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Multiple studies and reports have now concluded that the police in the United Kingdom (UK) disproportionately enforced coronavirus legislation against black and minority ethnic communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This disproportionality was enforced through coronavirus fines which were introduced as part of coercive measures designed to restrict the movement of citizens. The use of coercive tactics by the police as a tool for maintaining order is not unheard of, and stopping and searching citizens is one method that is used to achieve this. This study therefore seeks to establish if the stop and search tactic was used proportionately by the police during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this, we examine the application of the tactic in the UK, where data from stop and search records from all police services in England and Wales is publicly available. By using descriptive statistics, combined with modeling designed to detect anomalies, data from a 5 year period that includes the relevant periods of the UK pandemic is examined. Results identify significant rises in the use of the tactic during periods of lockdown, which when compared to white citizens, illustrates that the rises disproportionately affected Black, Asian, and young people aged 18 to 24. We discuss these findings against a backdrop of reduced recorded crime and wider traditional police demand, along with correlations in increased police activity related to the issuance of coronavirus fines. In conclusion, we suggest that both coronavirus legislation and stop and search may have been used together by the police as tactics to maintain order, specifically adherence to periods of coronavirus lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of COVID-19 impacted teaching across the globe and this study is the first to examine the impact it had on the delivery of training within policing by seeking to address how police services in the United Kingdom adapted their delivery during the pandemic. The study achieves this by focussing on 3 aims (1) How did police services in the United Kingdom adapt delivery of training and education during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) What was the impact of the adaptations? For example, what worked and what did not? (3) What can be done in preparedness for future significant interruptions in police training and education? In pursuing these aims, the study identifies reliance on predominately pedagogic approaches such as increased use of the National Centre for Applied Learning Technologies (NCALT), instructor led power-point presentations and pre-recorded material, undermining engagement and motivation towards training amongst officers. Discussion outlines proposals for improving present police training and in future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical profiling is a form of crime analysis that can be used to help predict the area within which the home or base of a serial offender resides. Police services globally have incorporated it into their crime analysis capabilities but there remains limited research on how this has been achieved. In this article, we interview 10 geographical profilers working in the field to gather their experiences of the operational use of geographical profiling. Implementation theory is used as the theoretical framework to analyze the interviews. As a result, we identify a field with the potential to add value to criminal investigations, but a lack of knowledge and awareness of frontline officers and staff about the novel capability is affecting its use. In addition, issues relating to technology, tasking acceptance criteria, and methods of data collection create compounding factors serving to potentially reduce its contribution. We provide recommendations to address them including greater levels of training, a loosening of theoretical constraints, academic collaboration, and embracing free-to-access technology and heuristic methods as potential ways to improve the application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain aspects of optimal forager theory (OFT), which is drawn from ecology, have shown positive results in predicting areas at risk of future domestic burglary offending. This led to police services developing analysis methods that embraced OFT to underpin their deployment of resources to prevent or reduce domestic burglary. There has been limited examination, using quantitative approaches, of how individual police services have implemented such crime reduction schemes. This study broadens this literature by qualitatively exploring OFT strategies within five police services. By interviewing participants involved in the programmes the study gathers views and perspectives of the implementations, identifying many positive by-products of the strategies. By contrast, factors affecting the implementation and application of the theoretical framework are also identified. Both good and bad are discussed in the context of their practical implications for police services globally looking to implement crime reduction plans that embrace OFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responding to reports of missing children is an everyday occurrence in many police agencies, and a significant source of police demand. In England, there is a statutory requirement that all those under the age of 18 be offered a return home interview (RHI) within 72 hours of returning from a missing episode. The main purpose of an RHI is to better understand the reasons why a young person went missing and, where necessary, put measures in place to safeguard that young person and reduce the likelihood of them going missing again. Although widely practiced in England, there is currently limited research on the conduct of and information elicited from RHIs. In an attempt to help fill this research gap, this article reports the findings of an exploratory analysis of 113 RHIs carried out in one police force area in England. Findings indicate that 42% (n = 48) of the sampled RHIs occurred within the required 72-hour timeframe. Absent or incomplete information was common, particularly in relation to the presence and types of vulnerabilities associated with missing children. In terms of those interviewed, nearly half of the interviewees did not consider themselves to be missing. Moreover, many exhibited a high prevalence of mental health concerns, conflict at home and drug and alcohol use. The implications of the findings for safeguarding children and preventing missing incidents are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]