To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2026 through today’s Employer Tuesday theme, we are spotlighting the partnership behind UWE Bristol’s Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA). In this blog, Jane Exon, Apprenticeship Employer Development Manager for the Police Programme, offers a behind-the-scenes look at how UWE works with Avon and Somerset Police to support recruits from onboarding to completion, delivering a high-quality, compliant programme that develops confident, competent officers.
Meet Jane
Hi! I’m Jane Exon, and within our Apprenticeship Team I look after the Police Programme. In my role as Apprenticeship Employer Development Manager, I work closely with our Associate Director Anne Eason, Programme Leads, and Avon and Somerset Police to make sure every recruit gets off to a smooth and supported start. From onboarding through to completion, we’re here to help keep the programme compliant, high quality, and focused on giving apprentices the best possible experience.
What is the PCDA?
The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) was created nationally for people recruited to become serving police officers. It’s a brilliant, transformational route for new recruits who want to grow into confident, capable, and community focused police professionals. The programme blends academic study, operational experience, and personal development, helping apprentices build the skills they need from day one.
Ensuring compliance and quality
Running an apprenticeship isn’t just about teaching and training, it also means staying fully compliant with Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding rules and apprenticeship regulations.
Our PCDA is fully mapped to the official Level 6 Police Constable apprenticeship standard. This ensures every required knowledge, skill and behaviour is delivered and assessed properly, consistently, and in line with national expectations.
At the very start the apprentices and employer receive a full training plan. This includes everything that counts towards off the job learning — academic modules, placements, skills sessions, and blended learning activities. Everything is carefully mapped to ESFA rules so apprentices always know what they’re working towards.
Working with the force
As an employer focused university, partnership is at the heart of what we do. We work closely with Avon and Somerset Police to make sure the communication stays open and supportive for both the force and the apprentices. We do this through regular meetings throughout the programme to support apprentice progress. Therefore, any issues are picked up early so we can work together by ongoing collaboration to provide a positive journey from recruitment to graduation.
What success looks like by graduation
At UWE Bristol, we’re incredibly proud of the work we do together — our staff, our partners at Avon and Somerset Police, and of course, our apprentices. By combining our strengths, we’re able to deliver an apprenticeship that truly supports people to thrive in their policing careers. By the end of the apprenticeship, we see our graduates go on to become well rounded police officers who are:
• Strong communicators
• Evidence led decision makers
• Skilled at assessing and managing risk
• Ethical and community focused
• Confident in applying academic learning to real world policing situations
It’s a rewarding role being in the apprenticeships team and the small part we have supporting the next generation of police officers and of course all our apprentices across the various programmes, continuing to strengthen our employer partnership.
Our thanks to Jane for this employer insight and to all those working in support of the PCDA programme. If you are interested to find out more, you can follow these links to #NAW2026 and the Police degree apprenticeship route.
Editorial team
Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).
“Reflection is one of the most underused yet powerful tools for success.” – Richard Carlson
Many of us have fresh goals and ambitious plans as we step into the new year. However, before we race ahead, there is immense value in pausing to look back. Reflection isn’t just about remembering what happened. It’s about understanding what those experiences taught us and how they shape the way forward.
Our first blog of 2026 is written by Eve Middleton, who is our Apprenticeship Progress Manager in Policing at UWE. Eve has worked at UWE since 2014 in various different roles, but always linked to the support of our frontline vocational programmes including: teaching, nursing and now policing – since 2020.
In this blog Eve considers why reflection is such an important part of policing and life. Over to you Eve…
Why reflection matters…
I recently spoke with a student officer who, during their first year, couldn’t see the point of reflections. It felt like a box-ticking exercise that took time away from the real action in the station.
By their second year, their perspective had shifted. Revisiting earlier reflections, they saw clear evidence of how far they’d come — from feeling uncertain and easily flustered on patrol to attending complex incidents with confidence. Seeing their own progress written down made a real impact.
I’ll admit, I whooped (and tried hard not to say I told you so). They’d captured one of the most valuable parts of reflection. It’s not just about analysing mistakes or spotting weaknesses. Sometimes, it’s simply about taking a moment to recognise growth.
“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” -John Dewey
The College of Policing describes reflective practice as a key part of professional learning. In simple terms, it’s about making sense of your experiences. Understanding what went well, and what didn’t, and how you can use those lessons next time. Policing isn’t a static job; every day brings something new. Officers who can think critically about their actions, learn from mistakes, and adapt is what keeps them, their colleagues, and the public safe.
Reflective practice also helps you meet apprenticeship funding requirements. Every apprentice has to evidence a set amount of off-the-job training. This is new learning linked to the required knowledge, skills, and behaviours (or KSBs for short) that underpin the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA). Reflective writing counts towards KSBs and it also builds valuable evidence for student officers’ apprenticeship portfolios. It is also great preparation for professional discussion assessments, where you’ll be expected to explain what you’ve learned and how it links to the KSBs.
Beyond Pen and Paper
Not everyone connects with traditional written reflection. Some people think best out loud, which is why we’ve introduced the option for UWE PCDA Apprentices to record audio or video reflections instead. This way, you can reflect in whatever format works best for you.
This approach also mirrors what happens in real-life policing. Think about those informal debriefs after an incident, maybe on the drive back to the station or over a quick coffee with a colleague. You talk about what happened, what worked, and what you’d do differently next time. That’s reflection in action. We all do it! We’re all constantly processing, learning, and improving.
Dear Diary…
If the word “reflection” sounds a bit intimidating (or even a bit dull), try thinking of it as professional journaling. Journaling has well-known mental health benefits; it can reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and help you make sense of tough experiences.
In policing, where officers regularly face high-pressure situations, reflective writing or recording can be a powerful way to build resilience. It helps you process what’s happened, spot patterns in your thinking, and strengthen your confidence and judgement. Over time, this kind of reflection can help you feel more grounded and capable, even in challenging situations.
Continuous Professional Development
Of course, all of this talk about reflections doesn’t just apply to your time as an apprentice. As you progress in your career, the reflective skills you have developed will be used again and again. Reflection for the purposes of continuous professional development (CPD) is something that will be expected from you throughout your career.
An example of this can be found in the College of Policing (2025) Resources for Reflective Practice where you are encouraged to use the reflective models of Gibbs (1988) and Kolb (1984) to reflect on the impact of your learning. In fact, if you search the web for ‘reflective practice in policing’ you will see that it is a value that is threaded throughout all career branches. Reflective practice is also supported and promoted by the IOPC and the Police Federation to foster a solution-based approach to complaint resolution.
Image generated using Microsoft Copilot
A Little Nudge
I couldn’t resist the temptation to use this opportunity to provide a gentle reminder from your tripartite team, PDU assessors, and tutors to upload your monthly reflections! Nothing inspires ‘professional growth’ like a friendly nudge (or three)! It might feel like nagging, but we promise it’s for a good reason. We want you to succeed and fly through your assessments to reach a point where critical thinking becomes intuitive. So, upload those reflections and let your future self thank you later!
For more information and resources on reflective practice for UWE Apprentices, check your programme Blackboard site, chat with your PDU Assessor, or drop the PCDA tripartite team a line at hss.policing@uwe.ac.uk
About the Author
Eve immigrated to the UK from New Zealand in 2004 and found her way to the South West in 2007 after 3 years in London. She has had a varied working background including recruitment, film, TV, theatre, hospitality and childcare, to name a few! She currently lives in a beach town with her partner, dog and two cats and likes to spend much of her spare time pottering in the garden and learning new skills with power tools.
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.
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
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).
In January 2013, 86-year-old Una Crown was found dead in her home. Despite obvious signs of foul play, police ruled her death non-suspicious, failing to secure the scene. A post-mortem later revealed she had been stabbed and set alight to destroy evidence (BBC, 2015a). HM Coroner noted, “Foul play or suspicious circumstances were too readily dismissed” (BBC, 2015b).
This case highlights the dangers of misjudging sudden deaths, errors that can allow killers to evade justice for years. Thankfully, Una’s killer was finally convicted in 2025, but for 12 years, her murder remained unsolved.
Research confirms systemic failures in initial response, increasing the risk of missed homicides (Forensic Science Regulator, 2015). This blog examines why sudden deaths are sometimes misclassified and how vulnerability can influence police decision-making.
Understanding Sudden Death Pathways
Sudden and unexpected deaths follow three primary pathways:
Expected Deaths resulting from known terminal illness, allowing a doctor to issue a Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death (MCCD). This system was exploited by Dr Harold Shipman, who murdered 215 patients over 24 years. The Shipman Inquiry (Secretary of State for the Home Department, 2003) led to the NHS Medical Examiner system to increase oversight.
Unexpected Deaths where a doctor cannot certify a cause of death, and the case goes to HM Coroner. If no foul play is suspected by police, a non-forensic hospital pathologist determines the cause of death.
Suspicious Deaths, where credible suspicion exists, police take primacy, and a Home Office Registered Forensic Pathologist (HORFP) conducts a full forensic post-mortem.
The first attending officer’s pathway assessment is critical and a misjudgement at this stage can let a killer walk free.
Statistics and the Risk of Missed Homicides
In 2024 there were 570 recorded homicide offences in England and Wales (ONS, 2025). Police detection rates consistently sit around 85% (Cook & Tattersall, 2014). But does this reflect the true homicide rate, or are some being missed?
The first critical step in homicide investigations is identifying a crime. Without this, there is no suspect and no prosecution. Yet this responsibility often falls to police response officers, not experienced and highly trained Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs). The Major Crime Investigation Manual (NPCC, 2021) provides guidance, but it is written for SIOs, not first responders, who instead rely on more limited training and Practice Advice (Home Office, 2024).
The statistics paint a concerning picture. Of the 581,000 deaths in England and Wales in 2023, 194,999 were reported to HM Coroners, with 36,855 inquests opened—representing 19% of reported deaths (MoJ, 2024). While most inquests reach a clear conclusion, around 1105 in 2023 (3%) resulted in open-type verdicts. These are used when the cause of death cannot be definitively determined (MoJ, 2024). Ambiguous deaths that end up in these open verdicts are the most vulnerable to misinterpretation when compared to “self-solvers” (Innes, 2003, p.197) where the evidence clearly indicates a crime and the person(s) responsible.
History warns us of this risk of misinterpretation. Johnson (1969) exposed systemic failings, finding 5% of presumed natural deaths were unnatural, including 27 undiscovered homicides. His research showed cognitive bias, poor scene assessments, and overlooked injuries, particularly among elderly and infant deaths.
So, are we deceiving ourselves with the homicide detection rate and are murderers still slipping through the net?
The Critical Nature of Initial Response
The first moments at a sudden death scene are pivotal. The initial attending officer’s decision to classify a death as suspicious or not determines the course of the investigation. A single misjudgement can let a homicide go undetected.
Interestingly, Stelfox (2006) identified three reasons why homicides are misclassified:
Failure to collect evidence effectively.
Failure to interpret information correctly.
Failure of supervisors to challenge flawed assumptions.
Systemic Failures in Initial Death Classifications
Over five decades after Johnson’s (1969) research, the Forensic Science Regulator (2015) examined 32 sudden deaths initially deemed non-suspicious and exposed the same investigative failures:
10 cases transpired to be homicides.
5 additional cases remained suspected murders.
Initial police decision-making contributed to 60% of potential missed homicides. Apparent and obvious indicators of suspicion were overlooked and in 5 cases, no body inspection occurred, despite visible injuries being discovered later.
Ultimately, the system worked and these cases were investigated. However, flaws in the initial police response were again exposed, leading the researchers to conclude that there was an ongoing risk of homicides being missed.
Revisiting the “Fatal Call” Concept for 2025
A wrong decision at a sudden death scene can mean justice lost, a concept Jones (2016) termed the “fatal call.”
While forensic advancements like advanced imaging techniques and AI-driven analysis offer new tools, they also introduce the risk that reliance on technology without professional curiosity can reinforce cognitive biases rather than eliminate them.
At the same time, in a drive for efficiency, some forces have shifted initial sudden death classification to paramedics in certain circumstances, significantly altering the process. New protocols reduce police involvement, giving ambulance crews greater decision-making power. While the shift to paramedic-led classification aims to ease demand on police, it raises a concern that it may inadvertently increase the risk of missed suspicious deaths. Paramedics are not trained investigators, and signs of foul play may go unnoticed.
This operational shift represents a change in the investigative landscape that warrants research to assess its impact and ensure that efficiency is not coming at the cost of deaths being misclassified.
This danger of misclassification is real. In 2015, John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer, who was famously implicated in laundering gold stolen in the Brinks Mat robbery, was found dead in his garden. Paramedics and police classified it as non-suspicious and resulting from recent surgery (Cawley, 2017). Several days later, a standard post-mortem revealed he had been shot six times (BBC Gangster, 2023). The error cost investigators critical time and evidence. Despite a £100,000 reward, his murder remains unsolved.
How many more fatal calls will go unchallenged?
The Role of Vulnerability in Decision-Making
Jones (2016) also found that in all 15 suspicious cases examined by the Forensic Science Regulator (2015), victims were vulnerable due to age, drugs and alcohol use or situational factors such as domestic abuse. Instead of prompting greater scrutiny, these factors often led investigators to prematurely close cases.
This reflects case closure bias, which involves the tendency to close investigations too early, misinterpreting evidence and overlooking alternative explanations. Contributing factors include resource and workload pressures, a desire for quick resolutions, and discomfort with ambiguity.
The Stephen Port Grindr Killer case illustrates the consequences of such bias. Port used Chemsex drugs to sexually assault and murder four young gay men, yet there were failures to link the deaths despite clear similarities. Initial investigations wrongly classified them as non-suspicious drugs overdoses or suicide. A HMICFRS (2022) review criticised the lack of investigative curiosity, reliance on assumptions, unconscious bias, and inexperience, all of which allowed a serial killer to remain undetected for over a year.
If vulnerability leads to flawed decision-making, it must be reframed. Instead of ruling out suspicion, it should be the trigger for investigative scrutiny.
Conclusion: Towards an Open-Mind Approach
Homicide statistics only tell part of the story, they do not account for murders never identified as such. Once a death is classified as non-suspicious, forensic scrutiny is limited, increasing the risk of missed homicides.
Cognitive bias and vulnerability have been shown to influence police decision-making, leading to premature case closures, particularly in deaths involving the elderly, children, drugs, and alcohol.
Investigating sudden deaths requires both professional curiosity and a systematic, evidence-led approach. The goal is not to treat every case as suspicious until proven otherwise, but to eliminate bias that prematurely rules it out.
At UWE Bristol, our training aims to support new officers to be professionally curious, be aware of cognitive and cultural bias and take an evidence-based approach using practical initial response simulations. These reinforce methodical decision-making and the pursuit of all reasonable lines of enquiry. In doing so, we strive to equip new officers with the critical skills and investigative mindset necessary for frontline officers who make the first and most consequential judgment at a scene.
Brookman, F., & Innes, M. (2013). Helping police with their enquiries: international perspectives on homicide investigation. Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy, 23(3), 285-291.
Innes, M. (2003). Investigating Murder: detective work and the police response to criminal homicide. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Available from: https://academic-oup-com.uwe.idm.oclc.org/book/10013 [Accessed 5 March 2025].
Jones, D. (2016) Fatal Call: Getting Away with Murder. A Study into Influences on Decision Making at the Initial Scene of Unexpected Death. University of Portsmouth.
Secretary of State for Home Department (2003) The Shipman Inquiry. Third Report. Death Certification and the Investigation of Deaths by Coroners [online]. Norwich: The Stationery Office. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7b99ae40f0b645ba3c55db/5854.pdf (CM 5854).
Stelfox, P. (2006). The factors that determine outcomes in the police investigation of homicide (Doctoral dissertation, Open University). Available from: https://oro.open.ac.uk/65036/ Accessed 8 March 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).
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to help crack a major investigation or achieve that critical breakthrough? This week, as part of our A Day in the Life series, we turn the spotlight on the National Crime Agency (NCA), an organisation that as well as leading the UK’s fight against serious organised crime, provides specialist expertise and vital support to frontline policing.
Today, we delve into the fascinating role of David Liddle, a manager in the NCA’s Major Crime Investigation Support unit. With his team, David plays a key part in supporting victims of devastating crimes and helping bring offenders to justice. Having had the privilege of working with David as a National Senior Investigating Officer Advisor, I’ve witnessed first-hand the exceptional dedication, expertise, and impact of his team.
Let’s hear directly from David as he takes us through a day in his life…
Can you tell us a little about your role at the NCA?
I’m a manager in Major Crime Investigative Support, which assists police forces when they have cases requiring specialist input.
My team is the first point of contact for police officers. We handle large numbers of requests seeking advice on investigations into murders, rapes, abductions, missing people and more.
It’s our role to provide support, drawing on our own experience as investigators and connecting forces with a large network of forensic experts.
These experts work outside the NCA but we can call upon them to provide expert opinion on a broad range of sometimes niche topics – everything from fires to psychiatry and wildlife to forensic linguistics, which involves analysing written language through text and WhatsApp messaging from digital devices.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and what inspired you to become a Crime Team Manager at the NCA?
I joined Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 1992, after serving in the Royal Air force.
While I am not university educated, I was fortunate to have a very supportive family, including a father who mentored me through the early years of my police career.
My varied and successful career in policing culminated in me joining the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit in 2011, where I managed teams investigating murders and serious sexual assaults.
In 2013, when the NCA was formed, I spotted a vacancy in its Major Crime Investigation Support unit, which I saw as an excellent opportunity to grow my investigative knowledge and share experiences with colleagues across law enforcement.
I got the job and haven’t looked back since.
How does your day start? (do you have a favourite breakfast?)
I’m an early riser – my alarm goes off at 5:15am. I head off to the gym because I enjoy the buzz of intensive exercise; it sets me up for the day.
My wife attends the gym with me, although she is far more disciplined than I! It allows us to spend some time together before we head off to work.
In support of a healthy lifestyle, I also follow the 16/8 intermittent fasting diet, so I don’t normally eat until midday. Poached eggs are my staple start to the day.
What does a typical day involve?
Much of my day involves managing staff to ensure we get the job done, while also ensuring their welfare is taken care of. My team often have to provide time-critical advice on some very challenging and emotionally difficult cases.
One of my favourite parts of the day is when I use my own experience and that of the experts I know to help police officers.
What aspects of your job do you find most rewarding?
I’ve always enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of policing. In my current role I get to help detectives with their challenges, to enhance their evidential opportunities and ultimately help them bring some of the most serious offenders to justice.
I believe victims should be at the forefront of everything law enforcement does and I help achieve this by sharing the learning and best practice with officers across the country. The positive feedback I receive for this is extremely rewarding.
I also enjoy hearing about the successes from the team of interview specialists I manage, whose work entails interviewing vulnerable victims and witnesses in a way that is sensitive to their individual needs and experiences, but ensures they get the evidence required to help secure justice for them.
What would success in your role look like for you?
Success to me is driving up the standards of criminal investigations across the UK by supporting colleagues in police forces and ensuring I stay on top of my own professional development every year.
Success is also about helping my team members grow both in experience and confidence by providing inspiration, direction and encouragement.
What do you see as the main benefits of a university education for police officers and what do you think the educational priorities are?
Balancing a career and education can be challenging, but university education offers police officers an excellent foundation on which to build their careers. It can support deeper critical thinking and enhance decision making.
And lastly, what do you do for fun?
It’s not all work for me! I enjoy playing golf with friends, although maintaining a single-figure handicap is becoming increasing difficult as I get older.
I also enjoy spending time with my growing family, supporting my children and grandchildren where I can. I’m immensely proud of their achievements and I get great satisfaction from hearing about their successes.
I’m also a mentor for young people seeking a career in policing. To date I have supported 11 young people in their endeavours to become police officers and I enjoy hearing about their successes as the years go by. You don’t have to be a police officer to become a National Crime Agency officer. Find out more about the wide range of roles at the National Crime Agency at www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/careers
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
This week’s blog is written by UWE Bristol Policing programme Senior Lecturer Gary Stephens. Gary served in Avon & Somerset Police as a Detective Chief Inspector prior to joining UWE Bristol where he is the module leader for ‘Becoming an Evidence-based Police Practitioner’ on the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA).
There is general consensus that Evidence-based Policing (EBP) is the development of knowledge, which is shared to inform operational practice. Working together with Avon & Somerset Police we seek to blend the best of policing craft with the science of ‘what works’. This is important because traditional models of policing no longer appear to provide the answers to a lot of current and future policing problems. Having recently attended the Society of Evidence Based Policing (SEBP) annual conference, Gary reflects on the key learning from this event.
Society of Evidence Based Policing (SEBP) annual conference
Over the 9 – 10 November, the SEBP held their annual conference at the College of Policing in Ryton. The SEBP are insiders, they are predominantly police officers with day jobs who are committed to nurturing change from within their organisation by developing knowledge, practice and performance utilising Evidence Based Policing.
Attending the conference were UWE policing staff Associate Director Dr Anne Eason along with Senior Lecturer Gary Stephens. Amongst the over 130 other candidates were representatives from forces and organisations from around the country, and internationally, including Inspector Alecto Shyne and PS Sue Coates from the Avon and Somerset Inspection and Evidence Based Policing Team.
The title of the conference was:
The importance of focus: How can evidence based policing drive precision policing?
The conference was opened by the SEBP Chair T/Chief Constable Alex Murray of West Mercia Police who introduced the variety of speakers delivering presentations over the two days. A consistent theme was the importance of modern policing being data led and optimising the principle of ‘what works’.
The College of Policing are at the forefront in using evidence led policing and Director of Knowledge and Innovation Rachel Tuffin outlined recent developments, most notably the practice bank, which complements the longer standing Crime Reduction Toolkit. The practice bank shares crime prevention and community safety best practice initiatives developed across the country to assist officers in their own local problem solving.
Speakers spoke of subjects ranging from crime satisfaction, focused deterrence to using vetting data to understand the more prevalent characteristics of those who go onto be subject of gross misconduct proceedings. Whilst there was a wide range of speakers there was one consistent theme, the importance of using data to produce a deeper understanding of what works and to utilise this as evidence to inform practice.
So what did we take specifically from the two days?
The material from all speakers was valuable but what we found most interesting is how EBP is constantly developing and how we can all contribute to it. For example, we now know that, under certain conditions, hot spots policing works. One of these conditions is optimising the time officers (or PCSOs) are present in a given hot spot (The Koper curve theory). However, a study in Leicester based on hot spot patrolling areas of potential disorder has developed this principle further. In partnership with the Youth Endowment Fund youth outreach workers were employed to be in hot spot areas and engage with youths to prevent disorder. During this time they sought to engage those youths in diversionary interventions, something EBP tells us works. But to follow Koper’s 12-16 minute rule would not enable them to engage, so the patrols were extended, often in excess of 50 minutes, which allowed them to nurture conversations and engage with potential offenders.
The conference was closed by Professor Lawrence Sherman, the leading architect and proponent of EBP who outlined the need to move from the 3R’s (random patrol, rapid response, reactive investigation) toward the 3Ts (targeting, testing and tracking). As well as reflecting on where EBP was and where it is now he outlined his vision of the next steps for it. As Chief Scientific Officer for the Metropolitan Police he took an active role in an initiative that was recently launched to target the serious amount of violent harm against women and girls in London. With limited resources the police must focus their resources on those who present the most harm. A top 100 list, ‘the power few concentration’ was produced. Having identified the top 100, a key tactic used was application for Sexual Risk Orders. If the application is successful, this order places stringent conditions on subjects. In the short time since this initiative has been running an impressive 85% reduction in offending has been identified.
Professor Sherman suggested that future steps for EBP could be in adopting these principles of ranking and stacking relative risk, and further utilising the principle of the 3T’s, in categories such as repeat burglary, ASB 999 calls, police misconduct and others. If adopted this could lead to what he described as not doing more with less, somewhere policing has found itself in recent years, but doing less with more.
What can you do?
Join the SEBP, it’s easy, just go online and join. You will receive regular e mails of evidence-led studies and initiatives and you will have access to all resources.
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Be that evidence led practitioner – it works! As a practitioner guided by evidence, integrate its effectiveness seamlessly into your daily operations for your specific purposes. Embrace the principles, customise them to your context, and employ them to focus on your objectives. Shift from perceiving it as an abstract concept; it’s increasingly becoming standard practice, and we need to fully harness the principles of EBP in contemporary law enforcement.
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
For decades Policing was founded upon local connections and awareness of problems by the local ‘beat bobby’. The evolution of Computer Aided Dispatch resulted in an era of policing that became reactionary and demand driven. As the old saying goes, ‘you can only expect what you inspect’ and policing became driven by response times and how quickly officers could move on to the next job to ‘clear the screen’.
Recognising this problem there was a drive to adopt problem-solving policing in the 1980’s which has been a feature of British policing ever since. It is a proactive approach that involves identifying problems before they result in criminal activity, rather than reacting after the event.
This month, the College of Policing published new guidelines that aim to further encourage a consistent problem-solving culture across policing. We are fortunate in this guest blog to hear from Superintendent Dickon Turner who is Chair of the Avon & Somerset Police ‘Problem Solving Workshop’ which drives the forces problem-solving philosophy, response and evaluation. Notably, it has also collaborated with the UWE Bristol Policing Programme, resulting in enhancements to the training received by Police Constable Degree Apprentices in their ‘Becoming an Evidence-Based Police Practitioner’ Module.
Image of Superintendent Dickon Turner
As Dickon prepares to retire from policing later this month, we extend our gratitude for his 30 years of public service and wish him well in his future endeavours. Here are his reflections on solving problems during a varied and rewarding 30-year police career. Over to Dickon…
Initial impressions
Image of a traditional Police helmet
In 1993 I joined Thames Valley Police looking like a 12-year-old. I struggled to find my place in a competitive macho culture where winding-up drunk people in order to arrest them was the norm and stopping 3 cars (hoping for an arrest) on the way to a burglary victim you had been deployed to was common. Luckily, I was selected to be a tutor constable then a beat manager in West Reading. Both these roles taught me the importance of investing energy into longer term work which I have found so rewarding through my career.
The early years on the job
In the 90s crimes were mostly pretty simple – virtually no-one had a mobile phone, loads of cars were stolen and fraud was mostly cheque-kiting. I found my niche though, after a 2-week attachment to the Child Protection Team in Bristol. This turned into a year, then a detective qualification, acting Detective Sergeant and some very difficult but gratifying investigations. Like the couple who tortured their toddler (30+ injuries including cigarette lighter burns) and were sent to prison, or the grandfather sentenced to 8 years for raping his 8-year-old grandson. Though the story was hard to hear, the hardest was dealing with the boy’s mother (and offender’s daughter) who asked me so many questions through her tears – like “what do I say to him when he is older? How do I deal with my mum (who was standing by the offender)?”
After a short spell as uniform sergeant at I went back to Child Abuse Investigation. This was my favourite role. I had a great team, fantastic relationships with partner agencies and dealt with a lot of harrowing cases. I investigated 13 child deaths in that time – mostly natural causes, a few suicides, but a couple of manslaughters too. It is such a privilege to be finding answers for a family at the very worst point in their whole life. Many of these will stick with me for ever.
Evidence-based Policing in practice
Dial with neddle pointng to the highest level. Evidence based practice concept
As Detective Inspector ‘Prevent’ in Counter Terrorism I learned a lot about intelligence and covert policing which I had no exposure to before, then promoted to Detective Chief Inspector in charge of Offender Management. Another busy job – 105 staff managing about 3000 offenders across Avon & Somerset. Taking a leading role with prisons, Probation and other agencies allowed me to successfully advocate for more resources to manage the riskiest people in our communities – sexual, repeat, juvenile and domestic offenders. I also developed the first domestic abuse perpetrator programme (called Drive) in Force using money from the Home Office, PCC and National Lottery. For the first time I was using an evidence base, research and good practice from elsewhere in the country to reduce risk, prevent offending and make best use of limited resources.
The importance of Neighbourhood policing, SARA and problem-solving
Image of a puzzle
I end my career in charge of Neighbourhood Policing for Somerset and Force Problem Solving lead. Neighbourhood policing is the foundation of everything in UK policing. This is where we gain, maintain or rebuild trust in policing by engaging with individuals, groups, schools and other organisations to understand crime patterns, anti-social behaviour and solve problems. We use the SARA model (Scanning, Analysis, Response and Evaluation) to understand causes before responding in order to tackle underlying issues and prevent escalation or repeat issues. Using the best data, intelligence, information from partners and analysis, this can reduce crime and long-term demand. For example, in Cheddar Gorge, a hotspot for repeated car cruises, working with land owners and the local council the installation of gabions made the area less attractive and has significantly reduced the problem for local residents Problem solving is particularly important now, because over the last 30 years crime has become more complex. Far fewer vehicle crimes and burglaries but far greater risk and vulnerability – for example, a 14-year-old child from Liverpool may be exploited to sell drugs on the streets of Weston Super Mare who may in turn threaten local kids to deal drugs or carry weapons. Anti-social behaviour, petty theft, assaults, and/or murder can all result. We need all our intelligence, analysis, flexibility and partnership working to sort all that out!
Positive impact of the PCDA
Image of the PCDA learning space at UWE Bristol
In 2022 and 23 I have been lucky enough to receive a number of Police Constable Degree Apprentices into my neighbourhood teams. Invariably these apprentices bring energy and fresh ideas. Some are reluctant to come to an area of policing perceived to be less exciting than Response Policing but quickly learn about the benefit of long-term relationships and apply problem solving approaches. They tend to consider serving our communities instead servicing of a list of calls from the public.
Concluding thoughts
Image of countdown clock from work to retirement
How many other jobs have everything above plus appearing on TV and radio, giving evidence in Crown Court, attending post-mortems, being threatened by Bob Marley’s drummer, or being urinated on by a drunk woman (a career low point), pursuing stolen cars, interviewing paedophiles……? Anyone in policing now has my utmost respect and best wishes – stay safe out there.
Further resources
Readers interested in finding out more can refer to these helpful resources:
