Office of Police Chief Scientific Adviser (UK)

Research Problem

How can sensors be embedded in police uniforms and what functionality might they be able to provide? For example, greater environmental and situational awareness, such as through identifying the presence of narcotics, pollutants or CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) contamination.

Research Problem

How can robotics expedite policing activities or complement the existing provision, for example, to effectively support forensic specialists identify, record, or assess marks across a crime scene?

Research Problem

What are the public’s perceptions, beliefs, and concerns about policing’s existing and emerging science and technology capabilities?

Research Problem

What is the value and impact of policing’s crime prevention initiatives within the context of diverse communities and populations? How do policing’s crime prevention initiatives need to be altered to have a better impact in diverse communities and populations?

Research Problem

What technologies can assist police officers in stand-off knife detection?

Research Problem

What are the safety and line-of-sight flying concerns regarding the use of drones in policing and how can these be mitigated?

Research Problem

What emerging biological or behavioural measurements and calculations can be used to ascertain or impersonate a person’s identity?

Research Problem

Are current national police interview models fit for purpose when conducting interviews with vulnerable suspects, such as those who have Autism Spectrum Disorder, Personality Disorder or mental health conditions?

Research Problem

What new opportunities for policing for evidence and intelligence gathering, as well as new crime possibilities, are being created by the rapid development in sensor technologies and increasingly diverse data emerging from our digital lives?

Research Problem

What novel data sources, such as advertising technology, that can be utilised by the police in evidence and intelligence gathering and/or pose new crime possibilities?

Research Problem

How can the use of low orbit satellites augment existing sensing capabilities in policing?

Research Problem

How can policing best implement and utilise situational awareness within policing practices?

Research Problem

How can policing best provide Chief Officers and deployed officers with real-time information about workforce and assets, including remote briefing capabilities and file transfer?

Research Problem

How can the police service measure the quality of its analytical data?

Research Problem

From what other sources can police enrich their own analytical data where it is legal and proportionate to do so?

Research Problem

What are the value and limits of emerging AI technologies such as ChatGPT in policing?

Research Problem

How can policing ensure transparency in decision-making, so it is open to challenge?

Research Problem

How can policing measure and demonstrate the level of accuracy in predictive algorithms?