Analysis Past, Present and Future: 30 years of analysis in Police Scotland, online event, 24 May 2024

 

• Free to attend CPD day that commemorates 30 years of analysis in the Scottish forces that now make up Police Scotland and showcases best practice in the past, present and future.

 

• The CPD day will also reflect on how analysis as a profession in the wider UK has developed and evolved in policing over the past 30 years and predict how it might continue to evolve in future.

 

• Open to crime and intelligence analysts and investigators in the UK and internationally.

 

• The day will be held online via Teams.

 

• It will include a series of presentations from analysts and the policing community and some personal reflections from some of the trailblazing analysts who were part of the original cohort who first joined the police forces in Scotland 30 years ago.

 

Commemorating 30 years of analysis in Police Scotland and reflecting on how analysis as a profession has evolved and grown

The Investigator is delighted to collaborate with analysts at Police Scotland to host a free to attend event for crime and intelligence analysts that will commemorate 30 years of the analyst’s role in Police Scotland.

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It will be led by Alexis Cran, Principal Analyst at Police Scotland who was one of original cohorts of analysts recruited in 1994 for the then Strathclyde Police.

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Alexis will be joined by her colleagues Susan MacIver, Sandra Cross, Colette Fairley, Mhairi Matheson and Irene Paterson who were also among the original co-hort of analysts for Strathclyde, Northern Constabulary and Grampian Police.

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They will take part in a short session in which they will share their experiences and reflect about those early days when the role of the analyst was still very much in its infancy in policing.

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They were considered trailblazers of their time; the experience brought with it many opportunities to innovate as well as challenges and obstacles.

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They will also share their memories, anecdotes, treasured photographs and many 90s haircuts!

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They will talk about how analysis has evolved and developed over the past 30 years. The conference will end with a group of newer analysts discussing their thoughts for the next 30 years!

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AGENDA - BST

9.30am - 9.40am: Welcome and introduction, Carol Jenkins, The Investigator

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9.40am - 9.50am: Introduction from Head of Analysis, Police Scotland, Allison Airlie

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9.50am - 10.20am: Personal reflections, Alexis Cran, Principal Analysts (Local Policing), Specialist Crime Division, Police Scotland and her colleagues

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10.20am - 11.10am: How analysts have made an impact in major investigations over the past 30 years with a focus on their contribution to the investigation into serial killer Peter Tobin, David Swindle, former Detective Supt.

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11.10am - 11.20am: Break

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11.20am - Noon: Case study: Operation Rigid, an investigation into drug seizures and serious and organised crime disruption, DSU Calderwood, A/Supt Stewart, Derek Middleton, Analyst Coordinator, all Police Scotland.

 

Noon - 12.40pm: Case study: Operation Op Xiphius: demonstrating the use of GIS in a counter terrorism inquiry, Alison McBride, Higher Analyst, Police Scotland.

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12.40pm – 1pm: Break

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13.00pm – 1.20pm: Joint Working: Tackling Vulnerability in County Lines, Kirsty Hamilton, Criminal Intelligence Analyst, Seconded from National Intelligence Bureau to the Operation MARRON National County Lines team, Police Scotland & Ruth Lewin, Tactical intelligence analyst, for the National Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) based in the Northwest ROCU

 

1.20pm - 2pm: Intelligence and evidence for analysts: a consideration of how the two complement each other despite being separate phases of an investigation, Geoff Begg, Senior Analyst and Ross White, Intelligence Analyst, National Cross-Cutting and Emerging Threats, National Crime Agency

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2pm - 2.10pm: Break

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2.10pm - 2.50pm: Future challenges: Demystifying Artificial Intelligence for analysts and its impact on digital investigations, Steve Adams, Skopenow

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2.50pm - 3.10pm: Summing up from Alexis Cran and colleagues, looking to the future.

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3.10pm: Day finishes.

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Biographies

Joint Working: Tackling Vulnerability in County Lines

Ruth LEWIN: Tactical intelligence analyst for the National Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) based in the Northwest ROCU. 8 years policing service, currently seconded from Greater Manchester Police. Also currently working towards a PhD, focusing on Cuckooing in the Northwest of England.

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Kirsty HAMILTON: Criminal Intelligence Analyst for Police Scotland. 9 years policing service, starting in Corporate Services and Business Improvement. Seconded from National Intelligence Bureau to the Operation MARRON National County Lines team.

 

Case study: Operation Rigid

Detective Superintendent Nathan Calderwood has 23 years police service, beginning his career as a uniformed officer in Ayrshire. He transferred to covert policing in 2009 and was promoted Detective Sergeant to Renfrewshire and Inverclyde in 2014, where in 2017 he was promoted Detective Inspector as Divisional Intelligence Manager whilst also taking on the role as Senior Investigating Officer (SIO). In 2019 he transferred to SCD as Force Operational Security Advisor for Covert Policing (OpSy).   He was promoted Chief Inspector in 2020 to Area Commander for East Ayrshire, then DCI for Public Protection for Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway Divisions. He was promoted to Detective Superintendent in July 2023 and is currently Force Authorising Officer for the North of Scotland.

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A/Superintendent STEWART commenced his 20 years policing career in Glasgow, transferring as Detective Sergeant to Specialist Crime Division Major Crime West in 2015, before moving on promotion to K Division in 2017 as Detective Inspector, initially Serious and Organised Crime and then Divisional Intelligence.  In 2022 A/SUPT STEWART was promoted to DCI initially Head of National Anti-Corruption Operations and then Intelligence.   In April 2024 he was promoted to Head of National Conduct, Professional Standards where he remains. 

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Derek Middleton (Del) started his career as in intelligence analysis as an Analyst Researcher in Strathclyde Police in 2012, prior to the creation of the single Police Service of Scotland the following year. Since then, he has held various roles within Police Scotland including Criminal Intelligence Analyst within the national Strategic Analysis Unit, Coordinator of an Analyst Unit supporting a territorial Division and a temporary role as the Principal Analyst of the Specialist Crime Division. Del studied for an MSc in Forensic Psychology and Crime at Coventry University, graduating in 2011.

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David Swindle

Multilingual Independent Reviewer, Crime Expert, Media Voice and Public Speaker

Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle BA http://www.davidswindle.com/ worked on hundreds of murders and complex high profile UK wide investigations during his 34 years in the police including the serial killer Peter Tobin and Glasgow Airport Terrorist Attack investigations.

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Since leaving (he hates that word retired) the police in 2011, David continues to utilise his high profile investigative, crime expertise and international networks with his companies “ David Swindle Crime Solutions”  and “Victims Abroad” providing multilingual expert international advice, review and investigative support for families of victims killed abroad as a result of homicide or in suspicious unexplained circumstances.

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David’s determined attitude regarding a victim focussed approach to serious crime investigations and crime case reviews for victims’ families and his passionate use of experts for crime investigations are reflected in his company strapline “the search for the truth” , “leave no stone unturned”  and his public quotes “it’s all about the experts”.

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As a high profile highly skilled former senior homicide detective still actively involved in criminal investigations and reviews David’s skills are in high demand with him appearing on TV Crime documentaries, the media and he has just completed a one man show  “The Makings of a Murderer” show at 170 UK theatre venues attended by 175,000 people.

 

Alison McBride, Higher Analyst, Police Scotland.​

Alison McBride is a Higher Analyst based in Police Scotland Counter Terrorism unit. She has eight year’s experience of working in Counter Terrorism covering both operational and strategic analysis throughout this time.  Alison has a particular interest in geospatial intelligence and analysis, particularly in relation to developing the use of GeoAI capabilities in UK CT policing at present. 

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Book your free place

The event is being held online via Teams and is open to serving analysts and investigators only. In order to register, you must have an official police or government email address. Unfortunately, we can’t register personal email addresses including Hotmail, AOL and Gmail.

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To book your free place at the event email:  Alexis.Cran@scotland.police.uk

 

AGENDA - BST (tbc)

9.30am-9.40am: Welcome and introduction, Carol Jenkins, The Investigator

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9.40am-9.50am: Introduction from Head of Analysis, Police Scotland, Allison Airlie

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9.50am-10.20am: Personal reflections, Alexis Cran, Principal Analysts (local policing), Specialist Crime Division, Police Scotland and her colleagues

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10.20am-11.10am: How analysts have made an impact in major investigations over the past 30 years with a focus on their contribution to the investigation into serial killer Peter Tobin, David Swindle, former Detective Supt.

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11.10am-11.20am: Break

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11.20am-Noon: Case study: Operation Rigid, an investigation into drug seizures and serious and organised crime disruption, DSU Calderwood, A/Supt Stewart, Derek Middleton, Analyst Coordinator

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Noon-12.40pm: Case study: Operation Zipheus: demonstrating the use of GIS in a counter terrorism inquiry, Alison McBride, Higher Analyst

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12.40–1pm: Break

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13.00 – 1.20pm: Joint Working: Tackling Vulnerability in County Lines, Kirsty Hamilton, Analyst

 

1.20pm-2pm: Intelligence and evidence for analysts: a consideration of how the two complement each other despite being separate phases of an investigation, Geoff Begg, Senior Analyst and Ross White, Intelligence Analyst, National Cross-Cutting and Emerging Threats, National Crime Agency

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2pm-2.10pm: Break

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2.10pm-2.50pm: Future challenges: Demystifying Artificial Intelligence for analysts and its impact on digital investigations, Steve Adams, Skopenow

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2.50pm-3.10pm: Summing up from Alexis Cran and colleagues, looking to the future.

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3.10pm: Day finishes.