S. Tong

Understanding criminal investigation.

List of Figures and Tables. List of Abbreviations. About the Authors. Series Preface. Preface. Acknowledgements. 1 Introduction: A Brief History of Criminal Investigation ( Stephen Tong ). 2 Theories of Criminal Investigation ( Robin P. Bryant ). 3 Forms of Reasoning and the Analysis of Intelligence in Criminal Investigation ( Robin P. Bryant ). 4 Offender Profiling ( Miranda A. H. Horvath ). 5 Eyewitness Evidence ( Miranda A. H. Horvath ). 6 Investigative Interviewing ( Lynsey Gozna and Miranda A. H. Horvath ). 7 Assessing Performance: Quantity or Quality? ( Stephen Tong ). 8 Criminal Investigation in Context ( Stephen Tong, Robin P. Bryant and Miranda A. H. Horvath ). 9 Professionalising Investigation ( Stephen Tong ). 10 Conclusion: Future Challenges in Criminal Investigation ( Stephen Tong, Robin P. Bryant and Miranda A. H. Horvath) . References. Index.

Gender and police leadership: time for a paradigm shift?

Despite a number of initiatives aimed at improving the representation and progression of women in the police service in England and Wales, the number of women in leadership ranks remains low. At the same time, concern over the quality of police leadership has been at the forefront of much public debate in recent years. This article focuses on recent proposals to reform the way in which senior officers are recruited through a discussion of the appointment of non-sworn/‘outsider’ officers through the adoption of direct and multiple entry models of recruitment as outlined by the Winsor Review (2012, Independent review of police officer and staff remuneration and conditions. Part 2. http://review.police.uk/part-two-report/). Hailed as an opportunity to secure an alternative face to police leadership, we reflect on the growing disquiet over police leaders and leadership and consider the possibilities of such a reform agenda for the representation and progression of women in policing. We propose that although a multipoint system of entry for specialisation or leadership roles may offer a number of opportunities to a service in crisis, such a reform agenda may ultimately serve to threaten and further undermine womens participation and status in policing as ‘outsiders’.

The Future of Initial Police Training: A University Perspective:

A recurring issue in the initial training of police recruits in England and Wales concerns the status of student police officers. This position paper engages with debates concerning this aspect of initial police training from a university perspective by reflecting on the experiences gained over a three and a half year period of delivering a Student Officer Programme (SOP), a joint collaboration between a university department and a UK police service. As such it should be read as a comment piece that aims primarily to stimulate debate. Although not an empirical research piece, the paper nonetheless engages with the experiences that have been borne out of the collaborative running of the SOP. The paper presents a philosophical analysis of one particular aspect of that experience, namely the tension that arises from the contradictory status of student police officers.

Art, craft and science of detective work

The failure of high-profile criminal investigations and falling detection rates have led to public criticisms of the effectiveness of detective practice. Furthermore, the lack of research on crime investigation and the apparent mystery surrounding what detectives actually do and how they do it, reinforced by fictional representations of detectives guided by ‘instinct’, leaves a distinct lack of transparency. This article presents a typology of logics guiding detective work (the art, craft and science of investigation) that provide a useful framework for examining what detectives do and the changing nature of their work. It is argued through these different perspectives that more needs to be done to articulate a theory of detective practice in order to provide transparency and rich information from which future generations of detectives can learn key skills.

The importance of context and cognitive agency in developing police knowledge: going beyond the police science discourse

This paper argues the current exposition of police knowledge through the discourses of police science and evidence-based policing (EBP) leads to exaggerated claims about what is, and can be, known in policing. This new orthodoxy underestimates the challenges of applying knowledge within culturally mediated police practice. The paper draws upon virtue epistemology, highlighting the role that cognitive agency plays in establishing knowledge claims. We challenge the assumption that it is possible to derive what works in all instances of certain aspects of policing and suggest that it would be more apt to speak about what worked within a specific police context.

‘An appropriate space’: chief officers and police accountability

The views of 94 English and Welsh chief police officers were recorded in interviews between 2008 and 2010, covering oversight, accountability, and operational independence, and the impact this may have on policing. They discuss police authorities, the proposed police crime commissioner, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, and the Home Office both in terms of their own democratic accountability and the role of these bodies in monitoring the roles and actions of chief officers. Their views, representing both the current and future leadership of the police, offer an important insight into understanding contemporary policing and the relationship between police and oversight bodies in the UK.

Graduate police officers: releasing the potential for pre-employment university programmes for aspiring officers

The introduction of IPLDP (Initial Police Learning and Development Programme) provided Chief Constables with the opportunity to deliver initial police training through established police training approaches or involve other organisations. Since the 1970s there have been attempts by universities in the UK to engage with police services in the design and delivery of educational programmes for police officers. A variety of curriculums and new partnerships have evolved but there is little evidence of the contribution of these developments or whether these ‘new’ approaches differ significantly from traditional training regimes. There remains resistance from some quarters towards involving universities in the learning and development of police officers manifested by the Governments lead that situates the essential learning requirements of a police officer below higher education level. This article suggests that policing is at a crossroads and needs to decide now if it wants to be seen as a profession.

Education and the Police Professionalisation Agenda: A Perspective from England and Wales

This chapter provides selective commentary on the developments of police learning and education from 1945 to the present time. It describes the role of police services in developing skills and knowledge for officers while commenting on the gradual move to outside providers. The engagement between universities and police services in providing education for officers is described and the different approaches adopted are discussed. Finally, the chapter discusses the consultation around higher education accreditation, and the various considerations in relation to serving officers and future recruits.