PROGRAMME

• 8:45 – 9:15

  Opening and introductory remarks Stefan Blättler | Stefan Aegerter
  8:45 – 9:15

  Moderation of  the plenary sessions

  CECILIA STEBLER (Swiss Police Institute)

  SPEAKERS

  

  STEFAN BLÄTTLER (Bern Cantonal Police, Swiss Police Institute)

  Stefan BLÄTTLER studied at the law faculty of the University of Neuchatel, obtaining his PhD in law in 1987. In 2006, he became commander of the Bernese Cantonal Police; he will hold this position until the end of 2021. In parallel to his role within the Bernese police service, Stefan Blättler is also a member of various national and international commissions. In particular, he was president of the Conference of Swiss Cantonal Police Commanders (KKPKS/CCPCS) and will also chair the SPI Board of Trustees until the end of the year. Additionally, Stefan Blättler teaches law on secondary penalties and criminalistics at Bern University.

  

  STEFAN AEGERTER (Swiss Police Institute)

  Stefan Aegerter graduated in 2004 from the military academy of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. After becoming a professional officer in 2016 he joined the Swiss Police Institute in Neuchâtel. Since 2020 he has been the deputy director, and until the end of 2021 he holds the position of interim director. He is also a member of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Police Commanders (KKPKS). Moreover, he is project director of BGK, he holds a seat on the Geneva Center for Security Policy strategic expert committee, and he holds a seat in the programme management of the DAS Modern Policing at the FHNW. He is president of the national examination committee for ‘police officers with a Swiss federal qualification/diploma’.

• 9:15 – 9:45

  conference The SPI's contribution to police training: past, present and future cyril amberg
  9:15 – 9:45

  Summary

  Throughout its 75-year existence, the Swiss Police Institute (SPI) has increased and broadened the services it offers Swiss police forces. This development was not linear, however, and there are many different phases. This presentation draws on internal sources and press archives from daily newspapers in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel as it charts these different phases and identifies what has remained since the very beginning of the institute’s inception. Above and beyond lifelong learning, its core work, the SPI has also developed other training services whose role and importance have varied throughout time. Moreover, a gradual digital transformation now affects all the courses the SPI offers. Presently, and looking to the future, the institute faces new challenges and new expectations in its role as a national center for police training.

  • Presentation: "L'ISP au service de la formation policière: hier, aujourd'hui et demain"

  SPEAKER

  

  CYRIL AMBERG (Swiss Police Institute)

  Cyril Amberg is currently a member of the management board of the Swiss Police Institute (SPI), and since 2020 he has been in charge of the department entitled Research, Training, CentreDoc, Linguistic Service. Amberg holds a degree in international relations and an additional diploma, including a specialisation in International Law from The Graduate Institute Geneva. He initially joined the SPI in 2011 and has since occupied several positions, having worked in international cooperation and translation services at the beginning of his career. Moreover, since 2017 Amberg has been chief editor of the magazine Format magazine – Revue de formation et de recherche policières, a publication dedicated to police training and research, and he also represents the Institute within FRANCOPOL’s general assembly, a role he has held since 2013.

   

• 9:45 – 10:15

  conference (Re-)constructed truths: effects of cognitive distortions in police work and effective counter strategies Franziska Hofer | Martin Lory
  9:45 – 10:15

  Summary

  According to article 139 of the Swiss criminal code, the purpose of a criminal investigation is to ascertain the truth. Article 306 of the Swiss criminal code stipulates that after an incident the police must establish the facts. But how objectively can the facts be established? What is the truth and where could one be mistaken? ISO standards IEC 17020 and 17025 set out the requirements for impartiality and how to deal with biases. Fulfilling these requirements throws up a great many challenges. In particularly uncertain or complex situations, our brains resort to heuristics. This reduces the complexity of a situation and, although it may make sense depending on the situation, make our brains susceptible to distortions. Hence, we need a series of measures to mitigate these effects. This article sums up the scientific approach to this topic and provides insight into the lifelong training course “Reconstructed truths” that aims to counteract these biases.

  Presentation: "(Re-)konstruierte Wahrheiten: Auswirkungen kognitiver Verzerrungen in der Polizeiarbeit und wirksame Gegenstrategien"

   

  Speakers

  

  FRANZISKA HOFER (brainability)

  Franziska Hofer is a cognitive psychologist and expert in Human Factors. Following her PhD in 2006, she helped establish the Research and Development department at the cantonal police in Zurich airport. Moreover, Hofer has created and led numerous applied research projects on civil aviation, among others projects related to topics such as behavioural recognition, facial recognition and deception detection, as well as participated in many working groups and international summits on civil aviation. In addition, Hofer is a lecturer at several universities and regularly contributes to specialist international journals. She is also the co-founder and partner of brainability GmbH, a company that helps people reach their full potential and boost their organisational skills.She offers training in decision-making under uncertainty, deception detection and conflict management. She offers training in decision-making under uncertainty, deception detection and conflict management.

  

  MARTIN LORY (Zurich Institute for Forensics)

  Martin Lory is from the Swiss canton of St. Gallen. He studied electrical engineering at the ETH University in Zurich and obtained a PhD in the field of calculating sub-transient reactance from turbogenerators with the help of the FE Method. As the son of a psychologist, Lory wanted to study something practical and has been using his technical expertise in forensics for 24 years as an expert leader at the Zurich Institute for Forensics (FOR). Once he turned 56, Lory decided to retrain again at ETH Zurich, this time in applied statistics, with a special focus on processes in the human brain. These processes were precisely what sparked the idea of embarking on further study.

• 10:15 – 10:30

  Break
• 10:30 – 11:00

  conference Enhancing transfer of soft skills training within the Dutch police Jolanda A. Botke
  10:30 – 11:00

  Summary

  As employees’ soft skills become increasingly important for their successful performance, organisations are increasingly spending more money on soft skill training. Nevertheless, it often remains unclear to what extent this training is effective. Current research shows that transfer results after soft skills training unfold in a stepwise, staged process. This process starts with being motivated to transfer skills, followed by the implementation of new skills that may  consequently turn into improved performance. Additionally, current research found that since the open character of soft skills may lead to many different outcomes in different contexts (even unwanted transfer outcomes), being specific about the type, context and timeframe of performance (occurrence and measurement), is essential to ensure a successful transfer. Moreover, successful transfer also requires removing or minimising existing barriers to success.

  Presentation: "Enhancing Transfer of Soft Skills within the Dutch Police"

  SPEAKER

  

  JOLANDA A. BOTKE (Tilburg University/Pelikaan Performance Advies)

  Jolanda Botke (1967) studied Educational Technology at Twente University and worked as a consultant and program manager. In 2014 she embarked on her PhD at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam on transfer of soft skills training. For her research, she worked closely with the Police Academy in the Netherlands. She is currently a lecturer at Tilburg University as well as an educational consultant at Pelikaan Performance Advies, her own company. In both jobs, she continues to pursue her work on transfer of training. She will defend her PhD on November 18th 2021.

• 11:00 – 11:30

  conference Psychosocial skills for police officers in dealing with aggression and refusal Raoul Jaccard
  11:00 – 11:30

  Summary

  The situation facing police services is radically different from one continent to the next. Police violence and discrimination that take place on the other side of the world spark anger and protests on our own doorstep. In a society that prizes individual freedoms and self-expression, when social networks act as an echo chamber for all types of opinions, the police are often in the firing line. Some members of the public often make mistaken logical leaps or conflate issues. The media and politicians seize the topic to demand accountability. In this increasingly sensitive context, our police services have a duty to be transparent and open. They can seize this opportunity, on the one hand, to explain how they deal with these issues, and, on the other, to reflect on what could still be improved. This presentation will address three issues on which police services are working to ensure that police officers have good psychosocial skills: recruitment, training, and coaching.

  Document: "Compétences psychosociales à la police pour faire face à l'agressivité et au refus"

   

  SPEAKER

  

  RAOUL JACCARD (Neuchâtel Police)

  Having worked with young people placed by the justice system for 15 years, Raoul Jaccard became interested in the skills that professionals in a position of authority need to de-escalate conflict. He has conducted action research on this matter within the former municipal police force in Chaux-de-Fonds and later joined the Neuchâtel Police in 2011. In his work, Raoul Jaccard coaches police trainees at the Interrigional Police Training Centre (CIFPol) and, from time to time, participates in events at the Swiss Police Institute (SPI), in particular during the continuing education courses Negotiating in Crisis Situations, Threat Management and by contributing to teaching resources such as Policing Psychology and Pyramid of Risk Factors.

• 11:30 – 12:00

  DISCUSSION AND CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE MORNING
• 12:00 – 13:00

  Break
• 13:00 – 14:20

  Workshop 1 Cooperation and exchange of best practice (FR/DE) Patrice Cardinal | Jürg Bissegger | Sébastien Jaquier
  13:00 – 14:20

  MODERATION : Dilini Jeanneret (Swiss Police Institute), Sarah Tschan (Swiss Police Institute)

  FRANCOPOL: THE NETWORK'S ROLE AND PROJECTS

  Summary

  The international French-speaking police training network, FRANCOPOL, is an organisation for consultation and cooperation that aims to facilitate the sharing of best practices, research and dialogue relating to police training and expertise. The umbrella network covers sixty organisations from twenty French-speaking countries that seek to share and create new trends inspired by the best police practices. The network includes ten technical committees that work on project implementation and convene meetings in specific areas of action, such as police behaviour, cyber crime and combating violence against women and children, among others. Since 2008 FRANCOPOL has set up several projects that are a source of pride for the network. Be it writing reference material or developing and delivering in the field training programmes, FRANCOPOL is resolutely committed to cooperation and sharing best practices among French-speaking police stakeholders.

  Presentation: "FRANCOPOL : Rôle et projets du réseau"

   

  

  PATRICE CARDINAL (FRANCOPOL)

  Having worked for the security police in Québec for over 21 years, Chief Inspector Patrice Cardinal has gained experience working in many police fields, including territory surveillance, crime prevention, criminal intelligence and emergency measures. He has also gained many years experience in management roles; appointed as head of communication and international relations on the 26th October 2020, Chief Inspector Cardinal was also appointed as the Secretary General of FRANCOPOL. Chief Inspector Cardinal holds a BA in Communications and now heads strategic communication and international relations within his organisation, as well as managing heritage and protocol projects. In his capacity as the Secretary General of FRANCOPOL, Chief Inspector Cardinal is in charge of setting the organisation’s strategic objectives and ensuring the development of police cooperation as well as the transfer of skills within the network.

  15 YEARS OF JOINT TRAINING WITH CANTONAL EMERGENCY SERVICE PARTNERS

  Summary

  In 2004 the Bern Cantonal Police drew up processes for incident management. This incident management framework stipulates which tasks and responsibilities belong to whom. It also clarifies how collaboration should be organised with civil protection partners, particularly incident leadership. These processes are set out in civil protection law and regulations. Under this law, should an incident arise, when it comes to incident management, including those involving our civil protection partners (including the fire brigade, paramedics, civil protection, care team, civil leadership bodies), all processes are to be coordinated by the police since the police are in charge. Thus, the implementation of this framework followed the ethos that, as incidents must be overcome together, joint training programmes must be rolled out. In line with this ethos, operational command courses have been offered at the joint cantonal operational command centres in Bern and Biel. Incidents that must be shouldered together will also be jointly implemented and continually monitored with the help of real-time implementation. By doing so, training programmes can be optimised.

  Presentation: "15 Jahre gemeinsame Ereignisschulung unter Blaulichtpartnern"

   

  

  JÜRG BISSEGGER (Bern Cantonal Police)

  Since completing his training programme at the police academy in 1987, Bissegger has worked in many departments within the Bern cantonal police. He currently holds the position of Director of Operational Coordination. As such, he is responsible for training police executives and planning interventions, as well as for major exercises. He is also head of the lake police, a specialist area. Moreover, Bissegger is involved in a great many working groups and projects. In addition, he is the chief of staff for cantonal managerial bodies. Aside from his professional experience, Bissegger also holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Management in Police Interventions (CAS-FIP) and has completed a training course on Instructors who hold a federal certificate.

  APPLIED R&D AND LIFELONG LEARNING: HOW TWO AXES OF THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC CRIME INVESTIGATION (ILCE) CAN INFORM POLICE TRAINING

  Summary

  The increasing complexity of crime, thanks in particular to developments in IT, is having an impact on police work. Police knowledge- and skills- must keep pace with these developments. It is not enough to react; it is now essential to anticipate these changes. In this context, research work on topics linked to police practices can make a decisive contribution. Prevention, detection, and investigation constitute three specific fields in the fight against fraud for which the ILCE has long been developing tools, particularly in terms of training. To these, can be added the disruption of crime when it is extremely difficult, or even impossible, to stop it. The ILCE, in collaboration with several other institutions, is developing tools in this area to complement the arsenal of means already in place to fight cybercrime.

  Presentation: "La Ra&D et la formation continue, deux piliers de l’ILCE au service de la formation policière"

   

  

  SÉBASTIEN JAQUIER (Institut de lutte contre la criminalité économique)

  Dean of the ILCE (Institute of Economic Crime Investigation) at the University of Applied Science of the Greater Jura Area (HEG-Arc), University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Sébastien Jaquier is an information systems engineer and corporate economist. He holds a Master’s in Economic Crime Investigation and works in fields related to police training in economic crime and cybercrime.

• 13:00 – 14:20 

  Workshop 2 MODELS FOR BASIC POLICE RECRUIT TRAINING (DE) Stefan Aegerter | Peter Lamplot | Micha Fuchs | Albin Muff
  13:00 – 14:20 

  MODERATION : Anojen Kanagasingam (Swiss Police Institute), Christiane Stieger (Swiss Police Institute)

  « GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR POLICE EDUCATION 2020 » – ADAPTATING THE SYSTEM FOR BASIC POLICE RECRUIT TRAINING 

  Summary

  Within the framework of the 2020 Educational Policy Training Programme, basic police training has been split into two consecutive one-year periods. This was implemented under the mandate of the Cantonal Conference of Justice and Police Directors (KKJPD). The first phase of police training takes place in police training schools, then the second phase takes place in part of an operational police team. At the end of each training period (each school year), recruits sit a pre-test, the ‘operational capacity examination’ (PEF). Those who successfully pass this first test go on to the second training period, the practical year in the team on the ground. It is essential that recruits pass the main test at the end of the second year, the ‘professional examination’ (BP) to complete the whole training programme. Both examinations are held throughout Switzerland under the same conditions. Within the framework of the changes applied to both structure and content in this educational reform, decision-making training is a high priority. The aim is to ensure that recruits take their own initiative, and are goal-oriented, professional and flexible as they carry out their professional duties.

  Presentation: "Polizist/-in mit eidgenössischem Fachausweis: die neue Grundausbildung auf einen Blick"

   

  

  STEFAN AEGERTER (Swiss Police Institute)

  Stefan Aegerter graduated in 2004 from the military academy of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. After becoming a professional officer in 2016 he joined the Swiss Police Institute in Neuchâtel. Since 2020 he has been the deputy director, and until the end of 2021 he holds the position of interim director. He is also a member of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Police Commanders (KKPKS). Moreover, he is project director of BGK, he holds a seat on the Geneva Center for Security Policy strategic expert committee, and he holds a seat in the programme management of the DAS Modern Policing at the FHNW. He is president of the national examination committee for ‘police officers with a Swiss federal qualification/diploma’.

  THE AUSTRIAN POLICE TRAINING SYSTEM

  Summary

  The Security Academy (SIAK), the I/9 department of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Interior, is responsible for the Austrian police force’s basic training as well as some further training courses. Special training courses are the remit of the special police unit. The Austrian police’s 24-month basic training is organised by SIAK and is delivered in 12 training centres. It is composed of a 12-month theory block, a three-month practical placement, a further five-month theory block and exam, as well as another four-month placement at a police station. Following the successful completion of all the basic training exams and the commissioners’ exams, recruits become an inspector. To work as a commander, candidates must undergo a three-year long executive training programme and go through competitive exams, before then completing additional training that covers law, as well as deployment and leadership training. Since 2006, officers’ training in the Austrian federal police has provided tertiary training in the form of a Bachelor degree entitled ‘Police leadership’. An additional further training programme is available for management executives of the Austrian interior ministry in the form of a Master’s degree entitled ‘Strategic Security Management’; this degree is necessary in order to reach the highest echelons of the Ministry.

  Presentation: "Die Grundausbildung der österreichischen Polizei"

  

  PETER LAMPLOT (Sicherheitsakademie des österreichischen Bundesministeriums für Inneres)

  Peter Lamplot is 57 years old, married, and has two children. Since 1982 he has been a police officer, having completed his basic training and then worked as a patrol officer in Vienna. After completing the course to become a commander, and after completing the training programme for managerial civil servants, that at that time lasted two years, from 1998-2000, he worked in various capacities as a police officer in what was then the Command of the Austrian Federal Police in Vienna. Since 2001 Lamplot has worked in the Federal Ministry of Interior, initially as the head of police further education. First, he founded the Security Academy (SIAK) of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Interior, responsible for police officers and civil servants’ basic training and further training, then Lamplot worked in the field of international cooperation as related to police training. Within the Security Academy, the Center for International Affairs was also created. Since then, Lamplot has assumed a range of positions and is currently the deputy director of the center. Within the framework of Austrian police further training, Lamplot also lectures on police ethics, anti-discrimination, leadership and project management.

  CHALLENGES FACING POLICE TRAINING DUE TO SOCIETAL AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION; CONCEPTS FROM THE BAYERN POLICE

  Summary

  The main task of police training faces is to prepare recruits for their future job and its ever-changing requirements. For the second stage of qualifications, the Bayern police training provides an interdisciplinary, three-level training course. In addition to specialist skills, behavioural and social skills are part of the key pillars of the Bayern police training. Moreover, the  Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted that the Bayern police force must respond and adapt to digitisation (e.g. pedagogical and study resources, types of learning). This presentation will provide a description of the police basic training, lessons learned as well as the decision-making processes that have already been conducted in order to achieve comprehensive digital police training and the methodological, didactic adjustments made to training for recruits and police coaches.

  Presentation: "Herausforderungen für die Polizeiausbildung durch gesellschaftlichen und digitalen Wandel: Konzepte der Polizei Bayern"

  

  MICHA FUCHS (Bayerische Bereitschaftspolizei)

  Since 2018 Micha Fuchs has been working in training and life-long training at the headquarters of the Bayern Riot Police. His main areas of interest are the methodical development of basic police training as well as evaluation of training, especially in the fields of digitalisation, test performance and teacher training. In addition, Micha Fuchs is currently pursuing a PhD in empirical training research at the University of Bamberg. Prior to joining the ranks of the Bayern Police, Micha Fuchs completed a BA in educational studies and psychology at the University of Jena and an MA in educational science at the Free University of Berlin. He also worked for four years as a seminar lecturer and as a young people and young adults’ advisor. Moreover, Fuchs is also a certified Systemic Advisor and Coach (DGSF).

  

  ALBIN MUFF (Bayerische Bereitschaftspolizei)

  Albin Muff coordinates the specialised pedagogical tasks within the education and training department of the Bayern police. He studied pedagogy and social studies and achieved a PhD on experiential education. Following this, Muff worked on research projects in collaboration with several universities, for example on police sport training, on the effectiveness of deployment training (University of Würzburg), on the Flipped Classroom method in law courses (Technical University of Münich) and on the evaluation of Czech border police further training (Karls University Prague).

• 13:00 – 14:20

  Workshop 3 Stop and search, behaviour detection, police training (DE/EN) Signe Maria Ghelfi | Carla Fumagalli | Jos Kuppens | Franziska Hofer
  13:00 – 14:20

  MODERATION : Cyril Amberg (Swiss Police Institute), Cecilia Stebler (Swiss Police Institute)

   

   

  TO CHECK AND TO BE CHECKED - THE VALUE OF EVIDENCE-BASED POLICE WORK

  Summary

  Police tasks are clearly specified by law but which mechanisms are in place for evaluating police work? “Good practices” are often based on experience rather than objective data, which, although not wrong, may lead to missed opportunities. For example, the concept of unpredictability targets randomness, but still requires a systematic framework in order to be less susceptible to natural human tendencies such as routine or biases. At Zurich Airport, Zurich State Police has integrated unpredictability into the security methodology, for example by carrying out a set of unpredictable checks. To provide data and identify possible shortcomings, we conducted an online survey, which provided insights to develop a toolkit in close cooperation with existing practice. The study highlighted the importance of objective evaluation and the benefit of systematic police work, not only to help officers to develop critical thinking skills on the job but also by providing insight that can be integrated in training.

  Presentation: "To check and to be checked. Der Wert evidenzbasierter Polizeiarbeit"

  

  SIGNE MARIA GHELFI (Zurich Cantonal Police/fedpol)

  Signe Maria Ghelfi is head of Research and Development of the Zurich Cantonal Police at Zurich airport.  She studied Social Psychology, Cultural Anthropology and History at the University of Zurich and then did a PhD in Decision-Making and Behavioural Psychology at ETH Zurich. Dealing with the various stakeholders involved in police work and the volatility and complexity of these topics are of particular interest to her.  Signe coordinates and leads applied advisory and research groups on issues related to airport security, human factors and police psychology. Among others, she supports the knowledge transfer from the ASPECT-Programme research and represents Switzerland in international working groups. Signe also has an advisory role for airport security development and optimisation, including operational and organisational processes, the evaluation of new technologies and quality control.

  

  CARLA FUMAGALLI (Zurich Cantonal Police)

  Carla Fumagalli is a research associate at the Research and Development Department of the Zurich Cantonal Police at Zurich airport. Her early interest in police and legal psychology led her to pursue studies in criminology, criminal law and psychology. Working part-time for a private security firm gave Fumagalli an initial insight into the security sector, then, after her studies she completed an internship in forensic-psychology expert assessment. Her areas of interest are the fields of risk and credibility assessment as well as clinical and personality psychology. In the several years of project work at Kapo ZH Fumagalli has dealt with air security in-depth as well as police topics such as unpredictability and behavioural detection. Fumagalli particularly enjoys the diversity of topics, the close links to real life practice and the international aspect that her work brings.

  RESEARCH ON DISCRIMINATION AND ETHNIC PROFILING IN THE DUTCH POLICE FORCE

  • Presentation: "Discrimination & ethnic profiling by the police. Lessons from several researches"

  JOS KUPPENS (Bureau Beke)

  Jos Kuppens has worked as a senior researcher for Bureau Beke since 2005. Bureau Beke is a criminological research agency based in Arnhem (Netherlands) which works frequently for the Ministry of Justice, the police or communes. Initially a sociologist, Jos Kuppens has gradually specialised in criminology. 

  ASPECT® — BEHAVIOURAL DETECTION: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE HAND IN HAND

  Summary

  Two key tasks police forces face are the recognition of malicious intentions and suspicious behaviour. This is the reason why the Zurich Cantonal Police has developed the training programme ‘Analysing Suspicious Persons and Cognitive Training’ (ASPECT®). As research on the cognitive mechanisms behind behavioural recognition is still a young field of study, around ten years ago the Zurich Cantonal Police set up an interdisciplinary research project with the University of Zurich. Since then, specialists and researchers have been working together closely in order to constantly work on developing the content. This introductory presentation provides an overview of the background and challenges of ASPECT® research.

  Presentation: "ASPECT® - Praxis und Wissenschaft Hand in Hand: Erkenntnisse, Chancen und Herausforderungen der begleitenden Forschungskollaboration"

  

  FRANZISKA HOFER (brainability)

  Franziska Hofer is a cognitive psychologist and expert in Human Factors. Following her PhD in 2006, she helped establish the Research and Development department at the cantonal police in Zurich airport. Moreover, Hofer has created and led numerous applied research projects on civil aviation, among others projects related to topics such as behavioural recognition, facial recognition and deception detection, as well as participated in many working groups and international summits on civil aviation. In addition, Hofer is a lecturer at several universities and regularly contributes to specialist international journals. She is also the co-founder and partner of brainability GmbH, a company that helps people reach their full potential and boost their organisational skills.

  

  SIGNE MARIA GHELFI (Zurich Cantonal Police/fedpol)

  Signe Maria Ghelfi is head of Research and Development of the Zurich Cantonal Police at Zurich airport.  She studied Social Psychology, Cultural Anthropology and History at the University of Zurich and then did a PhD in Decision-Making and Behavioural Psychology at ETH Zurich. Dealing with the various stakeholders involved in police work and the volatility and complexity of these topics are of particular interest to her.  Signe coordinates and leads applied advisory and research groups on issues related to airport security, human factors and police psychology. Among others, she supports the knowledge transfer from the ASPECT-Programme research and represents Switzerland in international working groups. Signe also has an advisory role for airport security development and optimisation, including operational and organisational processes, the evaluation of new technologies and quality control.

• 14:20 – 14:40 

  Break
• 14:40 – 16:00

  Workshop 4 Utilising technology in police training (FR/DE) Birgit Harthum | Séolane Bouchoucha | Yvain Tisserand | Michaël Meyer
  14:40 – 16:00

  MODERATION : Dilini Jeanneret (Swiss Police Institute), Sarah Tschan (Swiss Police Institute)

  ARE POLICE TRAINERS GRADUALLY BEING REPLACED? THE ROLE OF POLICE TRAINERS IN VR

  Summary

  SHOTPROS is an EU-funded research project (Horizon 2020, No 833672) which aims to develop a training programme and a supportive virtual reality system that allows police to reach the right decisions based on the situation they find themselves in, including situations when they are under stress. Scenario-based virtual police training is increasingly of interest, and there are many clear advantages: time, materials and resources can be saved during training preparation and delivery. Audiovisual preparation for all kinds of events has become easier thanks to modern technology, however this has implications when it comes to the role played by police trainers. Theoretically, a system can measure everything that happens, so what does the police trainer add? This is what we’re going to delve into during a 15-minute keynote presentation. The project background and results will be also introduced and feed into the subsequent discussion.

  Presentation: "SHOTPROS: Virtual Reality (VR) im polizeilichen Training. Wird der Trainer in Zukunft ersetzt? Die Rolle des Trainers in der VR"

   

  

  BIRGIT HARTHUM (SHOTPROS/USECON)

  Having studied management at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Birgit Harthum worked for over ten years in international software product management. Her main focus was translating ideas into reality on the market as well as ensuring existing products’ long-term market implantation and development. Throughout this work, Harthum’s focus was on the interaction between users, decision-makers and development. This experience led Harthum to decide to change sides, thus she began working in strategic development for USECON. As project coordinator and business developer, at USECON Harthum is primarily responsible for strategic projects — managing international and multidisciplinary partners is her hobby horse. USECON provides digitalisation advisory services for companies and, thanks to its user experience and customer experience, acts as a bridge between economic and technical circles. Originally a university spin-off, USECON has over 20 years’ experience in research and works in a multidisciplinary field, straddling research, technical expertise and end-users.

  DEVELOPING VIRTUAL REALITY IN POLICE TRAINING: THE FIRST STEPS WITHIN THE CANTONAL POLICE OF GENEVA

  Summary        

  Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that offers many applications. There is great potential for VR infrastructure within police forces, for many purposes throughout all stages of professional life and in different settings such as during recruitment, initial training, lifelong learning, executive training, debriefings or indeed internal mobility. Since 2017, the cantonal Police of Geneva (PCGE) and the University of Geneva (UNIGE), via the intermediary of the Laboratory of Multimodal Modelling of Emotion-Feeling (MMEF) led by Professor David Rudrauf, have expressed a keen interest in collaborating on applying emotional science and VR to training in security professions. The Center for Police and Security Professions Training (CFPS) and UNIGE have developed the prototype for a tool dedicated to VR training (2018-2020, funded by the CFPS), based on robust and innovative scientific research, under and by the technical management of Dr. Yvain Tisserand. Simultaneously, since 2017, six master dissertations have been dedicated to this topic. Moreover, an ongoing PhD aims to better understand, measure and optimise police personnel’s reactions when under stress, as well as their emotional regulation strategies and their decision-making, in particular when it comes to the use of force. “Is virtual reality psycho-emotional training suitable for optimising police officers’ use of force?” (Bouchoucha, 2019–). This is the question that sparked her five-year research that began in 2019. Subdivided into three studies, Bouchoucha focuses on the “square drill” training during which recruits must respond the most correctly to a given threat. Initial results from the first study as well as the next steps and limits identified will be presented. Thereafter, a comparison between the efficacy of VR training and classic training will be presented, including an evaluation of the efficacy of methods used during emblematic police scenarios.

  Presentation: "Outil d’entraînement en Réalité Virtuelle pour la police genevoise"

   

  

  SÉOLANE BOUCHOUCHA (Geneva cantonal police)

  Séolane Bouchoucha holds a Master in occupational and organisational psychology (University of Neuchâtel, 2014), and has been working as a psychologist for the Geneva Cantonal Police since 2015 (recruitment, training, project support and development). Trained in emergency psychology, she also works for AVP Police when she comes into contact with the local population following mandates received from the Lausanne Municipal Police. From 2016 she has taught Psychology at the Police Academy Savatan and has participated in developing the field “Transfer” that aims to involve and apply psychology during police intervention simulations. This experience at the police training establishment sporned her interest in situational analysis, decision-making processes and emotional regulation in ambiguous situations among police applicants and police officers. Since 2018, she has been pursuing her PhD in psychology within the UNIGE MMER laboratory. Since 2019, she has been in charge of the roll-out of the training programme TOPÒ (techniques for developing potential) within the police force.

  

  YVAIN TISSERAND (University of Geneva)

  Dr. Yvain Tisserand is currently assistant lecturer at the University of Geneva, at the Laboratory of Multimodal Modelling of Emotion-Feeling (MMEF) and at the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (CISA). He also studied Computer Graphics at the University of Geneva and obtained his PhD in Computer Science under the supervision of Prof. Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann (MIRALab/UNIGE) in 2018. His current research focuses on the creation of emotional virtual humans for virtual reality experiments and on the creation of applied tools in order to apply his computer graphics skills in various fields such as reducing the pain levels experienced by children in emergency services. Moreover, he also works on the creation of immersive tools that aim to raise awareness about climate change issues. Since 2018 he has been involved in creating and implementing interactive virtual reality simulation tools to train police personnel. He has created several prototypes which allow VR to be tested in various contexts, such as during stop and search, when working as part of a pair, for individuals in an urban environment and for ensuring a car park is safe.

  VIDEO-RETEX : AN EDUCATIONAL APPROACH TO BODY CAMS AND LESSONS LEARNT FROM PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  Summary

  Over the course of the last decade, many countries’ police forces have been equipped with body cams. Scientific research on this topic has also grown and now supports police organisations in conducting a rigorous assessment of this technology. There are three promising avenues for using body cams: as a training tool, to provide feedback on policing practices, and to take stock of professional experience. Moreover, the immersive experience provided by recorded images and sound imparts educational added value when it comes to learning lessons and improving police practices. The “Video-Retex™” approach, developed in consultation with several first response services (police, firefighters and paramedics), will be presented.

  Presentation: "VIDEO-RETEX®. Une approche formative des bodycam au service du retour d’expérience professionnelle"

   

  

  MICHAËL MEYER (University of Lausanne)

  Michaël Meyer is a sociologist and research manager of ColLaboratoire, a research unit specialising in applied and participative approaches, at the University of Lausanne. His work focuses on contemporary transformations of work and the evolution of professional groups, with a particular emphasis on the influence of new technology and digital images in working practices. Michaël Meyer’s research has dealt with various aspects of public security, for instance the relationship between police work and the media, as well as the collaboration between police officers and psychiatric healthcare professionals during management of care for individuals suffering from a disturbed mental state. From 2018-2020, Michaël Meyer continued his work in the field of policing innovation as he supported the implementation and test phase of body cams in the Swiss canton of Vaud.

• 14:40 – 16:00

  Workshop 5 Police recruitment and entering the profession (DE/EN) Dirk Baier | Simon C. Hardegger | Marie-Louise Damen
  14:40 – 16:00

  MODERATION : Cyril Amberg (Swiss Police Institute), Cecilia Stebler (Swiss Police Institute)

  CHANGES DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF POLICE BASIC TRAINING: RESULTS FROM A SWISS PILOT STUDY

  Summary

  This presentation will delve into the results of a survey on recruit cohorts from a Swiss police training school (N = 85). The first survey was conducted in September 2020, the second survey a year later. A range of data related to expectations, experiences, personal attitudes and characteristics was collected. The driving question is: to what extent do these two surveys show changes have occurred? First, we will examine what recruits deemed important for a police career. Second, we will look at police-specific attitudes, such as developing commitment, professional ambition, and to what extent the use of force is endorsed. Third and finally, we will turn to overall attitudes such as the level of satisfaction with democracy and tolerance, as well as basic values, as part of the longitudinal evaluation.

  Presentation: "Veränderungen während des ersten Polizei-Ausbildungsjahrs: Befunde einer Schweizer Pilotstichprobe"

  

  DIRK BAIER (Zurich University of Applied Sciences, ZHAW)

  Baier has long conducted research on police work, including topics such as when police officers become the victim of violent attacks or the implementation of body cams. In addition, Baier pursues his work on specific criminal phenomena, including youth violence, domestic violence, extremism, and human trafficking.

  HUMANS AS A RISK FACTOR — LOOKING FROM THE INSIDE OUT

  Summary

  For state security organisations their reputation in terms of public perception is essential for their credibility and public acceptance — and this is particularly the case in terms of the state monopoly on the use of force and the related responsibility and duty. Conscious poor behaviour and damaging acts from within their ranks, the so-called Insider Threat, is of particular concern and can threaten both the integrity of the organisation as well as the quality of its work. As part of comprehensive risk management, psychological risk diagnosis for this professional context can provide an efficient means for security organisations. On the one hand, individuals with potentially negative personality characteristics can be kept at a distance from these organisations (e.g. police recruits or individuals changing career with role-specific responsibilities) and on the other hand, in the event of specific incidents occurring, the risk diagnosis allows informed evaluations to be made about the future reliability of a particular individual.

  Presentation: "Risikofaktor Mensch – ein Augenschein von innen: Insider Threat"

   

  

  SIMON C. HARDEGGER (Zurich University of Applied Sciences, ZHAW)

  For twelve years Simon Carl Hardegger has been head of the Center for Diagnosis, Transport and Security Psychology at the ZHAW Institute for Applied Psychology (IAP). Hardegger read Psychology, Pedagogical Studies and Criminology in Zurich and, in addition, has pursued several further education courses in the following fields: economics, law, HR management, mediation, and crisis communication. An important focus for Hardegger is the field of psychological diagnosis, as applied to security, management and transport, and with a special focus on psychological risk diagnosis. In tandem with his extremely broad specialist and practical network, he continues to work on developing psychological diagnostics at the interface between universities and practice and provides consulting services for several organisations, drawing on his research-based knowledge and experience from consultancy work as well as security and army work.

  THE MAKING OF A POLICE OFFICER: STUDYING SELECTING AND SHAPING POLICE STUDENTS WITH A EUROPEAN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

  Summary

  Recruitment, Education and Careers in the Police (RECPOL) is an international comparative research project that traced police recruits in the first part of their police career, from the start of their police education until several years into their career. The main questions that started the RECPOL-project were: What characterises the kinds of people recruited to police work? How are they shaped by police education and socialisation into the profession? And how do different systems of police recruitment and education impact new police officers’ attitudes to  police work? These fundamental questions are addressed by a longitudinal survey that follows police recruits in seven European countries. In ‘The Making of a Police Officer: comparative perspectives on police education and recruitment’ we show that police recruits are strikingly similar across different types of police education. The national context seems to play a more important role than the type of police education system. This presentation will provide more detail about the background of the project and its main results, as well as the methodological considerations in the different countries.

  Presentation: "The Making of a Police Officer"

  

  MARIE-LOUISE DAMEN (Norwegian Police University College)

   Marie-Louise Damen is Associate Professor in quantitative research methods at the Norwegian Police University College. She studies police education and leads the research group Police Education, Learning Environment and Students. As a sociologist, she is interested in the way social gaps in society affect socio-cultural participation in education, protest and art. Since October 2017, she has coordinated the international research project ‘Recruitment, Education and Careers in the Police (RECPOL)’. Together with Tore Bjørgo, she edited the Routledge volume ‘The Making of a Police Officer: Comparative Perspectives on Police Education and Recruitment’.

• 14:40 – 16:00

  Workshop 6 Modern training for senior police executives (DE/EN) Stefan Aegerter | Thomas Feltes | Astrid Klukkert | Vesa Huotari
  14:40 – 16:00

  MODERATION : Anojen Kanagasingam (Swiss Police Institute), Christiane Stieger (Swiss Police Institute)

  “GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR POLICE EDUCATION” — IMPLEMENTING A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR TRAINING SENIOR POLICE EXECUTIVES AND LIFELONG LEARNING

  Summary

  Digital and structural change, individual development needs versus pre-determined career models, different expectations when it comes to leadership skills. In the last few years, the leadership and management tasks police executives face have changed significantly. The key questions are: What shape does a national police executive and further education strategy take? What different framework conditions need to be taken into account? What does modularisation mean in the context of police training? Aside from personal gain, the interests of police forces and educational establishments (universities and other further education facilities) are at the heart of the project. Other core concerns are making qualifications suitable for civil use too, as well as providing proof of education and skills. The project ensures that skill-based and quality-assured education is available across the entire range of police basic training and further education. Such quality education further underpins the country-wide harmonisation and interoperability of police forces. The harmonisation of leadership training across all levels as well as specialised courses means all training courses are harmonised throughout the four national languages used in Switzerland.

  Presentation: "Kader- und Weiterbildungsstrategie BGK"

   

  

  STEFAN AEGERTER (Swiss Police Institute)

  Stefan Aegerter graduated in 2004 from the military academy of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. After becoming a professional officer in 2016 he joined the Swiss Police Institute in Neuchâtel. Since 2020 he has been the deputy director, and until the end of 2021 he holds the position of interim director. He is also a member of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Police Commanders (KKPKS). Moreover, he is project director of BGK, he holds a seat on the Geneva Center for Security Policy strategic expert committee, and he holds a seat in the programme management of the DAS Modern Policing at the FHNW. He is president of the national examination committee for ‘police officers with a Swiss federal qualification/diploma’.

  ACADEMIC FURTHER EDUCATION FOR POLICE OFFICERS - THE "BOCHUM MODEL"

  Summary

  This presentation focuses on basic and further training of police officers in Germany. It describes the different structures in place due to the federal system and takes a critical look at the very inward-looking training, as well as the resulting interdependencies, which lead to an insular subculture. Likewise, the place of soft skills and appropriate communication in conflict situations is often relegated to the background, as is relevant criminological knowledge. There is rarely a systematic, theory-based approach to problems or an in-depth, interdisciplinary analysis of the reasons and causes of anomalous behaviour, the role of police in society, and of police behaviour. This gap can be addressed with the course in Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science at Bochum, which we will walk you through in this presentation.

  Presentation: "Akademische Weiterbildung für Polizeibeamt*innen – Das Bochumer Modell"

  

  THOMAS FELTES (Ruhr University Bochum)

  Thomas Feltes is a lawyer and social scientist. From 2002 to 2019, he was a faculty member in Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science at the Law Faculty at RUB. From 1992 to 2002, he was the rector of the Police University in Baden-Wurttemberg. As an international expert, he has worked for organisations such as the UN, EU, Council of Europe, Interpol, FBI, and OSCE for over 35 years. In 2005, he founded the research course in Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science within the Law Faculty at RUB. Between 2006 and 2010, he was a member of the Founding Senate of the German Police University (DHPol). In 2018, upon recommendation of the German government, he was appointed to the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, where he represented Germany until 2020. Feltes publishes the Polizei-Newsletter, a monthly publication covering policing and criminological topics with more than 9000 subscribers.

  

  ASTRID KLUKKERT (Ruhr University Bochum)

  Astrid Klukkert is a qualified criminologist and geographer. Since 2003, she has been alternating between working as research staff and as a freelancer on faculty within Criminology, Crime Policy and Police Science at RUB (on faculty for Criminology since 2019). She has been involved in various research projects, including at the Institute of Security and Prevention Research (ISIP, Hamburg), the City Planning Company Hamburg (STEG), the German Research Foundation (DFG), and the RUB on projects such as “the Effectiveness of Burglary Prevention Technology in Housing and Commercial Property” (RUB) and “Polizeigewalt – Police Use of Force” (DFG/RUB). Astrid Klukkert has been a member of teaching staff on the Master’s in Criminology, Criminalistics and Police Science in the Law Faculty at RUB since it was founded in 2005, and has been working as the Course Coordinator since 2015.

  THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICE EDUCATION FOR SENIOR POSITIONS IN FINLAND

  Summary

  In Finland, the effectiveness of police education has been under scrutiny for at least the last two decades. Evaluation of police education has been more systematic at the basic level of preparing students to fulfil their responsibilities as police constables (Bachelor of Police Services) than at the advanced level where a few are later prepared to hold senior positions in the Finnish Police (Master of Police Services). This presentation will outline lessons learned from our attempts to  conceptually define, methodically capture and substantially characterise the effectiveness of Finnish police education for senior positions in the police. As the latter positions are nowadays formally available for anyone with the police diploma or Bachelor of Police Services and a Master’s degree, when it comes to police education at an advanced level the Police University College competes with other universities (albeit sometimes offering constables the opportunity to study at a location closer to home). Does this significantly change the relevant conditions for evaluating the effectiveness of police education for senior positions in the police provided by the PUC?

  Presentation: "Effectiveness of Police Education for Senior Positions in the Finnish Police"

  

  VESA HUOTARI (Police University College of Finland)

  My fifteen years as a researcher at the University of Tampere were followed by fifteen years as a senior researcher at the Police University College. At the PUC, I have been involved in RDI work in a variety of themes, including designing a 360-degree evaluation system for police leadership, police personnel barometer, horizontal career development. I have also contributed to a study on sexual harassment in police education, to the assessment of gender equality in the Finnish police, and to projects on the use of simulations and analysis of the feasibility of merging the colleges under the Ministry of the Interior. Moreover, other projects I have contributed to include enhancing the security of critical infrastructure and analysing the complexities of policing traffic. My latest publication, in English and is freely available online, is entitled Innovations and Innovativeness in the Police & Policing. In addition, I am a member of the international advisory board of Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR) and I am also involved in the work of European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL).

• 16:00 – 16:20

  Break
• 16:20 – 16:40

  conference The scientific research service of the Cantonal Police of Basel-City – translating scientific theory into police work on the ground Bettina Frei
  16:20 – 16:40

  THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SERVICE OF THE CANTONAL POLICE OF BASEL-CITY – TRANSLATING SCIENTIFIC THEORY INTO POLICE WORK ON THE GROUND

  Summary        

  Increasingly complex police work requires goal-centred and evidence-based measures. Collaboration between research and practice can provide the means to address strategic and operative challenges in an optimal way. This is why the cantonal police of the Swiss canton Basel-city relies on scientific management support: the commando support department serves as an administrative, strategic and organisational service center for police management. The scientific research unit, initially set up in 2018, supports and advises police management on tasks of a scientific and political nature. For instance, the department assists in preparing the basis for strategic and conceptual decision-making and analysing new scientific and political developments, by providing interdisciplinary expert knowledge. The main focus is ensuring that scientific research provides practicable solutions for police work. To name one example, a research project on combating violence used a model of violence specifically adapted to Basel, and provided recommendations for future measures — based on this model — to tackle violence in Basel more effectively.

  Presentation: "Das Fachreferat der Kantonspolizei Basel-Stadt – Brückenschlag zwischen Polizeiarbeit und Wissenschaft"

   

   

  

  BETTINA FREI (Cantonal Police of Basel-City)

  Since October 2019 Bettina Anja Frei has worked at the Scientific Research Unit of the Cantonal Police Basel-City as a specialist in combating violence. This position, created by the Swiss state council, runs until September 2022, and is equally shared with her colleague, Joëlle Salathe. Frei brings a wealth of experience in the field of combating violence, notably from a non-governmental, victim-oriented approach. Indeed, Frei is an ethnologist and obtained her PhD on the topic Migration and New Media from the University of Basel.

• 16:40 – 17:00

  Conclusion and closing remarks Stefan Aegerter | Cyril Amberg
  16:40 – 17:00

  

  STEFAN AEGERTER (Swiss Police Institute)

  Stefan Aegerter graduated in 2004 from the military academy of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. After becoming a professional officer in 2016 he joined the Swiss Police Institute in Neuchâtel. Since 2020 he has been the deputy director, and until the end of 2021 he holds the position of interim director. He is also a member of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Police Commanders (KKPKS). Moreover, he is project director of BGK, he holds a seat on the Geneva Center for Security Policy strategic expert committee, and he holds a seat in the programme management of the DAS Modern Policing at the FHNW. He is president of the national examination committee for ‘police officers with a Swiss federal qualification/diploma’.

  

  CYRIL AMBERG (Swiss Police Institute)

  Cyril Amberg is currently a member of the management board of the Swiss Police Institute (SPI), and since 2020 he has been in charge of the department entitled Research, Training, CentreDoc, Linguistic Service. Amberg holds a degree in international relations and an additional diploma, including a specialisation in International Law from The Graduate Institute Geneva. He initially joined the SPI in 2011 and has since occupied several positions, having worked in international cooperation and translation services at the beginning of his career. Moreover, since 2017 Amberg has been chief editor of the magazine Format magazine – Revue de formation et de recherche policières, a publication dedicated to police training and research, and he also represents the Institute within FRANCOPOL’s general assembly, a role he has held since 2013.