Research Roundup: a one minute briefing

Here is the latest for March 2024

East Midlands Forensics Network 

The East Midlands Forensics Network invite interested parties to help new co-produced research in the following thematic areas:-

  • Forensic Genetics and DNA
  • Jury Decision Making
  • Fingerprints and Marks
  • Crime Scene Examination
  • Fire and Explosion Investigation
  • Questioned Documents
  • Biological Fluids and BPA
  • Drugs and Toxicology
  • Fibres, Glass and other traces
  • Footwear Marks; and Firearms and Ballistics

If you want to get involved in this important work contact Dr Jo Dawkins at jo.dawkins@leicester.ac.uk.

EMPAC conferences  

EMPAC’s Professor John Coxhead is speaking about tackling criminal profit and the need for financial investigation (with Dr Michael Harrison) at the 10th Global Forensic Conference on 21st March 2024; on police leadership at a conference at Staffordshire University (with NPCC chair Gavin Stephens and Police Federation chair Steve Hartshorn) on 22nd March 2024; and about the latest research on tackling car crime at a Public Policy Exchange conference on the 9th April 2024. 

East Midland runner up in the National Innovation in Policing competition

Loughborough University engineering student William Butler has designed a new style of lightweight body armour vest and his idea has received national recognition, with him winning second place in the annual Innovation in Policing competition.

William used ANSYS Explicit Dynamics non-linear solver to simulate tests to develop ballistic protection via a ceramic armour plate technology using interlocking hexagonal plates. The new vest protects its wearer by 67% area coverage more than previous models.  

The innovation competition winner for 2023 was Dr Martin Wright, working with South Wales Police, on virtual volunteering.

The national event is now open for new entries – well done to William and here’s to a future EM region winner in 2024!

EMPAC’s current commissioned research

Professor John Coxhead (who has affiliations at Loughborough University and the international PIEL Centre at the Royal Docks School of Business and Law , UEL) is working on several local, regional, national and international projects currently:

  • Supporting Leicestershire Police on managing serious acquisitive crime nominals
  • Supporting Lincolnshire Police on community policing
  • Contributing to the Office of the National Guardian on workplace psychological safety 
  • Supporting the Home Office Policy Lab on lifetime offending reduction
  • Supporting solution orientated policing growth in Calgary, Canada and Mumbai, India

His most recent publications are:-

  • A new book chapter on ‘Evaluating tactics for public order policing: the case of Orgreave in the Miners’ strike of 1984′, in Critical issues and Global Perspective in Policing (Volume 2) (Eds. Albrecht, J. & den Heyer, G.) (to be published in 2024 by Springer, New York) 
  • Policing Continual Improvement (Police Professional Journal, February 2024)
  • Making the transition (Police Professional Journal, March 2024) – charting the move of DCC Claire Parmenter to a Research Director role at the University of South Wales, working with Professor Jonathan Crego, MBE, on Hydra immersive learning
  • A new book chapter ‘Rural Appeal: the eye of the beholder’ in Policing Rural Crime (editor Professor Wendell Wallace, University of West Indies) Bristol University Press (2024)
  • A new book chapter co-authored with Dr Robert Smith about the policing of criminal activities by gangs using e bikes, (editor Professor Garth den Heyer, Arizona State University)

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