Police Operations Research Articles

Forensic geology and gold traceability: a case study from the Yanomami Indigenous Land

Gold provenance determination is a key forensic challenge in combating illegal mining and associated crimes. This study aims to assess the traceability of gold extracted from illegal mining activities in Brazil by applying a multi-analytical geochemical approach. We employed X-ray fluorescence (XRF), electron microprobe analysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and grain-scale compositional mapping to analyze gold samples sourced from artisanal and small-scale mining within the Yanomami Indigenous Territory. To evaluate the impact of post-extraction processes on geochemical signatures, gold samples underwent partial melting and were subsequently reanalyzed focusing on their potential for traceability. The results obtained from the melted samples were compared with gold sponges and ingots of unknown origin, seized during Brazilian Federal Police operations in airports far from our target area, to determine whether their geochemical fingerprints could be matched to known deposits. The findings indicate that different genetic types of gold can be distinguished based on specific elemental distribution patterns. The geochemical signatures of key minor and trace elements, such as Ag, Hg, Bi, Mo, and Co, remained detectable, allowing for the traceability of samples throughout the production process. Bismuth, in particular, demonstrated mineralogical resilience, maintaining the consistent Au/Bi ratio even after amalgamation and melting, reinforcing its potential as a geochemical marker for provenance determination. Furthermore, we revealed that the gold sponge samples likely originated from the northeastern domain of the Yanomami Territory, with the Mutum deposit being the most probable source. These findings highlight the effectiveness of accessible analytical techniques in establishing the traceability of illegally mined gold, as a tool for strengthening regulatory enforcement in the gold supply chain.

The constructions of anti-Black anxiety: Operation Trident's “as if” fictionalisms

The Metropolitan Police's Operation Trident (1998–2012) was a key example of how Black criminalization was accentuated through the inferential narratives of the media. However, Operation Trident's independent use of the media would see them exhibit a varied practice of community policing as part of its broader preventative measures that would use a variety of visual mediums in its cross-media campaign strategy specifically aimed at London's Black urban communities as an intervention into what was perceived as the natural allure of gun violence within the city's Black symbolic locations. This article considers the modes through which Operation Trident attempted to structure public opinion. In conducting an underexamined analysis of Operation Trident, I apply the Neo-Kantianism of Vailhinger's “as if” philosophy to consider the means through which the Metropolitan Police's anti-Black gun crime initiative instituted anxiety as a Black criminological visual culture, and in doing so, secured its legitimacy.

POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST YOUTH IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

This study investigates police brutality amongst youth within Ibadan metropolis, focusing on its prevalence, causes, and impacts, particularly on youth aged 18–30. The research examines the systemic factors contributing to police violence, including inadequate training, entrenched impunity, and insufficient accountability, using Social Conflict and Strain Anomie theories as frameworks. Highlighting the 2020 #ENDSARS protests as a case study, the research explores the disproportionate targeting of urban youth by law enforcement and the social consequences of such actions. Findings reveal a disconnect between police operations and constitutional mandates, exacerbated by poor working conditions, internal conflicts, and the use of torture-induced confessions. Recommendations emphasize comprehensive police training, anti-bias initiatives, legislative reforms, and community policing to foster transparency, accountability, and public trust. The study also underscores the need for adopting body cameras, implementing whistle-blower protections, and leveraging data-driven analysis to prevent abuse. While the research relies on secondary data and a small sample size, it provides insights into the systemic challenges and socio-political implications of police brutality in Nigeria. The study contributes to policy discussions on safeguarding human rights and advocates for a collaborative, multifaceted strategy to address police misconduct and rebuild community-police relations, ensuring a more equitable justice system.

‘To whom am I speaking?’; Public responses to crime reporting via live chat with human versus AI police operators

ABSTRACT Driven by social and technological change and the imperative to enhance efficiency, police have in recent years adopted various technologies to transform their interactions with the public. In the UK, these initiatives often fall under ‘transformation’ agendas, promoting ‘channel choice’ strategies to facilitate public interactions through various technologically mediated platforms, such as reporting crimes online using form-based or chat functions. Artificial Intelligence already plays a role in some of these interactions, which is likely only to increase in the future. In this study we examine preferences and perceptions in online crime reporting. Participants read a fictitious ‘chat’ between a victim of crime and a police operator identified as either a human or a chatbot. Although the chats were identical, we find a consistent preference for human operators over chatbots across all scenarios. Human operators were thought to provide clearer explanations, although there were no significant differences in judgements of interpersonal treatment or decision neutrality between human and chatbot operators. Participants also responded more positively to the process when (a) the crime involved was less serious and (b) when the outcome was active (police attendance) rather than passive (simple recording). Our findings underscore the importance of procedural justice and communication clarity in online crime reporting systems – and perhaps of human interaction when reporting crimes.

Police Training Revisited: Meeting the Demands of Conflict Training with a New Constraints-Led Approach

Recent data indicate that police officers often feel unprepared for the ambiguous and unpredictable situations they face. The Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) to training can make police training more realistic and effective, as well as enhance retention and transfer of core psychomotor skills. CLA-based training emphasizes active, hands-on training that gradually includes key constraints (contexts) of real-life police operations. Initial studies show that CLA-based training can support police officers’ development of practical problem-solving skills in realistic scenarios in ways superior to traditional technique-based instruction.

Legal and Organisational Framework of Police Operations in the Occupied Territories

Russia’s urgent military aggression against Ukraine is complicated by its non-compliance with international law on the customs of warfare. The current situation demonstrates the imperfection of the system of modern international relations and the need to update agreements regarding the requirements for the conduct of hostilities. Ignoring the latter leads to many victims of various types of offences. At the same time, there are no effective mechanisms to mitigate the risks of these problems. The study aims to analyse the current innovative legal framework of police service and combat activities in the occupied territories. The study’s main materials are the sectoral theoretical and methodological developments of domestic and foreign researchers, as well as official statistics. A number of scientific methods were used in the article’s research, including analysis and synthesis, structural and logical methods, theoretical generalisation, and comparison. The research substantiates that under conditions of occupation, the military administration must not only ensure the protection of the rights and freedoms of the local population but also actively safeguard those rights and freedoms. It has been established that, to date, the legal status of police officers who find themselves in temporarily uncontrolled Ukrainian territory has not been defined by national legislation. It is argued that it is impossible to regard all such officers as collaborators or traitors without exception; decisions must be made objectively on a case-by-case basis. At the same time, it has been proven that without adopting and regulating societal relations for the protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms at the international level, this issue cannot be resolved. The legal status of police officers in the context of their presence in temporarily occupied territory has been defined. Distinctions between related concepts have been clarified, potential action algorithms for police officers have been outlined, and the necessity of continuing to fulfil their duties in the protection of the civilian population has been emphasised. A significant aspect highlighted within the study is the regulation of the relations under investigation and adherence to those regulations by the parties involved in the conflict. In further scientific developments of the research issue, the development of innovative legal principles of service and combat activities of the police in the occupied territories in the context of active digital transformation is considered promising.

Improving Legal Compliance in Police Activities: Ensuring Sustainable Public Safety in Kazakhstan

Objective: To ensure the sustainable development of Kazakh society, it is necessary to improve police activities in considering administrative offenses, align them with the law, and eliminate existing shortcomings. The objective is to analyze the main police violations in considering administrative offenses in Kazakhstan and propose measures to eliminate them and improve police activities. Method: The main research methods are source analysis and expert survey. Based on theoretical analysis, the study identifies the main problems in police activities in considering administrative offenses. Results and Discussion: The expert survey results allow the authors to determine the main violations in police activities, the main reasons for such violations in administrative proceedings, and measures that can be taken to eliminate them. The study shows key problems in the current practice in Kazakhstan. Research Implications: The authors conclude that improving the administrative procedures of the Kazakh police is crucial to ensuring compliance with the law and protecting the rights of citizens. The proposed measures are expected to improve the efficiency and transparency of police operations significantly.

Framework for AI Integration in Abu Dhabi Police Operations: Insights from Past Studies

Framework for AI Integration in Abu Dhabi Police Operations: Insights from Past Studies

GRUPO DE EXTERMÍNIO: UMA ANÁLISE JURÍDICA E SOCIAL DA INCITAÇÃO À VIOLÊNCIA NO ÂMBITO DAS CORPORAÇÕES POLICIAIS

This project aims to analyze the legal, social and structural aspects related to the actions of death squads within police forces in Rio Grande do Norte. The focus is on understanding the motivations behind these behaviors, such as social outrage, the search for status, financial gains, and other factors. The research also considers the historical, political and social circumstances that favor the emergence of these groups, highlighting institutional fragility, the absence of public policies and the precariousness of public security. These factors contribute to the proliferation of criminal groups within the police forces themselves, generating a cycle of violence and impunity. Cases that received major media coverage will be analyzed, such as those of Wendel Lagartixa and João Grandão, as well as Operation Caronte, which investigated a death squad in Ceará Mirim. The study will also investigate the social impacts of these practices, such as the effects on the families of the victims, the credibility of the police forces and society's perception of public security. The research seeks to understand the mechanisms that support these death squads and present different views of what happens in the illicit mode of police operations and what happens later to the victims' families and the corporations themselves.

GRUPO DE EXTERMÍNIO: UMA ANÁLISE JURÍDICA E SOCIAL DA INCITAÇÃO À VIOLÊNCIA NO ÂMBITO DAS CORPORAÇÕES POLICIAIS

This project aims to analyze the legal, social and structural aspects related to the actions of death squads within police forces in Rio Grande do Norte. The focus is on understanding the motivations behind these behaviors, such as social outrage, the search for status, financial gains, and other factors. The research also considers the historical, political and social circumstances that favor the emergence of these groups, highlighting institutional fragility, the absence of public policies and the precariousness of public security. These factors contribute to the proliferation of criminal groups within the police forces themselves, generating a cycle of violence and impunity. Cases that received major media coverage will be analyzed, such as those of Wendel Lagartixa and João Grandão, as well as Operation Caronte, which investigated a death squad in Ceará Mirim. The study will also investigate the social impacts of these practices, such as the effects on the families of the victims, the credibility of the police forces and society's perception of public security. The research seeks to understand the mechanisms that support these death squads and present different views of what happens in the illicit mode of police operations and what happens later to the victims' families and the corporations themselves.

Integrated Assessment of Security Risk Considering Police Resources

The existing research on security risk often focuses on specific types of crime, overlooking an integrated assessment of security risk by leveraging existing police resources. Thus, we draw on crime geography theories, integrating public security business data, socioeconomic data, and spatial analysis techniques, to identify integrated risk points and areas by examining the distribution of police resources and related factors and their influence on security risk. The findings indicate that security risk areas encompass high-incidence areas of public security issues, locations with concentrations of dangerous individuals and key facilities, and regions with a limited police presence, characterized by dense populations, diverse urban functions, high crime probabilities, and inadequate supervision. While both police resources and security risk are concentrated in urban areas, the latter exhibits a more scattered distribution on the urban periphery, suggesting opportunities to optimize resource allocation by extending police coverage to risk hotspots lacking patrol stations. Notably, Level 1 security risk areas often coincide with areas lacking a police presence, underscoring the need for strategic resource allocation. By comprehensively assessing the impact of police resources and public security data on spatial risk distribution, this study provides valuable insights for public security management and police operations.

Legal regulation of police organization and operations: European experience

The article examines the challenges of applying European experience in legal regulation of police organization and activities to Ukrainian legislation in the context of European integration processes. The author analyzes the current state of reforming the National Police of Ukraine, identifying key problems and challenges in implementing European standards in law enforcement activities. The paper discusses key aspects of adapting national legislation to European Union norms, particularly in human rights protection and public safety. Special attention is paid to analyzing the Law of Ukraine “On National Police” for compliance with international standards of police accountability and public oversight mechanisms. The author identifies main obstacles to effective implementation of European experience in Ukrainian police activities. These include insufficient regulation of public control mechanisms, lack of ratification of important international documents, the need to improve information and analytical support, and overcoming the “force-based” model in favor of a “service-based” approach. The article emphasizes the need to transform not only the legislative framework but also the mindset of police officers and society as a whole. It examines the implementation of new forms of policing, such as patrol police and dialogue police, as well as the application of modern technologies and analytical methods. Special attention is paid to anti-corruption issues in the law enforcement system and ensuring proper resource support for police activities, especially under martial law conditions. The author emphasizes the importance of further improving the regulatory framework to ensure effective protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms, increasing police transparency, and strengthening public interaction. The conclusions emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to reforming Ukraine’s law enforcement system, considering European experience while taking into account national specificities and current challenges facing the country.

Eyes on the Truth: Assessing the Use of the Body-Worn Cameras in South Cotabato Provincial Police Office

The use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, with the aim of enhancing accountability, improving police-community relations, and providing valuable evidence for investigations. This study assessed the use of body-worn cameras and alternative recording devices by South Cotabato Provincial Police Office personnel. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative data analysis and qualitative interviews with selected officers in the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office. The findings revealed that the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office had fully implemented the use of body-worn cameras and alternative recording devices in the execution of warrants and other planned police operations. There are only other police units and police personnel doing routine police activities who do not wear body-worn cameras or alternative recording devices. The PNP personnel also highly complied with the rules on the use of body-worn cameras and alternative recording devices during encounters with a suspect or accused, and their rights were highly observed by the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office. There is a need to provide more budget in the PNP organization to equip all police personnel in the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office with body- worn cameras intended for overt and covert operations. This research study made several contributions to the existing body of knowledge on the use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement agencies in the Philippines. It provides empirical evidence on the implementation and compliance of the South Cotabato Provincial Police personnel, offering valuable insights into the perspectives of police officers. By adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research captured a comprehensive understanding of the challenges, benefits, and opportunities associated with the deployment of this technology in a specific regional setting. The research findings also had direct policy implications, highlighting the need to align the policies of agencies and branches of government, comprehensive training programs, robust data management protocols, and the allocation of a bigger budget for law enforcement programs. Finally, this research adds to the limited body of literature on the use of body-worn cameras in developing countries, where the implementation and evaluation of such technologies may face distinct challenges and opportunities compared to more established contexts. The insights and lessons learned from the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office case study can inform future research and the global discourse on the role of technology in policing and public safety.

Opening the Black Box of Police Operations and Crime During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper documents how a large suburban police department in the United States responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and assesses whether their responses had discernible impacts on crime and disorder. We used time series forecasting and regression approaches with more than six years of data to examine whether calls for police service rose or fell significantly during the pandemic’s first year in response to shifts in police activity (including remote responses to calls, reductions in proactive and community policing, and other shifts in patrol and investigative work) and other important events (like government lockdowns and social protests). Call volumes for violent, property, and disorder incidents generally remained within or below normal pre-COVID ranges during the pandemic’s first year, but violence and disorder calls were significantly higher than expected when adjusted for reduced levels of public activity during this time. However, these patterns were not clearly related to reductions in proactive police work or other operational changes by the police during the pandemic. This study provides a more detailed and explicit assessment of policing during the COVID-19 pandemic than has most prior research, and it highlights the need for deeper localized studies of criminal justice policies and operations during COVID-19 to guide practitioners and policymakers in responding to future public health crises.

Setting priorities for police operations by using a multicriteria decision approach with partial information

Abstract The paper presents a real-world decision-making problem in the context of the Brazilian Federal Police (BFP), which consists of establishing priorities for Police Operations. This study deals with allocating resources to trigger police operations that, while demanding more resources and specialized techniques, also promote the effectiveness of police actions more conspicuously and directly. Driven by the Value Focused Thinking methodology, the objectives and values of the Federal Police were structured and represented by criteria, which let police operations be evaluated and prioritized. The FITradeoff method was applied to rank the operations, with an innovative methodological perspective, which integrates two different paradigms for preference modelling: elicitation by decomposition and holistic evaluations. A mathematical modelling approach is presented to deal with the combination of both types of information obtained by the Decision Maker (DM), in order to search for dominance relations between alternatives. This study shows how incorporating holistic judgments in the process can be useful for tightening the decision process, since the inequalities obtained with holistic judgments have a high impact on the space of weights compatible with the DM’s preferences. A clear conceptual framework is presented for the analysis, showing how the application of such a combined approach to prioritizing special police operations adds a step to the decision-making processes and policies of the BFP, thereby broadening the managerial implications of tackling public security issues by seeking to solve them using management mathematics.

Fear and surveillance on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro: the Operação Verão

This article presents qualitative research on Operação Verão, a police operation in the beach of Rio de Janeiro against collective thefts attributed to suburban youth: the arrastão. It analyses perceptions of beach goers and law enforcement agents and shows how citizens' fears morphed into perpetual panic that demands ever stronger security measures. Operação Verão exerts a selective control over suburban youth, reinforcing their stigmatization.

Policing Muslims under the Directory

Abstract In early 1799 French authorities issued orders to identify and register Ottoman Muslims within the territory of the Republic, followed by orders to arrest Algerian subjects and sequester their property. The immediate context of the policing operation was France's unprovoked July 1798 invasion of Egypt, leading to the Ottoman declaration of war in September. But the aims of this botched and almost entirely fruitless operation are harder to discern. Presented as a way of ensuring the safety of French subjects who had been detained in Istanbul and Algiers, it only exacerbated tensions. It was less a proportionate diplomatic action than a Machiavellian tactic by the foreign minister, Talleyrand. In the interests of ending the Revolution in France, Talleyrand sought to aggravate the war and drive the Ottoman Empire into the arms of the anti-French coalition. The new anti-Muslim rhetoric that emerged in this process outlasted Talleyrand's ministry and contributed to the fragmentation of republican universalism in the lead-up to Napoleon Bonaparte's coup d’état at the end of 1799.

Implementing community policing practices to manage conflict resolution in Galeshewe, South Africa

Community policing has emerged as a vital instrument for combatting crime and enhancing public safety in South Africa. As a result, it has the capacity to go beyond traditional law enforcement functions as a mediator in disputes, fostering improved relationships between the police and the communities where they work. This paper analyses the implementation of community policing strategies by the South African police with the purpose of resolving conflicts. This study aims to address social crime prevention-related concerns through community policing methods in the Galeshewe police area within the Francis Baard policing regions of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, South Africa. The paper examines the tactics that community police employ to enforce the law, avoid social issues, and manage conflict resolution in the communities. A qualitative method and descriptive design were employed. Comprehensive document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and observations were employed as data collection strategies. An inductive reasoning model was used to analysis data. The findings of the study demonstrated that community policing plays an important role in optimizing problem mapping and it increases public knowledge of the importance of upholding security and order in the different police operations that support the community policing program.

Creating Solvability With Real-Time Crime Centers (RTCCs): Impacts on Homicide and Shooting Investigations

Amidst recent increases in homicides and shootings in the United States, clearances rates for homicides have declined and nonfatal shooting cases remain notoriously difficult to solve. Considerable research indicates that the outcomes of homicide and shooting investigations are likely influenced by a range of factors, including inherited case characteristics, investigative actions, forensic testing, and agency resources. Recent advancements in technologies available to law enforcement may help fill persistent gaps in solvability, but research remains limited on their effectiveness. RTCCs integrate a variety of technological innovations and software programs to rapidly receive and distribute information to support police operations, and they harness the strong potential to powerfully impact investigative outcomes and offer an additional pathway through which police agencies can increase case clearance. The current study explores the impact of strategic efforts in the Hartford Police Department (HPD) to increase investigative effectiveness through RTCC processes and technologies. Our findings indicate that RTCC activities significantly increase the likelihood that a case is solved, and this effect is primarily due to RTCC analysts’ ability to locate and analyze video associated with the case. When associated video was located, cases were 442% more likely to be solved when controlling for other covariates. The HPD’s RTCC operations, institutionalized technology, and organizational culture also play a crucial role, with a commitment to technology and information-sharing enhancing investigative capabilities. This study emphasizes the effectiveness of real-time crime centers in locating digital evidence, facilitating rapid information dissemination, and fostering agencywide collaboration, ultimately improving investigative outcomes.

Level of Compliance on Operation Plan Sita in Golden Acres Subdivision Annex, Talon Uno Las Piñas City

Operation Plan Sita in Golden Acres Subdivision Annex, Talon Uno, Las Piñas City. In the determination of Level of Compliance of Operation Plan Sita in Golden Acres Subdivision Annex, Talon Uno Las Piñas City, it was divided into three (3) indicators: Oplan Sita Guidelines, Basic equipment needed at Oplan Sita and Oplan Sita Team. First, Oplan Sita Guidelines got a general weighted mean of 3.25 interpreted as Complied, PNP Personnel complies with the standards set by the Revised Philippine National Police Operational Procedures 2013, in terms of Oplan Sita Guidelines as perceived by the respondents of this study. Second, Basic equipment needed at Oplan Sita got a general weighted mean of 3.69 interpreted as Very Much Complied, it implies that PNP Personnel completely comply with the standards set by the Revised Philippine National Police Operational Procedures 2013, in terms of Basic equipment needed as perceived by the respondents of this study. Third, Oplan Sita Team got a general weighted mean of 3.42 interpreted as Very Much Complied which implies that PNP Personnel was Very much Complied in accordance with the standards set by the Revised Philippine National Police Operational Procedures 2013, in terms of Oplan Sita Team as perceived by the respondents of this study.