Study: Workshops reduce domestic abuse

This article summarizes an experimental study of low-harm domestic abuse first offenders in Hampshire, UK. Men who attended 10 hours of small-group discussions were 35% less likely to reoffend and caused 27% less harm over a 12-month period than those in the control group who merely received conditional cautions. Officials hope to replicate the study in several other UK forces.

POP conference October 2-4

The 2017 Problem-Oriented Policing Conference will be held October 2-4 in Houston, Texas. The preliminary program is available here, and registration for the conference can be completed here. Goldstein award finalists making presentations are police agencies from Cincinnati, Eureka (CA), Houston, Lancashire (UK), Durham (UK), and Victoria (Canada).

Speed camera effectiveness

This web page summarizes a recent systematic review of the impact of speed cameras, with links to the full study and advice for implementation. The review of 51 studies across 15 countries found, on average, a 52% reduction of vehicles exceeding the speed limit and a 19% reduction in collisions, with benefits exceeding costs by at least a 3:1 ratio.

Police higher education

In recent years the UK has put an emphasis on developing higher education programs specifically for police. As an example, here’s a position announcement for a Professor of Policing Studies and Police Leadership at Liverpool John Moores University (application deadline August 13).

Reviewing unfounded sexual assault cases

This article reports that Ottawa will adopt the “Philadelphia Model” in which a multidisciplinary panel reviews reported sexual assaults that police classify as unfounded. The main purpose is not to find specific police errors, but to identify ways of improving the system so that future decisions are based on valid criteria and victims are more satisfied that they were treated fairly.

999 is 80 years old

This article commemorates the introduction of the 999 emergency telephone number in London, England in 1937. Authorities there first considered 707 and 333 before settling on 999. The U.S. emergency number 911 wasn’t established until 30 years later.

One way to cut personnel costs

Dubai police will deploy the world’s first driverless security patrol by the end of 2017, according to this article. The manufacturer says the self-driving robot (video here) “will not replace humans … will instead fulfill low-level order enforcement tasks … can release and control a drone … is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input … can also pursue criminal suspects … No off days, medical leave, and breaks in between.” The Dubai plan is for robots to comprise 25% of its force by 2030.

Interpreters needed

This blog post from the UK expresses the skepticism of front-line officers regarding evidence-based policing and the current push to infuse a stronger academic orientation in police development and promotion schemes. Attending a conference, the constable notes “On more than one occasion, the other delegates I sat with – all serving officers – turned to look at one another with one of two expressions … bewilderment [or] incredulity.”

Doing it all

On this 54-minute CBC radio segment three experts discuss how terrorism, cyber crime, and other modern pressures are affecting policing in Canada and around the world. Panelists include a former RCMP assistant commissioner and a Toronto police inspector.

Direct hiring of detectives in UK

This article reports that the London Metropolitan Police are recruiting for direct entry as detectives without the traditional career path starting as uniformed constable. The agency has 600 detective vacancies. New hires will undergo 18 weeks of training similar to that for new constables, but with an investigative focus.