Policing is not the problem here: the extent to which we rely upon policing – that’s the problem. This doesn’t not mean the police have no role to play, that the police are perfect and that we should never rely on them to act as society’s safety net. Sometimes it is inevitable the police will be the first point of contact for someone in mental health crisis and we are right to expect officers and their organisations to be competent in ensuring immediate safety and appropriate referral to relevant forms of assessment and support. Nor does my argument mean that what the police know about mental health issues in our society is irrelevant and uninformed: the police see things that are outside the norm and we know like no others what it’s like to be that safety net. This gives us an insight in to how mental health issues operate in society that is different. If you doubt this, look at the number of people who

Here are my thoughts, in summary: the detail is elsewhere on this BLOG across countless posts...

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Knife Crime is very much current and on the rise, both in the capital, London, and across the country generally.  For the purposes of this post I shall be relying on figures that relate to London, but I have no doubt that they will be mirrored elsewhere, just with smaller numbers.  In this context Knife Crime = Any Crime enabled by use of a Knife, not just assaults and homicides etc.

Ethnicity in this context is Self Defined Ethnicity.

In 2012 there were 12,454 recorded victims of Knife Crime in London, 2,489 (20%) were female and 9,960 (80%) were male.  1,566 (12.6%) were Asian, 1,208 (9.7%) were Black (any origin), 185 (1.5%) were Mixed Race, 86 (0.01%) were Chinese, 3,123 (25.1%) were White, 181 (1.5%) were from Any Other Ethnic Group,  and 6,105 (49%) were Unrecorded (including Refused)  for whatever reason.

Fast Forward to 2016 and we see a slight reduction in the total number off victims of Knife Crime

In 2016 there...

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• The 2018 FIFA World Cup, which takes place from 14 June – 15 July, is an opportunity for fraudsters to take advantage of unsuspecting fans. 
• Between 2013 and 2015, over 600 reports were made to Action Fraud in relation to the 2014 World Cup.
• Football fans should be cautious and Take Five before purchasing goods and services online.

The worldwide demand for match tickets, accommodation and flight tickets throughout the competition is expected to be high. Action Fraud is warning those planning to travel to be cautious when buying tickets or accommodation because the event is likely to be targeted by fraudsters looking to take advantage of unsuspecting fans.

Fraudsters will likely be posing as:

• Official World Cup ticket vendors or private individuals attempting to sell on a match ticket via an online marketplace.
• A fraudulent website or operator offering non-existent flights or other transport to host cities.
• An accommodation booking service, hotel or operator, offering seemingly convenient...
  
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When I was still at school, I decided that I wanted to be a police officer. I couldn’t tell you why exactly, but it had something to do with the adventure of it all. That, and the fact it seemed to be a line of work that mattered. Ask most Coppers why they joined and they will tell you, simply, that they wanted to make a difference.

It was a heart thing for me.

It still is.

Because, when you strip away all the noise and the nonsense, it remains about as remarkable – and important – as a job can be.

Yesterday was my first day back in the real world after two happy weeks away with my family. And I woke to news of two more fatal stabbings in London. They happened within 40 minutes of one other – in two completely different parts of the Capital. Then I opened my emails to news of two more of my former police colleagues breaking under the strain. Now off sick and in urgent need of assistance.

And it struck me that these things are not somehow remote or distant. They are here and now, close to home. These are the stories of...

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We are aware of fraudsters claiming to be from Action Fraud contacting victims using automated phone calls in order to gain remote access to their computers and drain bank accounts. 

How does this scam work?

Victims are receiving cold-calls from fraudsters purporting to represent Action Fraud. When the calls are answered, an automated voice asks the responder to “press 1 if you have made a report to Action Fraud.” When the responder presses 1, they are transferred to a fraudster. 
 
Victims are informed that their computers have been hacked, which has led to their online bank account being compromised and funds being withdrawn. One particular victim was told that £40,000 had fraudulently left their account.

Remote access

Questions that are commonly asked by fraudsters include asking whether the victim’s broadband router is displaying flashing lights, as well as asking for/confirming personal information. 

This leads to the fraudster asking for remote access to the victim’s computer, via a remote...

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• Action Fraud is warning the public about the growing problem of criminals using the reputation of prominent people in cryptocurrency scams.
   
• Deborah Meaden from the BBC’s Dragon’s Den and Martin Lewis, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com have spoken out after fraudulent cryptocurrency investment websites falsely claim to be endorsed by them.
   
• In March alone, Action Fraud received 21 reports of this kind, with a total reported loss of more than £34,000 to victims.

Fraudulent websites claiming to offer cryptocurrency investments are using images and fabricating recommendations from prominent individuals such as Deborah Meaden from the BBC’s Dragons' Den and Martin Lewis, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, without their consent. 

The adverts are placed on social media and other websites and use images of these individuals to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency investments. Clicking on the advert takes you to the full article where their images are presented along with fake quotes...

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