a great one for those of us who partake in ‘reading masochism’ – not the devouring of smutty novels I hasten to add, but the insistence of reading difficult, high-brow tomes for an ego boost rather than enjoyment! There’s a lesson for everyone in the novel whether it be a reminder that reading really can be for pleasure or whether it’s to reconsider notions of perspective, trust and truth.

Ian Lowe recommends ‘Nexus’, by Yuval Noah Harai.

Earlier this year I finished reading Nexus by YNH. This is the third book I have read by the author, and to suggest each one has changed my perspective on the way I look at the world would be an understatement. I would strongly recommend all four of his books, especially Sapiens.

Nexus is a look at information systems and how humans have shared and created information throughout history. Starting with the spoken word, stories. Then the first giant breakthrough, written words / text and the creation of documents, which at the start meant clay tablets, then papyrus paper. Through books, which to start with meant religious texts (although there is a lot more to it than this). And the second world changing breakthrough. The printing press, which took production of texts like the bible from single figures per year to tens of thousands. Think how many people you can influence now you have the means to create that number if identical texts?

Once humans reached this level of information producing technology the emphasis changes to information and data control. ‘He who has control of the information controls the world’. If you don’t believe me, well read the book. But also look at mainstream media, social media, the rise in fake news. Pretty much all media in the USA is owned by two companies for example. The use of information and its manipulation to control, persuade or change people’s opinions.

The book ends with a look at Artificial Intelligence (AI), the good, the bad, and the downright scary. How AI is the next revolution in information and data sharing and control. What AI can currently do, and trust me it is more than you realize, and where it is possibly going.

I leave you with a quote from Jerry Seinfeld that I think YNH would appreciate:

‘We’re smart enough to invent AI, dumb enough to need it and so stupid we can’t figure out if we did the right thing’.

Stephen Brown recommends ‘Crime and Punishment’, by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

As an avid reader, who devours both fiction and non-fiction I would recommend, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” to those in the criminological field. This is a profound psychological novel set in 1860s St. Petersburg. The story centres around, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, who is an impoverished former legal student who suffers from a mental health crisis, or maybe it was always there. He has a theory that humanitarian ends justify evil and indeed tests this hypothesis by committing a heinous crime.

The book does paint a picture of mental health, abject poverty, misfortune and provides a conundrum of trust and scepticism. Perhaps, the biggest take away is the profound dive into someone’s mind that clearly focusses on ‘malice aforethought’ and the ‘guilty mind’ (Mens Rea). This is manifested by his unpredictable behaviour which is clearly determined by his conscience and subsequent paranoia that are interspersed with moments of clarity, although these a few and far between.

In summation the book compounds how Raskolnikov struggles with his conscience and the psychological torment of his actions. Consequently, during a moment of clarity, he confesses his guilt and accepts his punishment. The novel delves deeply into themes of morality, guilt, and redemption and this is why I would recommend it. Reader beware as it is not an easy read.

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Senior Lecturer) & Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

Please feel free to leave a comment below which will be shared with the contributors.

UWE Policing Book Club: what we’ve been reading and our recommendations.

claudiamccready | 15 May 202515 May 2025

I was somewhat pleased to have finished 47 books last year, and speaking with other lecturers – some of which far surpassed my count – it is clear that reading for pleasure is widespread within the team.

Research supports the positive impact that reading for pleasure can have. It is important to educational and personal development (Department for Education, 2012). Other benefits include reading attainment, writing ability and general knowledge, whilst also improving self-satisfaction and esteem, decision making and ability to connect to others (Quick Reads, 2015). It has been linked to better memory recall (Stine-Morrow et al., 2022) and positively impacts mental health, loneliness and isolation (du Sautoy, 2021).

With World Book Day falling earlier this year, it served as a timely reminder to share these recommendations more widely in the hope to influence a similar passion for reading within our students. Please enjoy some recommendations from the UWE Policing Team in the first of our ‘UWE Policing Book Club’ series…

Claudia McCready recommends ‘We Are Bellingcat: An Intelligence Agency for the People’, by Eliot Higgins.

Image of the paperback front cover of 'We Are Bellingcat: An intelligence agency for the people' on a cobbled pathway.

Higgins’ 2021 non-fiction focuses on demystifying the expanding practice of online open-source investigations. Higgins is the founder of Bellingcat, which started as an online community of volunteer ‘digital detectives’ who would use open sources to fact check global politics, crime and events. Whilst the book is based on real-life events, it reads like a spy thriller which had me gripped from the first to last page.

The novel details impressive investigations into the fatal use of Novichok in Salisbury, with Bellingcat being the first to identify one of the suspects. The book explores other investigations including those which identified current European supporters of ISIS and the Neo-Nazis responsible for violent attacks in America, as well as confirming the source of chemical weapons in Syria and the Russian downing of passenger flight MH-17 over Ukraine.

Having collected, developed and utilised police intelligence throughout my career, I was impressed by the methodology developed by Bellingcat to establish, verify and then share the truth. In a time where social media is heavily criticised for its negative impact on society, it was a timely reminder of its positives and the potential role it can take against disinformation and isolation. This book is the perfect introduction to online sleuthing, explaining how critical thinkers can galvanise geolocation, data and information available on the internet as a method of intelligence gathering.

Mike Coliandris recommends ‘Autumn’, by Karl Ove Knausgaard.

Autumn is the first book in the Seasons quartet by Knausgaard, a love letter to his unborn daughter. The book is presented as a series of short essays about his observations of the world and the concepts and feelings these evoke. Each essay begins from a small topic but soon conjures deeper, existential contemplations. Everyday objects and phenomena – plastic bags, the sun, picture frames, tin cans, dawn – are juxtaposed with reflections on how these things are so often taken for granted. Slowing down and witnessing the world around us can help us re-capture a fascination with life and its contents.

The standout essay, for me, is about a plastic bag floating in a lake. Through thoughtful reflection, Knausgaard takes the reader through feelings of changelessness, of objects out-of-place, and of concern about the state of things we leave behind. Yet it ends on less a positive note, but perhaps a phlegmatic musing that despite the worries we find in the world and our dissatisfaction with parts of it, beauty is found in the plastic bag suspended in the calm waters of the lake. It was an inexorable thing that bore no insight, did not mark a beginning or even an end. It just was.

I have learned from this book to pay attention to the small things, that no thing is so trivial so as not to impact us in some way. There is a power in observation and being curious about the things going on around us.

Anne Eason recommends ‘Dear Fatty’, by Dawn French.

If you’re a Vicar of Dibley or French and Saunders fan, you will truly enjoy the humour of this absolute masterpiece. Dawn French is as compelling an author as she is a comedian and throughout the book, an autobiography, her wit and literary style will have you in stitches. However, whilst she brings a smile with her funny anecdotes and self-mockery, there are some poignant moments of self-reflection, of her experiences of racial discrimination and deep trauma.

She talks a lot about when she and Lenny Henry met, where they talked (and snogged – her favourite pastime) for days and nights on end but as their relationship blossomed and became public, the acts of racial discrimination she faced; gaslighting, dog excrement posted through the letterbox and other behaviours spurred on by mindless prejudice. Regardless, their relationship continued for many years, and she spoke of the fondness she found despite these ills that exist within our society. A true testament of strength and love not just of theirs but of those around them that celebrated their relationship and their differences. She also spoke of their break-up and the sadness that it brought.

The other poignant chapter is around her father’s suicide. She was only 19 when he died. He had suffered with depression for years but managed to hide it and the previous attempts on his life from her. When she was 19 however, he was finally successful. It took a long time for her to recover from the trauma of his death, and whilst she spoke lovingly of how he shaped her during his life, she also spoke of his influence after his death and how the impact of his passing affected her. Some honest lived-experience shines through in her writing giving context and understanding to the reality of how trauma influences who and how we are.

Funny, sad, insightful – a great read and of course, Jennifer Saunders is ‘Fatty’.

Gary Stephens recommends ‘The Salt Path’, a true story by Raynor Winn.

Coloured image of the paperback cover of 'The Salt Path' on a cobbled road.

This is one of a trilogy of books telling their story and is shortly to be released in a film starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs.

Having led a relatively comfortable life Raynor and her husband ‘Moth’ lose everything in their early 50’s after becoming victims of a dubious business deal. They also learn Moth has an incurable, and untreatable, degenerative neurological condition.

With their world having fallen apart and being homeless they question, ‘What next?’ They decide to walk the South West Coast Path, 630 miles from Minehead to Poole via Land’s End.

The book catalogues their daily struggles walking the path living on virtually nothing and sleeping each night in a flimsy tent. Despite this there are nuggets of joy such as swimming in deserted coves and of eating ripe blackberries lightly salted by sea spray.

So what did I learn from this book?

Firstly, the strength of the human spirit in coming to terms with, and thriving in, adversity. Secondly, the benefits of connection to nature and it’s therapeutic value. The way Winn describes the smells, sights and sounds of the coast and the wildlife makes you feel you’re there. Thirdly, it brought a whole different context to my concept of homelessness, how people find themselves in that position and the shamefully cruel reaction of some strangers towards them.

As Winn says, ‘Life is a series of ups and downs. It’s how we navigate through them that defines who we are’.

Hopefully some of the above recommendations make it to your ‘Want to Read’ lists. The team is always looking ahead for some excellent book recommendations – let us know what you’ve enjoyed reading in the comments below, or consider reaching out and contributing to our next book club edition yourself…

Happy reading!

References

Department for Education (2012) Research evidence of reading for pleasure [online]. London: Department for Education. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-evidence-on-reading-for-pleasure . [Accessed 15 May 2025].

du Sautoy, T. (2021) The benefits of reading for pleasure. InnovAiT [online]. 14 (5), pp. 325 – 330. [Accessed 15 May 2025].

Quick Reads (2015) Reading Between the Lines: the Benefits of Reading for Pleasure. Available from: https://www.letterpressproject.co.uk/media/file/The_Benefits_of_Reading_for_Pleasure.pdf . [Accessed 15 May 2025].

Stine-Morrow, E. A. L., McCall, G. S., Manavbasi, I., Ng, S., Llano, D. A. and Barbey, A. K. (2022) The Effects of Sustained Literacy Engagement on Cognition and Sentence Processing Among Older Adults. Frontiers of Psychology [online]. 13 (1), pp. 1 – 15. [Accessed 15 May 2025].

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

Staff in the Spotlight – A conversation with Sean Paley.

claudiamccready | 1 May 20251 May 2025

Sir Robert Peel famously said, “the police are the public and the public are the police.” Much to that sentiment, we recognise the key roles that our staff and students undertake in making our programmes successful.

This week’s UWE Bristol Policing blog focuses on a key member of our teaching staff, Sean Paley. Sean kindly shares his vast background in operational policing, his transition into academia and how he uses such knowledge to help develop the next generation of officers on the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship. He may even share a funny story, recipe or recommendation too…

Who are you and what is your role at UWE?

I am Sean Paley, currently a lecturer on the PCDA programme teaching across a range of policing powers and subjects. I have 5 years’ experience teaching on the PCDA programmes, joining UWE in November 2024.

Can you tell us a bit about the experience you bring to your role?

In addition to teaching on the PCDA programme, I have been supervising students in year 3 projects, which I enjoy very much. I have one publication which is related to policing in the 21^st century and is aimed at the PCDA student audience. I have 32 years’ experience in Policing, mainly in CID across a range of areas, and in addition undertaking SIO duties for 22 of those years as the on-call SIO to serious and major crime.

What do you enjoy most about working on the policing programmes?

The best thing about working in this role is giving police officers the opportunity to enjoy and achieve great things, and to see them arrive fresh and ready to learn and see them at the end of the study when they have grown and developed enormously. I get a sense of achievement knowing I have added some contribution to this and their journey ahead.

What do you consider to be your areas of specialism and research interests?

I am interested in Police Powers, The Police and Criminal Evidence Act and covert methods of Policing, including Covert Human Intelligence Sources, or informant management as it’s known. I accepted an invite to write a chapter on Crime in the 21^st Century, this looks at the emergence of digital advances, computer crime, cyber crime and the threat from county lines and the challenges of the current working environment, including terrorism.

Do you have a funny or favourite ‘on the job’ experience?

Seeing a Police officer dressed as Father Christmas plunging through a front window of a house using subterfuge on a drugs warrant!

What is one book or film which profoundly changed your perspective on policing and related issues?

I would recommend Roger Graef’s ‘Talking Blues: Police in Their Own Words’, which is a hard hitting but accurate collection of interviews detailing the Police culture in the 1980’s and is useful to juxtapose with the current era to assess ‘progress’ in the obvious topics affecting policing and legitimacy.

“A collection of interviews with over 500 police officers of every rank from all over Britain and Northern Ireland. The 1980s have changed policing, often out of recognition, and “Talking Blues” records these changes as they are perceived by the police (Graef, 1989).”

Finally, if you had to eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

Beef Stroganoff, I must admit I do not cook this, it is something I would choose if on a menu. If I do cook, it is a curry, usually using a Patak’s paste! Menu on the jar.

Additional resources

Graef, R. (1989) Talking Blues: Police in Their Own Words. London: Collins Harvill.

Paley, S. (2022) Crime in the Twenty-First Century. In: Blockley, T., Sheldon, B. and Williams, P., ed. (2022) Understanding Policing and Professional Practice. St Albans: Critical Publishing, pp. 163 – 178.

Editorial Team

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

A Day in the Life of Chief Inspector Dan Forster.

claudiamccready | 17 April 202517 April 2025

Anne Eason, our Associate Director of Policing, recently reached out to Chief Inspector Dan Forster from Avon & Somerset Police’s Strategic Planning team, to tell her about his day as a Chief Inspector. In his reply Dan delves into his motivations for joining the police, highlights the diverse experiences of his career, and discusses his current role. He also explores the advantages of higher education for police officers.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what inspired you to become a police officer?

I remember the police visiting my school when I was about 11 or 12. The Mounted & Dog Section came along, and it all seemed very exciting. A couple of years later, I was out one Saturday afternoon in Bristol when I saw two officers engaged in a foot chase with a suspect through the busy shopping centre. I don’t know whether they ever caught the person, but it made an impression on me.

I joined Wiltshire police in 1998. It was a time before social media and mobile phones. There was only one desktop computer in the station which was not networked as the internet was still in its infancy. I never saw anybody use it. My two-year probationary period was undertaken in the market town of Chippenham and was a life-changing experience. I was very naïve, having no idea of just how busy the police are in dealing with crime and responding to community issues around the clock. I also had no appreciation for the levels of deprivation that exist within our communities, along with the undercurrent of neglect and harm that is invisible to most in society.

We typically paraded a sergeant and six constables as a response team from the station at Wood Lane. During my probation, I dealt with all manner of incidents including shoplifting, disorder, sudden death, serious road traffic collisions and domestic violence. A memorable moment came when on solo foot patrol at 5am in the morning. I noticed a door ajar at the local school and chose to investigate. I remember wandering around the corridors thinking that the caretaker must have forgotten to lock up, when I came face to face with a burglar. I’m not sure who was more surprised, me or him. There was a surreal moment as we just stood there looking at each other. I eventually made the move and put him in handcuffs before marching him outside to be collected by a patrol car.

Image of Dan Forster as a Police Constable.

At the conclusion of my probation, I transferred to Trinity Road in Bristol. Some may think that city policing is more challenging than rural policing, but I found this not to be the case. City policing was a faster pace, but the variety of work in rural policing, often single-crewed, made for a challenging operational environment.

“Over the past 25 years or so I have been fortunate to work in Response, Neighbourhoods, Training and Specialist Operations (firearms and public order). Policing has offered me a varied and rewarding career that I don’t think would be possible to experience in many occupations.”

How does your day start?

The day starts by trying to get the kids out of bed and to eat their breakfast. This is often the biggest challenge of the day!

What does a typical day involve?

I am currently working in Strategic Planning, undertaking a review of our operating model for policing. As Chief Inspector my days are still varied, but not as much as when I was an operational PC.

I spend much of my day in meetings and workshops, leading a team of business analysts, project managers and data scientists to design new ways of working.

I still have one foot in operational policing as a Silver (tactical) Commander for public order operations. This includes the planning and delivery of policing operations for sporting events, music festivals, protest and public disorder.

What aspects of your job do you find the most rewarding?

I really enjoy the operational side of the job. In was fortunate to study Crowd Safety Management at Bucks New University, graduating with first class honours. I am fascinated by crowd psychology and dynamics, and its relevance to policing. My dissertation was titled ‘Policing the Psychological Crowd’ and was highly relevant to understanding how we apply the ‘Elaborated Social Identity Model’ to protest and reduce the likelihood of police becoming the target of protest activity.

Policing has also provided the opportunity to undertake a master’s at the University of Cambridge. This as another life changing experience that completely changed how I think about policing. The main driver was evidence-based practice and finding out ‘what works’. I really enjoyed learning about innovative practice such as enhanced video response, which we are now introducing into policing to improve public service.

What would success in your role look like for you?

The starting point for me is public service. Everything we do should be aimed at serving the public. I’ve had many successes (and failures!) along the way, but it remains a privilege to get justice for people as part of the healing process when they have been victims of crime.

What do you see as the main benefits of a university education for police officers and what do you think the educational priorities are?

Critical thinking. It always amazes me how people believe what they are being told without question. I have certainly been guilty of this. Academia taught me to ask for the source when people are making claims to support an argument. It’s often the case that hearsay is being presented as fact. Further, academic writing skills have been of real benefit when writing objective reports and presenting business opportunities. Third person passive all the way.

And lastly, what do you do for fun?

I keep bees. It’s a great hobby and I have more honey in the cupboard than I know what to do with.

Editorial Team

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

World Teachers’ Day 2024 – a teacher’s voice.

claudiamccready | 10 October 202410 October 2024

Author: Claire Bowers.

Every year on 5th October, World Teachers’ Day is celebrated across the world to commemorate the importance of the role that teachers play in our lives. This tradition came about in 1962 when Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the President of India, suggested that his birthday date be used to honour teachers across the nation. To mark the occasion, we break from our ‘day in the life’ series with a special focus on this year’s theme of ‘teachers’ voice.’ In this blog, Claire Bowers, a Senior Lecturer in Policing at UWE, reflects on her time in teaching. She considers the value and meaning that teachers bring to our lives, and contemplates the changes in police education and their implications for prospective student officers.

Claire originally trained as a teacher in 2007 and has taught in many different educational settings, varying from Post 16 and secondary education in schools, training and development in the Police and Children’s Services, to Higher Education. She specialises in psychology, safeguarding, vulnerability and youth justice.

Teaching is a privilege

Maya Angelou is quoted as saying “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Whilst the details of our Key Stage 2 history lessons or GCSE maths curriculum may have faded, most of us will always remember that teacher who believed in us, or inspired us to keep going, despite our fears.

Teaching is one of the oldest professions and one of the most profound. As a teacher you have the power to inspire and motivate. Teaching can ignite a passion that can shape a student’s lifelong interests and career paths, and it goes so much further than that. They help students build confidence, resilience and empathy, teaching life lessons that go far beyond the classroom. They act as role models and their character and behaviour can profoundly influence students’ values and aspirations. Being a teacher is such a privilege and there is no knowing the difference you have made. I have over 15 years of varied teaching experience and it brings me such pleasure to bump into an ex-student who is so excited to tell me about their progress in life and recalls a lesson or moment in our time together than had such an impact of them.

Radical changes in Police Education

Image of F Block at Frenchay Campus with a quote about professionalising policing and making it more representative.

In 2016, the College of Policing announced that new police officers in England and Wales would need to have a degree from 2020 onwards. This was in line with the ‘Policing Vision 2025’, which recognised policing as a graduate-level occupation and followed a consultation with more than 3,000 responses, of which a large majority of police officers supported accreditation for their professional skillset (BBC News, 2016). This radical change meant that aspiring officers were required to go back into the classroom. For many, this presented an exciting opportunity to earn whilst they learn and receive the recognition and certification that they deserve as professionals in an increasingly complex landscape. However, for some others, the idea of going back into education can be daunting.

The challenge of education

Research carried out by NHS England in 2023 found that 70.9% of children enjoy learning at school. This leaves a large number of individuals who do not have fond memories of education in childhood. The reasons for this are numerous and highly individual, but could include negative experiences, bullying and feelings of isolation or rejection, anxiety and academic struggles with learning and a sense of failure, as well as sensory overload. Research from the UCL Institute of Health Equity (Rickard, 2018) found that two out of five people with learning disabilities are not diagnosed in childhood. It is therefore no surprise that the requirement to return to study is not embraced by all.

Teachers encourage use to keep moving forward

Academia pushes everyone outside of their comfort zone at one time or another. Formal writing, meeting deadlines and submitting work for review can expose our vulnerabilities. Learning to receive feedback and reflect with humility can be difficult at times. A good teacher helps to allay concerns, helping to install self-belief and a growth mindset for those students who lack in confidence. They can help a student to see that there is growth in the discomfort. As Einstein says: “in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” All it takes is for the individual to keep aspiring and moving forwards. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt: “believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Thankfully, most of us have felt the benefit of an educator’s belief in us and been spurred on as a result.

Teaching at UWE Bristol

Image of Level 3 F Block at Frenchay Campus, housing the criminology, sociology and policing departments.

UWE was recently judged as part of the Teaching Excellence Framework Review (TEF) to have “highly effective and embedded teaching, learning and assessment practices that support students’ learning, progression and attainment” (UWE Bristol, 2023). The Policing teaching team draws on a wide variety of policing and criminal justice backgrounds and utilises a range of different assessment approaches to enable learning. However, it is not just the teacher that makes the difference, the learning environment and its approach to supporting learning is crucial. The Policing Department at UWE has excellent facilities and offers an extensive package of support, from study skills to neurodiversity and disability screening to help all learners make the most of their academic potential. This is demonstrated by our recent TEF Gold ‘outstanding’ status awarded for ‘student experience.’

As teachers in higher education, we are so proud of our student officers’ achievements and are currently welcoming our 25^th Cohort to the PCDA. So, if you are thinking about taking the leap and returning to study, go for it! UWE offers a wide range of different policing qualifications. What’s the worst that can happen? You might surprise yourself…

“Your fate has not been written until you pick up the pen.” – Dean Bokhari

References

BBC News (2016) All new police officers in England and Wales to have degrees. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38319283 [Accessed 01/10/24]

NHS England (2023) Mental Health of Children and Young People in England survey – wave 4 follow up to the 2017 survey. Available from: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-of-children-and-young-people-in-england/2023-wave-4-follow-up/part-3-education-services-and-support#feelings-about-school [Accessed 01/10/24]

Rickard, W.R (2018) A Fair, Supportive Society: Summary Report [online] London: UCL Institute of Health Equity. Available from: https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/a-fair-supportive-society-summary-report [Accessed 01/10/24]

UWE Bristol (2023) Teaching Excellence Framework: UWE Bristol provides an outstanding student experience. Available from: https://www.uwe.ac.uk/news/uwe-bristol-provides-outstanding-student-experience. [Accessed 01/10/24]

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer); Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer) & Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, please contact the team at Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

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The idea of extreme ownership and how it is relevant to Policing.

claudiamccready | 25 April 202425 April 2024

Author: Ian Lowe UWE Bristol

This week’s blog, from Senior Lecturer Ian Lowe, focuses on the idea of extreme ownership and how the concept may apply to policing. Along with his varied background within public services, and interest in coaching and leadership, Ian’s exploration originally stemmed from reading. His blog explores how, in a sector where ‘blame culture’ resonates, this theory might evoke reflection from those within on their decision-making and responsibilities.

The theory of extreme ownership

Have you ever asked/told someone to do something, and they have not done what you asked. Did you ask yourself why? Or did you just assume they didn’t get it. The idea of extreme ownership is the idea that if someone did not understand you. It is down to you and your inability to describe what is needed in a way they understand. Simply put, you did not explain yourself clearly or in a way that the individual could understand.

I have long believed that, where I set a task in a group setting and only one group doesn’t carry out the task, then they were probably not listening. If two groups are not following instructions, I have to start questioning what I said. If three groups are struggling, it is clearly my fault. My communication was not good enough or clear enough and I need to rethink and adjust my style and my explanation. Maybe even restart the task.

It’s not my fault.

We hear this so often, people refusing to take responsibility for their actions and the actions of others that they have leadership responsibility for.

Extreme ownership.

This is an idea I have taken from Americas Navy Seals, a special forces unit and part of the US Navy. I have run with it a bit. But these ideas where originally tested in violent conflict situations in Iraq and have stood up to high levels of scrutiny and extreme pressure. This is where the term extreme comes from. You could easily argue that it could be utmost; maximum; high; ownership. It embodies the idea that this is not always the norm, and we are holding ourselves to an extremely high standard.

Extreme ownership is a leadership concept, which tells us to take responsibility for our own actions, and the action of others who we have had direct contact or influence over this includes being accountable for the actions that we have taken or the words we have spoken or written to others. We often read that we live in a blame culture. In my mind what this means is people are not accountable or refuse to take ownership for their words and actions. If a team, we have briefed to carry out an action (say execute an arrest warrant for instance) and something goes wrong. Is it the teams fault, or is it your fault for not ensuring the team fully understood the brief and you had included all the necessary contingencies and overall intents of the mission. I accept there can be dichotomies in a situation like this. It is important that the team understands clearly the tasks intents and has a level of autonomy to carry out what is required. But also fully understands the limit of what they are able to do.

Mistakes were made. But not by me.

One of the most obvious examples in modern culture is politicians who never seem to take true ownership always finding an ‘angle’ a way of blaming something or someone else. As a colleague of mine from PSD used to say, ‘they give the Priti Patel apology, I’m sorry you feel that way.’ This does work and can placate the situation. But does it show that you have taken ownership, taken responsibility, that you are genuinely sorry for the mistake and the resulting problems. Or when looked at closer are you just saying that you accept the individual is not happy, but that is not your problem?

As responsible professionals should we not be prepared to take ownership for our actions. I would potentially argue more so in the current media climate. Demonstrating clear honesty and integrity. I am pretty sure the Code of Ethics from the College of Policing explicitly states this.

If you are late. Is it the traffic or did you just not allow enough time.

Is the student officer you are working with really struggling or have I just not made the effort to understand and engage in a way that supports and enables them.

Was the drive to work today full of idiots. Or is the common factor me and my driving was not as good as it could have been.

We need to take extreme ownership and understand just how much of what we are involved in is OUR responsibility. How we do things, the clarity of our communications. I am not asking you to take the blame for everything. But to understand that by changing our perspective on events we can start to realize how much influence we have on the people and interactions around us. We can stop the continual self-justification of events that we can find ourselves in. The search to find a scapegoat or an excuse to validate or support our decision, so that we can accept them or so we can make others accept them (remember what sounds like a reason to you is often seen as an excuse by others).

three stick persons with lightbulb above their heads

Once you take this idea and absorb it fully it is freeing. Your perspective changes and you accept if the CPS turns down your case file, it is because you did not include enough clear and detailed information to reach the charging threshold. Extreme ownership also helps you to think ahead to prevent such problems before they happen. We start to realize and understand our own cognitive dissonance. That we know what we did was not quite right, but we are going to try and believe we did right anyway. Holding these two opposing ideas is exhausting, and the self-justification required is hard work. The smoker who knows smoking is bad for them but justifies vaping as a type of quitting. ‘Cuz it’s not as bad?’

None of these ideas are new, as said above they are part of the Code of Ethics and should be at the centre of all the decisions made.

Accountability: You are answerable for your decisions, actions and omissions.
Integrity: You always do the right thing.
Objectivity: You make choices on evidence and your best professional judgement.
Openness: You are open and transparent in your actions and decisions.

Extreme ownership is also included in many forces’ visions and values. West Mercia Police actually has ownership as one of its values. Surely part of Avon and Somerset Police’s mission of Outstanding policing for everyone. Owning our actions and their results is included within that even if not stated.

Finally. If we know we have done all we can to help; support; explain to others what is required and tried every avenue. When the point comes that no more can be done, then we can be satisfied we have done the right thing.

As leaders, true leaders, we can share in the success of our teams but understand We take responsibility for the failures.

Student Surveys

You can access the National Student Survey here.

Year One and Two students can provide anonymous feedback on their course here, or by scanning the above QR code.

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

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Policing by Camera? The development and use of Live Facial Recognition within the police service.

claudiamccready | 29 February 20245 March 2024

Policing itself has moved on from the comforting ‘bobby on the beat’ portrayal of PC Dixon in Dixon on Dock Green, where your first two years of probation were spent walking the beat and meeting your community. The invention of patrol and area cars have moved us away from this community visible approach, with officers now able to reach wider and respond quicker.

We moved from handwritten statements to typed scripts that can actually be amended without a further statement and read by all, even if your own handwriting is poor. Although basic, these are two examples of where technology has advanced frontline policing, and there are many more examples within equipment, software, control rooms, intelligence too.

Before joining UWE in 2018, I was a serving police officer with roles involving community policing, problem-solving and proactive investigations. Within that time, I was lucky enough to spend time on an external secondment with a local ThinkTank researching this very topic. I got to witness some of these technological advancements, and I definitely got to experience their benefits.

It is clear that technology has infiltrated many aspects of policing, can we expect the advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to behave any differently?

AI is being called ‘one of the most transformative technologies of the last decade’ (Brown, 2019). In fact, back in October 2023, the policing minister Chris Philip MP wrote an open letter to the 43 Chief Officers and Police Crime Commissioners of England and Wales, his message was simple – continue to use AI within policing.

Let’s explore the debate surrounding its current use…

The recent and continued development of AI begs the question – how are public services planning on utilising the explosive and growing capabilities of such technology?

With free and accessible AI software available to all with a digital device, I remain particularly interested in how police services around the country will utilise a specific element of AI software called Facial Recognition technology. This blog is a short exploration of some factors surrounding the topic.

The development of Facial Recognition can be traced back to the 1960s, where its creation is largely credited to American mathematician and computer scientist Woody Bledsoe, who taught his computer to recognise and compare facial features (Raviv, 2020). The concept has since been developed by others, as increased processing powers of computers has allowed for more complex software and technologies over time.

Fast forward to August 2016 at the Notting Hill Carnival, where the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) were the first British police service to trial Live Facial Recognition (LFR). They were joined by South Wales Police (SWP) in 2017 (ICO, 2019).

Some Definitions:

Before looking into the considerations for LFR’s use, I first want to clear up some definitions.

Law enforcement have categorised the use of Facial Recognition technology in three ways:

Retrospective Facial Recognition (RFR) – images or videos (from CCTV or provided by the public) are compared against a database.
Operator Initiated Facial Recognition (OIFR) – images taken on an officer’s phone during a live incident are compared to a database to identify the person in real time.
Live Facial Recognition (LFR) – cameras scan the faces of those present within a public area. These live feeds are compared to a pre-set ‘watchlist’, it is the decision of a ‘human operator’ – a police officer to you and I – whether to speak to the person identified as a potential match.

– A ‘watchlist’ is a pre-determined collection of images that the police create for persons of interest. This includes those wanted by the police or courts, linked to suspected offences or for intelligence purposes (Bridges (2020), p.77).

Whilst all three of these categories of this technology are expanding, this blog will focus on the debate around the police’s use of Live Facial Recognition software only.

Technological Advancements

Some of you will recognise the increased access to AI within private sectors already. You have been able to unlock your phone using biometric data for years. In fact, it is already a security requirement for some apps. FRT is being used by private companies to track shoppers and their habits in store (TechHQ, 2020). It is starting to effectively diagnose diseases within the health sector, with some positive cases already reported in practice (Qiang et al., 2022).

Whilst some private sectors have removed LFR software from their products following backlash (Meta, 2021) – its use is likely to continue to grow. Should those within the Criminal Justice System (CJS) have access to these advancements too?

Modernisation and Efficiency

Anyone that has been exposed to the CJS will understand the need for it to modernise and become more efficient. The NPCC’s National Policing Strategy 2020-2030 (2020), as well as their Policing Vision 2025 (2016) and 2030 (2023), detail the necessity for services to become increasingly digital to keep up with the current modern world.

Commissioner of the MPS, Mark Rowley, has highlighted the need for police services to become more efficient now that the MPS is effectively working with 28% less funding in real terms than 10 years ago (Rowley QPM, 2023). Professor Sherman, founder of evidence-based policing and current Chief Scientific Officer for the MPS, has also recently discussed the need for police services to work more effectively with what they have (Sweetland, 2023).

LFR could be an attractive option for police services in the wake of reduced resources, given it is contactless and biometric data is difficult to alter, it may successfully identify individuals using less officer time and administration.

Detection Rates

The Information Commissioner (2019) notes that the main criteria for success should be centred on public benefits, rather than arrest numbers and the ratio of positive and false matches. It is difficult to know what police, and more importantly the public they serve, consider ‘public benefits’ to be.

In terms of actual data, which is usually what these systems are judged upon, the figures around their use remain vague and difficult to find. Those figures shared from 2023 indicate that “at least” 9 arrests were made using LFR (Home Office, 2023). SWP deployment the software over 50 times which resulted in “arrests or disposals in over 50 cases” (Home Office, 2019).

The language used around these figures, and the lack of transparency in their publishing, makes it difficult to judge such systems in a meaningful way.

Ethical Considerations

Whilst biometric data is difficult to alter, it is also “intrinsically private” to the owner and the accessing of it raises the question of balancing crime prevention concerns against Article 8 rights of privacy (Bridges, (2020), p.57; HRA, 1998). SWP have already been found to breach privacy and equality law due to their deployment of LFR (ibid).

I see the similarities between the development of LFR to that of DNA and forensic capabilities, however DNA is either collected with consent or because someone is suspected of a criminal offence.

The difference here is that the overwhelming majority of those subjected to LFR will be entirely innocent of any wrongdoing and the collection relies on the ‘informed consent’ gained by them entering a public area. Given the lack of legislation, confusing algorithms and secrecy surrounding LFR, do police explain this well enough to gain consent?

Police use of LFR is still in its infancy and yet there is already growing concerns around the ‘slippery slope’ of its use. There are already discussions about increasing the database pool to include all images held by the DVLA and Passport Office, rather than just comparing them to police custody images.

Furthermore, there are discussions around loading the software into installed and pre-existing CCTV and also within police body-worn video (BWV) cameras. Given London is the 9^th most surveilled city in the world outside of China (Bischoff, 2023) and BWV cameras are being assigned to most frontline officers, the scope of use would shift cataclysmically.

Whilst there are potentially vast crime solving opportunities available through a quick database search, innovative technologies do not occur in vacuum, and they demand the consideration of ethical issues. Such ethical issues should be reconsidered as the scope of LFR’s use increases.

Bias

Whilst it is tempting to believe that, because it is formed on data, the software is unbiased but that would be a form of tech washing, an over confidence in technology. LFR technology relies on machine-learning, they are shown sets of labelled images in a process called training, and therefore can only ‘recognise’ faces to the extent on which they have been trained (Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group Facial Recognition Group, 2019).

There are already concerns around the effectiveness of these systems, and the Police’s openness around this. For example, the MPS claimed a 70% success rate for their systems when independent researchers employed to complete this analysis state it was only 19% (Fusey and Murray, 2020).

There’s also concerns about the racial and gender bias within LFR systems (Buolamwini & Gebru, 2018), with an error rate of up to 35% when identifying Black Women (University of Calgary, 2023). The courts recognised that SWP did not consider these potential biases before deploying the software (Bridges, (2020)) and such concerns continue as LFR advances.

If not developed properly, LFR has the potential to create a feedback loop which perpetuates rooted harmful outcomes, further impacting public confidence. Research suggests that people find it easier to recognise faces from the same race as their own (known as the other-race effort) (Zhou, Burton and Jenkins, 2021). Even with the safeguard of a police officer making the final decision on a ‘match’, years of failing to attract a diverse range of recruits creates the potential for a ‘Blue Watchlist’ where this harm is extended (Sampson, 2022).

Transparency and Oversight

The use of LFR is a complex topic, sometimes shrouded in secrecy and complicated algorithms. That secrecy is even maintained within court proceedings where the software and algorithms are protected on the grounds of ‘commercial sensitivity’ (Bridges (2020)). It begs the question – how much do we know about these systems and their ability to improve on the issues raised?

There is no standalone piece of legislation governing the use of LFR. Police services continue to implement LFR under legislation created before LFR was developed, and with little outside consultation (ibid). There have already been calls to legislate so that police services can better use this software, and to make it easier for members of the public to find and understand the scope and limitations of its use.

It is clear that LFR will be used for ‘low level’ offences and, although the courts recognise the broad discretion afforded to police in creating ‘watchlists’, the technology will potentially even be used to identify witnesses rather than suspects (Sampson, 2022).

The Future?

I don’t have all the answers when it comes to this subject but it’s clear that LFR is here to stay. The Home Secretary has voiced their support for its further use, while Nottinghamshire Police have joined those using it and there are already reports to expand its use (Sampson, 2023).

Whilst there is a need for police services to digitalise and modernise their efforts at fighting crime and to become more efficient with their resources, can this be achieved effectively without proper governance, legislation, and transparency?

In a time where critics argue that policing by consent has been ‘shattered’ (University of East London, 2023), where public negativity towards the police is high (IOPC, 2023) and where there are calls for less over-policing of minority groups (Hope Not Hate, 2020), an introduction of such technology without further efforts of consultation and transparency is contentious.

I’ll end with this quote from Steve Jobs (2011):

“Technology alone is not enough.”

National Student Survey (NSS)

A big thank you to all final year UWE Bristol PCDA apprentices who have completed the NSS to date but we still need your help if you have not already done so.

Both UWE Bristol and Avon & Somerset Police (ASP) place a high level of emphasis on the survey as anyone thinking about applying to the force and UWE Bristol can see what you thought about your course.

The NSS is also hugely important as it provides your chance to look back on your experience and highlight what you have found good as well as offering ideas where you believe improvements can be made.

You can access the survey here

References

Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group Facial Recognition Group (2019) Ethical issues arising from the police use of live facial recognition technology [online]. London: Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group Facial Recognition Group. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c755ffc40f0b603d660be32/Facial_Recognition_Briefing_BFEG_February_2019.pdf [Accessed 23 February 2024].

Bischoff, P. (2023) Surveillance camera statistics: which cities have the most CCTV cameras? Comparitech [blog]. 23 May. Available from: https://www.comparitech.com/vpn-privacy/the-worlds-most-surveilled-cities/ [Accessed 23 February 2024].

Buolamwini, J. and Gebru, T. (2018) ‘Gender shades: intersectional accuracy disparities in commercial gender classification’, Proceedings of Machine Learning Research [Online]. 81 (1) , pp 1–15. [Accessed 22 January 2024].

College of Policing (2023) Live Facial Recognition. Available from: https://www.college.police.uk/app/live-facial-recognition/live-facial-recognition [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Fussey, P. and Murray, D. (2019) Independent Report on the London Metropolitan Police Service’s Trial of Live Facial Recognition Technology. Project Report. University of Essex Human Rights Centre. Available from: https://repository.essex.ac.uk/24946/ [Accessed 23 February 2024].

Home Office. (2019) Fact Sheet on live facial recognition used by police. Home Office Blog [blog]. 4 September. Available from: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2019/09/04/fact-sheet-on-live-facial-recognition-used-by-police/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Home Office (2023) Police use of Facial Recognition: Factsheet. Home Office in the media [blog]. 29 October. Available from: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/10/29/police-use-of-facial-recognition-factsheet/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Hope Not Hate (2020) Minority communities in the time of Covid and protest: A study of BAME opinion [online]. London: Hope Not Hate. Available from: https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/study-support/study-skills/referencing/uwe-bristol-harvard#reports [Accessed 2 February 2024].

Human Rights Act 1998 [online]. Chapter 42. (1998) Government Legislation. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/schedule/1/part/I/chapter/7 [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Independent Office for Police Conduct (2023) Public perceptions tracker summary report – 2022/23 [online]. London: Independent Office for Police Conduct. Available from: https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/publications/public-perceptions-tracker-summary-report-202223 [Accessed 22 February 2024].

Information Commissioner’s Office (2019) ICO investigation into how the police use facial recognition technology in public place. London: Information Commissioner’s Office. Available from: https://ico.org.uk/media/about-the-ico/documents/2616185/live-frt-law-enforcement-report-20191031.pdf [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Meta (2021) An Update on our Use of Facial Recognition. Available from: https://about.fb.com/news/2021/11/update-on-use-of-face-recognition/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Metropolitan Police Service (2023) Facial Recognition Technology. Available from: https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fr/facial-recognition-technology/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

National Police Chiefs’ Council (2016) Policing Vision 2025. London: National Police Chiefs’ Council. Available from: https://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/police-chiefs-and-pccs-set-out-a-vision-for-policing-in-2025 [Accessed 22 January 2024].

National Police Chiefs’ Council (2019). National Policing Digital Strategy: digital, data and technology strategy 2020-2030. London: National Police Chiefs’ Council. Available from: National Police Chiefs’ Council (2016) Policing Vision 2025. London: National Police Chiefs’ Council. Available from: https://www.npcc.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/downloads/our-work/digital-policing/national-policing-digital-strategy-2020-2030.pdf [Accessed 23 February 2024].

National Police Chiefs’ Council (2023) Policing Vision 2030. London: National Police Chiefs’ Council. Available from: https://www.npcc.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/downloads/publications/policing-vision/policing-vision-2030.pdf [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Qiang, J., Wu, D., Du, H., Zhu, H., Chen, S. & Pan, H. (2022) Review on Facial-Recognition-Based applications in Disease Diagnosis. Bioengineering (Basel) [online]. 9 (7), pp. 273 – 289. [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Raviv, S. (2020) The Secret History of Facial Recognition. Wired [online] 21 January. Available from: https://www.wired.com/story/secret-history-facial-recognition/ [Accessed 29 February 2024].

R (Bridges) v Chief Constable of South Wales Police and Others (2020) [EWCA] Civ 1058. Available from: https://www.judiciary.uk/judgments/r-bridges-v-cc-south-wales/ [Accessed 23 February 2024].

Rowley QPM, M. (2023) Fighting Crime: Turning Round the Met [conference of Policy Exchange], London. 11 September. Available from: https://policyexchange.org.uk/events/fighting-crime-turning-round-the-met/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Sampson, F. (2022) The Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s response to the College of Policing APP on Live Facial Recognition. Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner Blog [blog]. 6 April. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-biometrics-and-surveillance-camera-commissioners-response-to-the-college-of-policing-app-on-live-facial-recognition [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Sampson, F. (2023) The Commissioner discusses the new era for live facial recognition after the Coronation. Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Office Blog [blog]. 17 May. Available from: https://videosurveillance.blog.gov.uk/2023/05/17/the-commissioner-discusses-the-new-era-for-live-facial-recognition-after-the-coronation/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

South Wales Police (2023) Facial Recognition Technology. Available from: https://www.south-wales.police.uk/police-forces/south-wales-police/areas/about-us/about-us/facial-recognition-technology/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

Sweetland, J. (2023) Prof Sherman: ‘In policing we cant have it all; there’s no free lunch – we have to make choices’. Policing Insight [blog]. 25 September. Available from: https://policinginsight.com/feature/interview/prof-sherman-in-policing-we-cant-have-it-all-theres-no-free-lunch-we-have-to-make-choices/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

TechHQ (2020) – Nothing personal? How private companies are using facial recognition tech. T_HQ [blog]. 8 June. Available from: https://techhq.com/2020/06/nothing-personal-how-private-companies-are-using-facial-recognition-tech/ [Accessed 22 January 2024].

University of Calgary (2023) Law professor explores racial bias implications in facial recognition technology. University of Calgary [blog]. 23 August. Available from: https://ucalgary.ca/news/law-professor-explores-racial-bias-implications-facial-recognition-technology#:~:text=In%20some%20facial%20recognition%20technology,is%20about%2035%20per%20cent.%E2%80%9D [Accessed 23 February 2024].

University of East London (2023) Policing by Consent Shattered, Conference Told. University of East London [blog]. 21 April. Available from: https://uel.ac.uk/about-uel/news/2023/april/policing-consent-shattered-conference-told [Accessed 22 February 2024].

Zhou, X., and Burton, A. M. and Jenkins, R. (2021) Two Factors in Face Recognition: Whether you know the person’s face and whether you share the person’s race. Perception [online]. 50 (6), pp. 524 – 539. [Accessed 23 February 2024].

Finally, some good news!

claudiamccready | 18 December 202318 December 2023

This week sees UWE Bristol wind down for the Christmas period, with the campus set to close between Friday 22nd December 2023 – Tuesday 2nd January 2024.

It has been a busy year for most, with some of the highs covered by Eve below. January 2024 brings the marking of March 2021’s dissertations and their End Point Assessments, we wish them all the best of luck and look forward to seeing their hard work pay off. We warmly receive some existing apprentices back on the 2nd January, with a new cohort of first year apprentices joining us the week after. This pace continues throughout the year and your academic team are excited for the times ahead.

We know that most of you will be busy over the festive period – turning up at work when it feels like the rest of the country remain at home with loved ones – all in aid of keeping your communities safe. Look after one another and stay safe. A heartfelt thank you to all of those that are working over this period and for the continuous hard work you all undertake 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

This week’s blog is written by Eve Smietanko, a senior lecturer on the PCDA programme and programme lead for Law and Criminology. Eve has been collating positive news stories around the Criminal Justice System in the hope that it will show you that the hard work you do is recognised and making a difference.

Over to Eve…

The good news stories

It can be easy as a police officer to feel that the world is a dark place, and that what you do, day in, day out, makes little difference. There is pressure from all sides to do things differently, decisions made in split seconds are scrutinised and analysed and every person has an opinion on what was done wrong. It can be easy to feel the weight of the world on your shoulders and to believe that world is awful; where the bad guys win and good guys get criticised. Does this all sound familiar?

Well you will find none of that here. This post is for good news. Take five and let me remind you of a few of the many positive, inspiring and hopeful stories that may have passed you by.

Support for firearms officers

In September many firearms officers laid down their weapons due to concern of how they would be treated if they did need to pull the trigger, and the impact this would have on their families. It was positive to see both leadership within policing, politics and the public standing by officers, who had chosen not to carry. Sir Mark Rowley wrote in an open letter to the (then) Home Secretary that ‘[armed officers] are extremely well trained’ and that ‘we have one of the safest models of armed policing in the world’ (Rowley, 2023).

Icon of two hands shaking in collaboration

Avon and Somerset armed officers have in recent weeks had praise from the public on a number of jobs they have dealt with courageously and professionally. There are many out there who see and acknowledge the huge responsibility that is placed on our officers to make life-changing decisions in a matter of seconds. You are appreciated.

Robber turned runner

Ever feel like you’re just churning people through the criminal justice system with no hope of any change? Thankfully this is not always the case. John McAvoy, who is now known for being a triathlete, previously served a lengthy prison sentence for armed robbery. Whilst in prison he began training hard in the gym and, with the encouragement of a prison officer, Darren Davis, started beating records. Since his time inside he has become a professional athlete, and more recently a mentor to young people.

McAvoy has teamed up with a charity, Youth Beyond Borders, to train, coach and support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to compete in trail running. There has long been an acknowledgement that nature, exercise and wellbeing are interlinked. Many of us take our ability to utilise the outdoors for granted but not all have this opportunity. As we know within policing and McAvoy surely knows himself, the connections you make in your childhood can have a huge impact, both positive and negative for the rest of your life. Despite McAvoy not having a great role model growing up, he is now trying to be one for young people across the country. It is worth remembering that he did not get to this point alone, he met encouragement and support along the way, like Darren Davis the prison officer. Without this he wouldn’t be where he is today helping other young people who could be in danger of making the same choices he once did. You too can be the difference.

The armed robber turned runner helping young people go straight – Positive News

John McAvoy interview: Former criminal turned Ironman (redbull.com)

Right Care, Right Person

When you ask most officers why they joined up they will say something along the lines of ‘to help people’. We know that being a police officer isn’t all about fighting crime but we also know that for many years now that the policing time and resource being put into mental health calls has been increasing. Dealing with people struggling with their mental health is becoming an increasingly common tasking. Whilst this is frustrating for officers it is potentially damaging for those who need mental health care and support. We do however appear to have reached the tide of change.

‘Right Care, Right Person’ (RCRP) was first introduced by Humberside Police in 2021 and since then has been rolled by a number of other forces throughout the country. The College of Policing has now issued national guidance on the scheme and the projections are that this could save up to a million police hours per year. This should mean that vulnerable people are getting the help they need and officers have more time available to them to investigate crime, build relationships with the community or any of the other invaluable actions you take.

Right Care Right Person – police adopt new national model re specialist care for health incidents – Policing News

Right Care Right Person (RCRP) national guidance launched | College of Policing

Court convictions

Over the last few months Avon and Somerset have got some great convictions at court. There have been several large-scale drugs convictions including eight men sentenced for a total of 36 years in relation to a county lines network. More recently three men have had their prison sentences for robbery increased.

Bristol robbers’ sentences increased | Avon and Somerset Police

Eight men sentenced for total of more than 36 years for drug offences | Avon and Somerset Police

It is easy for us to see the end result and forget about all the hard work that has gone on along the way. The big stories that hit the headlines often feel detached from the officers on the street but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It is those officers who gather intelligence, build rapport and begin the investigation when everybody else has gone to bed. In order to get a conviction at court, the silver thread of a quality actions has to be there throughout the investigation from beginning to end. It is with meticulous record-keeping, excellent decision-making and brilliant communication that people like those I have mentioned above have been put behind bars. It is also worth remembering that really, this isn’t the end goal. While the aim is to get a conviction, the purpose is to protect the public. To get drugs off the street, to allow people to run their business in peace, or whatever else it might be. Without our officers on the ground none of this would be possible.

Good News from UWE

The PCDA has been subject of an Ofsted Inspection and an End Point Assessment Quality Inspection, both achieving ‘Good’ status. Our key partner Avon and Somerset Police (ASP) were ranked 75^th in the Department for Education’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Providers and UWE was listed in the Top 20 ‘Rate my Apprenticeship’ providers. With the PCDA representing over 25% of all UWE apprentices, these accolades reflect our growing reputation. In addition, a PCDA apprentice won first prize for their research project at the 2023 Social Sciences Student Conference, evidencing academic excellence. In April 2023, Avon & Somerset Police celebrated growing from 2,835 operational officers to 3,393 since July 2019, exceeding the Uplift target and reflecting the popularity of the programme. Overall, the National Student Survey 2023 scores showed improvements in all areas of the PCDA programme in 2023 compared to 2022. The majority of areas saw double-digit increases compared to 2022. The programme is determined to build further on this positive direction of travel.

Our very own Dr Anne Eason – along with UWE colleagues Professor Kieran McCartan and Dr Sarah Senker – presented the early findings of their research at the NOTA conference this year. Their research looked at how male perpetrators of sexual offences can be supported to address their own trauma. There will be more on this to follow in the year ahead. As well as this there are many other research and writing projects currently under-way in the Policing team which hopefully will be published and presented in 2024. Remember, your research journey doesn’t have to end with your dissertation! If there is more you would like to discover then keep in touch!

Information about Anne Eason, Keiran McCartan & Sarah Senker's early research findings presented to NOTA this year.

A final round-up

So there is my round-up. There are many stories I haven’t included, some because I haven’t got the word count and some because they have been told to me in confidence but take it from me, you are doing a fantastic job. Policing is difficult and it is easy to feel under-valued so on behalf of the many, many people who are grateful for what you do, I want to say thank you. You make the difference, and we know it.

Useful links

Avon and Somerset Police (2023) Bristol robbers’ sentences increased. Available from: https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/news/2023/11/bristol-robbers-sentences-increased/ [Accessed 18 Dec 2023].

Avon and Somerset Police (2023) Eight men sentenced for total of more than 36 years for drug offences. Available from: https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/news/2023/10/eight-men-jailed-for-total-of-more-than-36-years-for-drug-offences/ [Accessed 18 Dec 2023].

College of Policing (2023) Right Care Right Person (RCRP) national guidance launched. Available from: https://www.college.police.uk/article/rcrp-national-guidance-launched [Accessed 18 Dec 2023].

Eason, A & Senker, S. ‘Dual identity’ and the forgotten trauma in the histories of people who have sexually offended [research presentation to NOTA Conference] . Cardiff. 3 May. Available from:https://www.nota.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NOTA-presentation.pdf [Accessed 18 Dec 2023].

Metropolitan Police Services (2023) Commissioner letter to Home Secretary 14 September 2023 [online]. Available from: https://news.met.police.uk/documents/commissioner-letter-to-home-secretary-14-september-2023-dot-pdf-434982 [Accessed 18 Dec 2023].

Policing News (2023) Right Care Right Person – police adopt new national model re specialist care for health incidents. Available from: Right Care Right Person – police adopt new national model re specialist care for health incidents – Policing News [Accessed 18 Dec 2023].

Positive News (2023) The robber turned runner helping young people stay on the straight and narrow. Available from: https://www.positive.news/lifestyle/sport/the-robber-turned-runner-helping-young-people-go-straight/ [Accessed 18 Dec 2023].

Red Bull (2023) The incredible story of John McAvoy, armed robber turned top triathlete. Available from: https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/john-mcavoy-from-iron-bars-to-ironman [Accessed 18 Dec 2023].

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Eve Middleton (Tripartite Assessor – Policing); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk