Policing Covid-19: Managing Risk During the Lockdown | Doctorate

Research 1 Minutes

Morning folks,

I’ve been asked by the Scottish Institute for Policing Research to write a little piece about additional considerations during the Covid-19 pandemic. From engagement to explaining, to custody suites and Coronavirus legislation, I’ve tried to squeeze as much into 800 words as I could. I also discuss the impact Covid-19 has had on some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people and communities such as domestic abuse victims and Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller groups.

Read the article here. All views my own.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

Matthew Richardson is a writer of short stories. His work has featured in Gold Dust magazine, Literally Stories, Near to the Knuckle, McStorytellers, Penny Shorts, Soft Cartel, Whatever Keeps the Lights On, and Shooter magazine. He is a doctoral student at the University of Dundee, a lucky husband, and a proud father.

Not necessarily in that order.

Published by matthewjrichardson

PhD student and short story author. Published in Gold Dust, Literally Stories, Near to the Knuckle, Soft Cartel, Penny Shorts, and Shooter.

Published

11 thoughts on “Policing Covid-19: Managing Risk During the Lockdown | Doctorate”

  1. Interesting article, Matthew. There are no easy answers and carrying out dynamic risk assessments is fraught with difficulty. I guess most sympathy for the emergency services has focused on health-care professionals, but of course, the story doesn’t end there.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  2. So interesting, Matthew. I was wondering why you had been asked to write this piece—and then I saw that you’re a police officer! So you have a full-time responsible position, are working on your doctorate, are writing wonderful fiction and poetry, and take hikes, etc, with your family!
    You’re Supermatthew!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Definitely deserved!
    What you’ve written and the info in the links, eg, policing by consent, is in such stark contrast from the situation in the US now that I was moved to think, if only…
    Are things as harmonious as they appear? I did see a reference to the contrary on the Edinburgh police blog. I’m wondering what we in the US can learn from the Scottish police experience, though I do realize the differences in complexity and size.
    Would it be all right for me to reblog this report—and any comments you’d care to make? And do you mind my asking how long you’ve been a police officer—and what made you join the force? If you’d rather not so engage, I understand. I’m just so eager to try to find some way to be constructive in the current US police versus public mess.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Of course Annie that’s no problem at all. It is written primarily in my capacity as researcher. I would hasten to add that we have a long way to go in the UK until we are a truly representative service (there were only 11 officers self-describing as Gypsy/Traveller in 2017 in Police Scotland for example), and other BAME groups are similarly underrepresented. It is also only a short time since the Met police were described as ‘institutionally racist’ in the aftermath of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, and some would argue that lessons have not been learned from incidents such as these. I would argue that progress has been made since these days, but we still have a long, long way to go. Listening, the inclusion of BAME groups in training, and increased recruitment of individuals from these groups are certainly places to start. From my experience in the states, culturally we are miles apart. I can remember going to a big academic policing conference in 2017 where me and one other UK officer were the only ones not carrying a firearm – a totally bizarre experience for me! I’m really hopeful that my research will do its small bit in helping to improve service delivery for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller groups in Scotland.

      Like

      Reply

  4. Reblogged this on annieasksyou… and commented:
    In my efforts to find some positive ways to address the painful gap between the police and the people they serve, I came across this report written by my fellow blogger Matthew Richardson, whom I know as a gifted short story writer and poet. As he notes, he was asked by the Scottish Institute for Policing Research to do the following report. If you follow the links, you’ll find some very interesting concepts such as “policing by consent.” (!) When I asked Matthew to tell me how he thinks police-community relations are now, he said: “…we have a long way to go in the UK until we are a truly representative service (there were only 11 officers self-describing as Gypsy/Traveller in 2017 in Police Scotland for example), and other BAME groups are similarly underrepresented. It is also only a short time since the Met police were described as ‘institutionally racist’ in the aftermath of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, and some would argue that lessons have not been learned from incidents such as these. I would argue that progress has been made since these days, but we still have a long, long way to go. Listening, the inclusion of BAME groups in training, and increased recruitment of individuals from these groups are certainly places to start. From my experience in the states, culturally we are miles apart. I can remember going to a big academic policing conference in 2017 where me and one other UK officer were the only ones not carrying a firearm – a totally bizarre experience for me! I’m really hopeful that my research will do its small bit in helping to improve service delivery for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller groups in Scotland.”

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thanks for this. There have been a few instances where Covid appears to have affected GRT communities quite badly, not helped by local authorities’ insistence that they move on rather than staying put. Hadn’t read this piece, though.

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment