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The CEO of the messaging app Signal claims to have hacked the phone-cracking tools used by police in Britain and around the world to extract information from seized devices.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/22/signal-founder-i-hacked-police-phone-cracking-tool-cellebrite

If crims can leave code on a phone that could compromise the tools police use to examine them, what implications could this have for digital forensics, reliability of evidence?

The rules and regulations on workplace relationships with officers of junior rank need redefining.


 

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, harassing, bullying, victimising, offensive or otherwise incompatible with policing principle.”

And also:

“Do no publish online or elsewhere, or offer for publication, any material that might undermine your own reputation or that of the policing profession or might run the risk of damaging public confidence in the police service.”

Forces have their own policies but the IOPC has effectively ordered forces to direct officers to the College of Policing rules.

To hammer the point home, the IOPC listed a string of cases where individual or groups of officers have broken the rules.

Among the cases dealt with by the IOPC was a West Midlands PC who was dismissed in 2019 for gross misconduct after making comments on a personal social media account that were deemed to be racist and sexist.

A police officer resigned from Cheshire Constabulary in November 2019 after being found to have contacted, via social media, three members of the public whom they had met during the course of their policing duties and proceeded to pursue a personal relationship with each of them.

In 2018 an independent panel concluded a South Wales police officer had a case for gross misconduct, with a sanction of a final written warning. The ruling came after a member of the public reported a number of potentially offensive Facebook posts.

But the biggest number of conduct cases have been focused on private WhatsApp groups were comments or images have been shared that break the rules

In the latest incident revealed this week, a group of Devon and Cornwall officers were subject to investigation after an altered image of US murder victim George Floyd was shared.

A group of officers were investigated last year after sharing images of a murder site on a private group.

Men targeted officer and stole his warrant card, watch and other valuables.


Top left to bottom right: Rodney Abrokwa, Daniel Agyeman, Iraawoosan Alba, Christian Bangisa, Shariff Fussaini
Top left to bottom right: Rodney Abrokwa, Daniel Agyeman, Iraawoosan Alba, Christian Bangisa, Shariff Fussaini

Date - 14th April 2021
By - Gary Mason

Five men have been sentenced to between four and six years for a serious assault on an off duty Met officer and robbery of his warrant card, watch, bank cards and driving licence.

What would you like to see on this forum?

What can we do to make this place better for everyone or just for you?

We are looking for your ideas. It could be something you've always longed for in a forum, or maybe it's something you've seen on another forum that you think would be good on here.

Let us know your ideas. All ideas will be considered although if it is very outlandish it probably won't be considered for long.

It can be anything at all no matter whether you think it can or can't be done, leave that bit up to us.

Please put your suggestions below or if you would rather not say them out loud, then please feel free to DM me and I promise, you will remain anonymous to all members.

 

Thank you.

The establishment of a regular police reserve will retain specialist skills and plug the gaps left by the disappearance of the 30-year-career officer, argue Chris Sharwood-Smith and Dr Rob Gurney.


Date - 7th April 2021
By - Chris Sharwood-Smith and Dr Rob Gurney

The changes to the UK Police Service since the turn of the 21st Century have been dramatic. New innovation coupled with a need to drastically reduce costs during a protracted period of financial restraint has brought in the need for a whole change in concept around the recruitment and retention of officers.

We had several very popular "game" threads running in the power user ps.com section at one time or another so I thought I would start up with a classic one... Word Association! I'll start:
 
New

Civil Service jobs link

Number of posts:

95

Folkestone, Horley,Portsmouth and Southampton

A research project on the effectiveness of burglar alarms led by the University of Huddersfield has been awarded a grant by the Home Office.


Date - 7th April 2021
By - Chloe Livadeas

The research will focus on two force areas: West Yorkshire and Humberside to see to what extent burglar alarms reduce residential burglary.

The three-month project is being led by Professor of Criminology Rachel Armitage from the University’s School of Human and Health Sciences and will be jointly delivered with Professor Andromachi Tseloni and Dr James Hunter from Nottingham Trent University.

Despite studies taking place in the past Professor Armitage argues that it’s difficult to propose the use of burglar alarms as a crime prevention measure as there aren’t conclusive findings on their effectiveness of reducing residential burglary.  

A team of researchers will first analyse properties via Google Street View in Humberside and West Yorkshire.

Each researcher has received training on how to use Google Street View as an information resource and will obtain data on individual homes including whether there is a burglar alarm present, what is the brand, how old does it look, as well as noting other design features that could be associated with burglary risk.


Professor Rachel Armitage 

Using police recorded crime data, they will then assess whether the presence of a burglar alarm has an impact on burglaries and if the presence of other design features influences this risk.

Finally Police Community Support Officers will visit properties across the two forces to conduct a survey with the residents.

The survey will focus on collecting details on the burglar alarm type, its age and usage as well as details on burglaries that have taken place at these properties.

The

Female officers have accounted for 46 per cent of the latest intake of probationary constables to join Police Scotland.


Oath of Office

Date - 6th April 2021
By - Chloe Livadeas

Of the 179 new officers 82 of them were women.

On the force’s recruitment page of its website, it states it can offer recruits a “range of family friendly policies including those that promote a work/life balance”.

12 per cent of the new intake are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The force said a significant number of the recruits are graduates with degrees in disciplines including Law, Criminology, Psychology, Robotics and Cybertronics, Forensic Anthropology and Applied Pharmacology.

The intake also includes six former Special Constables, a fraud advisor, civil servant, footballer and a civil engineer. 

The new recruits took their Oath of Office at a ceremony at Police Scotland’s Headquarters at Tulliallan Castle in Fife attended by the chief constable.

Chief constable Ian Livingstone said: “Although we have much still to do, this particular intake of new Constables reflects the progress Police Scotland has made in our drive to increase recruitment from under-represented groups.

“Policing in Scotland takes its authority and legitimacy from the people of Scotland and I remain committed to doing everything I can to ensure the service represents and reflects the communities we serve.”

View On Police Oracle

The College of Policing is reviewing its guidance on bias training after it was thrown out by the civil service.


Date - 2nd April 2021
By - Chloe Livadeas

The report from the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities also recommended that unconscious bias training should end.

The Metropolitan Police have said while they don’t have unconscious bias training specifically, the concept of bias runs through many of their interventions.

In September last year Greater London Authority said Met officers needed unconscious bias and refresher training after a summer of high-profile stops of black males.

A spokesperson for the force said: “The approach taken to training in the Met means that the complex subject of bias/unconscious bias / implicit bias features as an element within a range of training interventions (e.g. safeguarding and training for those engaging as assessors in recruitment and selection processes) where we can contextualise the concept of bias in given situations.” 

They added that “they, like other police services, will work with the College of Policing to see what further changes may be advisable in the light of the report's recommendations”.

The government is phasing out use of unconscious bias training throughout the Civil Service after reasearch showed it could have unintended negative consequences. It has also urged other public sector organisations to do the same.

A College of Policing spokesperson said there is no standalone unconscious bias training within College of Policing training.

“Awareness training on its own will not change behaviour,” they said.

“However, consideration of all forms of bias is embedded within the Police National Curriculum. The College of Policing is in the process of reviewing its guidance about training for forces to determine how best to address the concept of bias in officer training in the future.

“We will update police forces in England and Wales in due course on the outcome of that review.”

View On Police Oracle

College says officers dismissed for gross misconduct or incompetence can apply to have their details wiped after minimum terms.


'High threshold' for officers to be removed from barred list

Date - 21st January 2021
By - Gary Mason

Officers who have been dismissed for gross incompetence and gross misconduct and placed on the Barred List will be able to apply to have their names removed from it after three or five years.

In a change to the system announced by the College of Policing which will apply from January 23 this year, dismissed officers and staff will be able to apply to CoP to have their details removed. The College will then carry out checks including consulting the force where the applicant was serving when they were sacked.

But the College has warned there will be a “high threshold” for deciding in favour of an individual being removed from the Barred List in order to recommence a career in policing.

Although successful applicants will have their details removed it is likely in most forces that their previous conduct will remain part of the vetting process.

Sample vetting forms provided in the College of Policing’s Vetting APP: Appendix-1-Sample-recruitment-vetting-form.pdf (college.police.uk) include a question about whether an individual has had any involvement in misconduct or disciplinary proceedings and whether they have been on the police Barred or Advisory Lists. Forces will base their own local vetting forms on these sample forms.

A spokesman for the College told Police Oracle: "The national recruitment application form for police does not mention the Barred List but force vetting, at the vetting stage, will ask an individual about any previous service with other police forces which will reveal any misconduct history that will be considered in the process."


 

British Transport Police is holding a 'banter survey' to better inform their training on appropriate behaviour in the workplace.


BTP Fed chair Nigel Goodband

Date - 7th January 2021
By - Chloe Livadeas

BTP's Ethical Dilemmas workshop was rolled out to all officers and staff last year, and aims to educate officers about what is appropriate behaviour and speech and what isn't. 

Trainers for the workshop, which discusses professional standards within the workplace, felt the material they were working from  - which relied on an external survey on banter - wasn’t particularly relevant to policing.

Well what a year 2020 has been for many of us not only in the policing family but generally across all of the emergency services and public sector organisations.

It has been a tough year for many people not only financially, but emotionally and mentally with lockdowns, uncertainty, fear and of course lots of fake news out there for the conspiracy theorists to feast upon.

Many families have struggled with the loss of loved ones and I am sure all of us know of people who have not survived this last year. Our hearts and thoughts are with them as they come to terms with their sadness in these challenging times.

Two vaccines are now approved for use and hopefully this will bring the much needed hope to everyone as we progress into 2021 with a sense of spirit and solidarity that the people of the UK are renowned for.

It goes without saying that our colleagues in the NHS are true heroes. Their selflessness and dedication has not gone unnoticed and appreciated by many of us during the pandemic and we stood on our doorsteps every Thursday clapping to show that we were thinking of them. They are still doing what they do best and we salute them all for what they do day in day out - Thank you

Here at Police Community we wish you all a better time this year and hope that 2021 is a brighter future for all of you, both professionally, emotionally, financially and mentally. We are here if you are struggling and need to talk, you are not alone and it’s good to talk.

Those of you who are looking to join the policing family in one guise or another, we wish you every success in your new career ventures and of course our help sections and trusted membership are always on hand to offer advice and guidance where its needed.

As a community, it never ceases to amaze me how resilient you all are in times of hardship and this is a credit to you. Thank you for your continued support over the last year and we hope that your dreams and aspirations come true for you in whatever you wish to do in the future.

Happy New Year to you all and your families - Stay Safe

 

The Management Team and Staff

As of 2020, for most constables for UK police forces (from what I understand) the following apply:

- no accommodation provided (less serving officers from pre-late 90s) i.e. commuting officers

- academic degree required, or certain points to allow a degree study, for two or three years (whilst serving)

- pension age getting higher (MDP?)

- police canteens largely gone, police leisure facilities largely non-existent?

This is not intended to be a "modern police" bashing thread, or and "old and bold" reminiscing (though I've no objection to stories!), but more to try and understand the aim behind the current conditions. In a time when the police service faces such problems (challenges) and dangers, there seems to be little further 'cushioning' if you like, to support [new?] people into the role.

With these new intakes, it must be difficult enough to learn how to police, without the need to; study for a degree/convert yours, commute/rent/mortgage, little official social & leisure places, etc. I'd have thought things like accommodation provided to you on your first posting, for say, three years or so (during probation) when you cna be posted anywhere in the county/city would be welcome. Does the degree study not take up what little time officers have to themselves, or police work time they have?

Anyone care to shed light? What's the big NPCC/HO plan here?

Cheers.

 

The latest model of the Taser has been signed off for police use, the Home Office has confirmed. Training and guidance will be rolled out within weeks.


Date - 24th August 2020
By - Gary Mason and Chris Smith 

A new, more effective version of the Taser has been approved for police use. The Home Office said the Taser 7 is more accurate, faster and compact than previous models.

It will also reduce costs for forces by replacing disposable batteries with rechargeable ones.

The announcement came just four days after the Home Office began a competition to develop a new less lethal weapon for officers to use that would have an increased range to tasers and baton rounds. 

The Taser 7 has twin cartridges that allow the user quickly to deploy a second shot after a failed first shot.

There are two cartridge options, one for close-range engagements, the other for when the subject is further away.

It also has a new green laser sighting system for the top probe and a probe design that radically departs from that used by the X2 and other older devices. 

Probes fired from the Taser 7 have a higher kinetic energy and momentum the Home Office led tests have shown.

The electrical output of the Taser 7 together with the way in which it is delivered, imply that the new device may be more effective than the X2 at inducing incapacitation and may be more painful for the subject according to tests carried out by the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons (SACMILL) on behalf of the Home Office. 

Are you Border Force or Immigration Enforcement, and are you a Designated Immigration Officer with PACE powers?

A nice piece.   As I read it, it also highlights why those non-police clients, when interviewed under pace decline to comment.  Perhaps this might help some to appreciate why a comment interview is forthcoming.   I see it especially relevant to understanding the allegation that is being made and any disclosure that may be forthcoming / held back.   
 

I don't want to sound like an old relic, but I can't believe how poorly so many cops handle arrests these days. 

In my time with a force that uses BWV, I have seen some of the most shocking displays from officers when carrying out arrests. No patience,  no tolerance threshold, no attempts to appeal or calm someone down or attempt to get them to co-operate. Instead I see cops barging in like bulls in china shop and actually be the aggressors, often deploying PAVA and strikes on someone for simply offering passive resistance.

Surely I can't be the only one that feels a great degree of pride for managing to bring in a suspect with VAP markers single-crewed, with all smiles and chatting away as if we are the best of pals. I have actually had people, twice my size, be aggressive towards me and make me reach for my baton or PAVA, but I have still managed to calm them down and in the end, even apologise to me for their behaviour.

Now all I see is bullies in a uniform that will use the excuse of power to use force to put someone in a headlock and throw them to the ground, whilst handcuffed, simply for refusing to walk... I'm sorry, but I find that utterly disgusting. These people have no business being cops and all they do is make the public hate and distrust us even more, leading to decent cops being at a greater risk of being assaulted.

I have raised my concerns with my supervision each time I have had to prepare a case file and witnessed these on BWV and every time I get the same response  along the lines of "it does seem excessive, but if the suspect complains, it's for the arresting cop to justify at court, we won't challenge their perception of the situation or discipline them"...

Hey guys, just wondering about the above question.

When I started my career in 2014 with Police Scotland and up until 2018 when I transferred to an English force (that shall remain un-named), it was up to us, the cops, Just this week...

A senior Metropolitan Police officer charged over possession of child abuse image.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/feb/20/female-scotland-yard-officer-charged-over-child-abuse-image

There seems to be a lot of these stories coming out at the moment.

Legal advice and legal expenses cover

In order to ensure that special constables have legal protection, the Home Office provides legal assistance cover currently through Arc Legal Assistance. This is available to all special constables, free of charge, and includes personal injury cover including financial compensation for damages. It also includes cover for legal advice as well as representation at criminal proceedings.

The Special Constable Legal Fees Insurance Scheme is now administered by the Home Office. For more information and summary of cover, please email: [email protected]

http://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/Support/Citizens/Special-Constabulary/Pages/Information-resources.aspx

http://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/Support/Citizens/Special-Constabulary/Documents/ARC_Legal_Assistance_-_Policy_Summary.pdf

 

Work With Offenders looks behind the decline in prosecutions with only three out of every 200 accused ending up in court.



 



 

West Midlands to teach frontline response to life-threatening incidents.

Survey comes out in favour of cap that fits the 'safer, practical and comfortable' approach for wearers.

Passing out parade: Officers will still wear helmets for ceremonial duties