Posts By: Jacob Charles

Clearing the area

David Leigh reports on the importance of rendering safe the explosive remnants of war De-mining and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) have been around for about the last 100 years. Historically it was the preserve of the military to clear up the battlefields where armies met and fought out their encounters and it is estimated that… Read more »

Filling the knowledge gap

Sarah Hayward-Turton examines the important role of training in the professionalisation of the security sector When was the last time you took a course and gained a reputable qualification? For some it will be school, college or university, others will have heard: “You have passed” after their driving test and decided that would be the… Read more »

The tobacco black market

ITSA reports on how tobacco products are used for illicit means and why control measures are vital for international security Estimates for the size of the illicit tobacco market worldwide vary but run into the billions of packs per year. As with many crimes, it’s difficult to be precise about the magnitude of this illicit… Read more »

Predicting family terror networks

Dean C Alexander provides a six-stage model for spotting the signs of potential terrorist attackers The purpose of a model to predict family terror networks is to aid the government, private sector, nonprofits, non-governmental organisations and the public to anticipate and understand possible kin-linked extremism. The model posits that family networks and relationships are highly… Read more »

Electromagnetic interference

Peter Dorey navigates the complexity of the electromagnetic compatibility of defence systems One of the difficulties with integrating military off-the-shelf (MOTS) and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products into complex military systems is achieving electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Almost all electronic devices generate or are susceptible to electromagnetic interference, and for this reason regulatory authorities across the world… Read more »

Robot arms race

Timothy Compston investigates the changing capabilities of EOD robots and their manipulator arms EOD robots have changed beyond all recognition since they were first deployed in environments like Northern Ireland during ‘the troubles’. As vendors drive ahead with plans to integrate increasingly sophisticated manipulator arms into their EOD robots and to produce more compact solutions,… Read more »

Facial recognition

Simon Hall examines why emerging technology is a good thing for policing, although it’s vital that it is closely monitored In January The Independent newspaper exclusively revealed that the Metropolitan Police had spent over £200,000 on facial recognition trials throughout the capital. According to the details obtained from the freedom of information request, the Met… Read more »

Hostile vehicle mitigation challenges

Debbie Heald MBE reveals measures that can be taken to keep the public safe from hostile vehicle attacks and ram raids Hostile vehicle attacks have become the weapon of choice over the past few years, and it is no surprise considering that it is such a swift and easy process for an individual to gain… Read more »

Terrorism in public spaces

Stephen Cooper reveals how technology is being adopted to close a critical capability gap in keeping the public safe We live in an age of surging terror risks, with UK terror investigations hitting a record high in October last year. And tragically all too often terrorist plans aren’t foiled; in 2017 alone, a huge 22,487… Read more »

Tackling ATM crime

Gavin Hepburn explains the rise of ATM attacks and examines measures that can be taken to prevent them While attacks on ATMs are nothing new, it was recently revealed that the number of incidents has nearly doubled in the space of just four years. While 400 attacks took place in the UK in 2014, this… Read more »