PC4S038 - Policing in the Digital World 01 Sep 2021 - 31 Aug 2026 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: PC4S038
Module Title: Policing in the Digital World
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Policing and Criminology
Faculty Sub Group: Policing
Module Leader: Alun Davies
Module Team: Helen Martin, Daniel Welch
First Intended Intake: SEP 2020 Final Year of Intake: 2025
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 7
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100486 - policing
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 2
Valid From 01 Sep 2021
Valid To 31 Aug 2026

Module Aims

The module aims to develop a critical level of awareness of the evolution of modern day policing with the embedding of digital technology to transform and streamline services; and how traditional crime has evolved to more complex criminality that is facilitated across borders with technology.

Content Summary

The Policing Vision of 2025 and the Digital Policing Strategy 2020-2030, considers the internal and external pressures facing the police service as a whole and presents five key digital ambitions, each with a set of digital priorities to guide focus and investment.

Students will research and gain knowledge in each of the ambitions and examine how the service can harness the opportunities of existing and disruptive digital technologies and capabilities in the areas of:

The Digital Policing Strategy 2030
• The evolution of Traditional and Digital Crime
• Policing Partners - Collaboration & Compatibility
• Evolution of demand and response to new policing challenges
• Ethical & Legal Frameworks – Policing by Consent in the Digital Domain
The Policing Vision 2025
• Digital Policing Portfolio
• Digital Public Contact
• Digital Intelligence and Investigation
• Digital First
• Enabling efficiencies through partnerships with private sectors
Transforming the workplace: opportunities and challenges.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 20
Seminar 10
Independent Study 110
Directed Study 60
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Critically examine the role of technology in the future of policing.
LO2 Appraise and discuss the challenges to policing and society from technology enabled crime.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Written Assignment (CW) Report (CW) 1 A written report based on an issue within a policing environment 0 4500 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Report (CW) 1 ✔ ✔

Reading List

Aiken, M. (2016). The Cyber Effect. United Kingdom: Hachette UK.

Bain, A. (2016). Law Enforcement and Technology. Understanding the Use of Technology for Policing. Palgrave, London.

Cambridge Journal of Evidence-Based Policing Volume 3. Springer. UK. Available from: https://www.springer.com/journal/41887

GOV.UK. (2018). Counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST). [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-terrorism-strategy-contest2018

Koper, C., Lum, C., and Willis, J (2014). Optimising the Use of Technology in Policing: Results and Implications from a Multi-Site Study of the Social, Organizational, and Behavioural Aspects of Implementing Police Technologies. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 2014, Vol. 8(2), pp.212-221

Leventakis, G. and Haberfeld, M. (2018) Community-Oriented Policing and Technological Innovations

Nowacki, J and Willits, D. (2019) An organisational approach to understanding police response to cybercrime. Available from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PIJPSM-07-2019-0117/full/html?skipTracking=true

National Cyber Security Strategy (2016-2021). Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-cyber-security-strategy-2016-to-2021

NPCC and APCC National Policing Digital Strategy. Digital, data and technology strategy 2020–2030

NPCC and APCC Policing Vision 2025

Policing and Society. An International Journal of Research and Policy. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/gpas20/current

Policing and Society. An International Journal of Research and Policy. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/gpas20/current

Police Practice and Research. An International Journal. Available from:tandfonline.com/toc/gppr20/current

Sheldon, B., Wright, W. (2014). Policing and Technology (Policing Matters Series). Learning Matters, London.