What’s the truth behind the ‘shoplifting epidemic’? Six key questions answered

This is an interesting viewpoint of shoplifting from the UK. I think it differs slightly from what takes place in the US. What are your thoughts…..

According to media reports, in 2023 the UK experienced an unprecedented wave of shoplifting. The theory goes that the cost of living crisis and poor police responses are driving a crime wave.
— Read on phys.org/news/2023-12-truth-shoplifting-epidemic-key.html

BODY-WORN CAMERAS A DECAD LATER: WHAT WE KNOW

See the report here:

www.policeforum.org/assets/BWCdecadelater.pdf

Policing as Public Health: A 2024 View of Broken Windows | Manhattan Institute

The late Manhattan Institute scholar George L. Kelling developed his ideas through exhaustive fieldwork, spending time out on the street and riding along with police. His observations led not only to his co-authored description of “broken windows” dynamics of public disorder, but also inspired hosts of policy directives and further research projects, contributing vastly to community safety. […]
— Read on manhattan.institute/event/policing-as-public-health-a-2024-view-of-broken-windows

LAPD Helicopter Audit

This is the webpage of the LAPD helicopter audit. On the page is a summary video, an executive summary, and the full report.

LAPD Helicopter Audit
— Read on controller.lacity.gov/landings/lapd-helicopters

The Suburban Drug War – Matthew Lassiter – Inquest

The Suburban Drug War – Matthew Lassiter – Inquest
— Read on inquest.org/the-suburban-drug-war/

Lawful Stop-And-Frisk in Philadelphia | DCReport.org

Cherelle Parker advocated for stop-and-frisk. Experts provide evidence-based suggestions to implement it into Philadelphia and beyond safely.

Make sure to checkout the many links in the article. Helpful resources.
— Read on www.dcreport.org/2023/12/14/a-road-map-for-the-lawful-use-of-stop-and-frisk-in-philadelphia-and-elsewhere/

New Policing Strategies and the Challenge of Implementation

There’s not much research on getting a new program in place, but police chiefs who have been there have a lot of ideas about what to do — and what not to do.
— Read on www.governing.com/security/new-policing-strategies-and-the-challenge-of-implementation

How Police Have Undermined the Promise of Body Cameras — ProPublica

Hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars have been spent on what was sold as a revolution in transparency and accountability. Instead, police departments routinely refuse to release footage — even when officers kill.
— Read on www.propublica.org/article/how-police-undermined-promise-body-cameras

OHRC makes over 100 recommendations to address anti-Black racism in the Toronto Police Service | Ontario Human Rights Commission

OHRC makes over 100 recommendations to address anti-Black racism in the Toronto Police Service | Ontario Human Rights Commission
— Read on www.ohrc.on.ca/en/news_centre/ohrc-makes-over-100-recommendations-address-anti-black-racism-toronto-police-service

Taser And Social, Ethnic and Racial Disparities research programme

News report

Key findings from the research suggest:

There is a statistical relationship between ethnicity and increased use of Taser relative to other uses of force in some areas. This is mediated by other factors such as mental ill health, but police routine data collection needs to improve to properly understand these patterns;
The disproportionate use of Taser across different communities and populations stems from complex interactions between multiple factors, structures, and processes, both within and external to policing;
Policing takes place within a society fractured by inequality and structural racism in that Black and other ethnic minority populations are more likely than White people to live in areas of deprivation;
A combination of institutional priorities, policies, practices, and demands mean that policing is concentrated into areas of deprivation, which in turn disproportionately impacts on people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds relative to the White population;
Given that police are more active in deprived neighbourhoods, this in turn makes Taser use in those areas more likely;
Taser has become institutionalised as an organisational level response to perceived threat and risk, which increases its use in situations that previously have been resolved in other ways, such as through dialogue;
Police officers count Taser among the least dangerous use of force options available to them, and risks associated with its use are under emphasised during training. Insufficient time is dedicated to discussions of ethnic disproportionality and de-escalation during Taser training, which risks creating a further push towards the use of the weapon;
In contrast, affected communities experience Taser as a dehumanising and potentially lethal weapon. They also emphasised the psychological harms and racialised traumas generated through use of the weapon;
Public scrutiny mechanisms designed to hold police officers to account lack adequate support.

See the report here:

www.ucl.ac.uk/security-crime-science/sites/security_crime_science/files/taserd_report_13_dec_2023.pdf