The Police Science Council (PSC) is a publicly appointed, independent expert  committee which brings world-leading science and social science expertise  from academic and industry. Each quarter, the PSC meet to provide advice to policing and for each meeting, a member of the PSC will provide an insight into the discussions taking place. Below, Professor Tamsin Mathers describes her experiences of the March 2024 meeting.

The Police Science Council (PSC) March meeting was held online and was an efficient review of material with useful time for reflection. As well as regulars like the secretariat’s ever helpful review of actions and the Police Chief Scientific Adviser’s (PCSA) update and insights, we were joined by Annie Estlin from the Office of the PCSA who provided an update on the NPCC’s Areas of Research Interest (ARI). Although a shorter meeting than some, clear themes emerged threading through the different agenda items that are useful for framing future actions and thinking. 

The importance and value of cross-government working 

This came up in several places across the agenda both in terms of the general aims of science advice to government and in relation to specific objectives. A key theme emerged around how government departments and organisations best engage with both academics and funders like UKRI to deliver their science goals.  

Specific suggestions included a letter to UKRI from several Science Advisory Council (SAC) chairs (or Chief Scientific Advisers) requesting meetings or more focussed engagement.  

UK Research and Innovation engagement was also flagged under the discussion of ARIs. There is an opportunity to join up work across the National Police Chiefs' Council, Home Office Science Advisory Council (HOSAC) and the Defence Science Expert Committee etc., and to think about how this meshes with broadening channels of scientific advice across government. 

Suggestions to promote cross government coordination, including aiming to have some joint meetings or project work with other SACs, with maybe the Home Office SAC being the most immediately relevant. 

How to develop S&T reach across policing and with external partners  

There was lots of discussion in different places about policing science and technology (S&T) reach (see also notes above on UKRI and academia). The initiation of the Science and Innovation Coordination Committee chaired at the Chief Constable level gives S&T across policing an important new voice. The PSC agreed that engagement with this new committee seemed a key opportunity. 

The cross and outward piece was also highlighted in discussions around industry engagement. Spin out and engagement with the UK prosperity agenda were raised. The PCSA highlighted the industry charter, to be signed shortly, with an emphasis on interoperability and moving away from closed architectures being exciting developments. The use of industry charter routes to promote early career researcher participation in science advice and the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda was also highlighted. 

Under the discussion of Areas of Research Interest, international benchmarking was discussed, and it was accepted that cross Europe and Five Eyes thinking was highly desirable. 

Using evidence-based methodologies in policing 

The importance of using evidence and randomised controlled trials (RCT) to show efficacy was highlighted in numerous places – e.g., taser rates, poverty driven crime, interventions/diversions and a paper in the pipeline from one PSC member.  

Reflections on the PSC two years on 

The PCSA reflected that many of the PSC’s most valuable contributions are outside the run of meetings and not necessarily all captured by the secretariat. He also noted the importance of sharing success stories and the power of doing this externally via the independent scrutiny of the PSC. 

Members reflected on the many interesting things we had engaged in. There was a lot of enthusiasm to work out ways to harness the broader expertise across the committee to brainstorm solutions to thorny problems.