Edge Hill University has been awarded almost £1 million in funding to tackle serious organised crime and human trafficking.
The UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowships scheme has awarded a massive research grant to the project, ‘Exploring International Law Enforcement Information Exchange’. Led by Senior Lecturer in Policing at Edge Hill; Dr Rebecca Phythian, the research project has a total value of £959,000 and will run for four years.
Dr Phythian,will be working with a team of policing experts in the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA in order to inform the delivery of a new global information system, which will be used by law enforcement agencies around the world. Experts believe that the new system will revolutionise the international landscape of information exchange in law enforcement.
According to Dr Phythian, criminals are benefitting from globalisation without the constraints experienced by law enforcement agencies.
Dr Phythian explained: “In order to successfully tackle transnational crime, we need to ensure cross-border communication is in place with an effective system that allows information to be shared internationally.
“Law enforcement can no longer rely on 20th century technology and methods to effectively police the 21st century. Billions of pounds have been spent across developed countries to improve coordinated intelligence responses, yet there has been no independent analysis as to what works. To effectively meet the demand generated by global offending, an effective solution requires a joined-up approach.”
The UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships scheme has awarded the research project a £767,000 grant. This helps universities and businesses in the UK recruit, develop and retain the world’s best researchers and innovators. They can apply for up to £1.5 million to support the research and innovation leaders of the future, keeping the UK at the cutting edge of innovation. Each fellowship will last four to seven years with awardees each receiving between £400,000 and £1.5 million over an initial four years.
The international team of collaborators and partners include Dr Rebecca Phythian, Scott Keay and Professor Andrew Millie, Edge Hill University; Professor Stuart Kirby, Crime Insights Ltd.; Professor Paul Taylor, Lancaster University and NPCC Chief Scientific Officer; Keith Ditcham, Royal United Services Institute; Professor Laura Huey, Western University; Dr Isabelle Bartkowiak-Théron, University of Tasmania; Dr Eric Piza, John Jay College of Criminal Justice; National Police Chiefs Council; and CGI.