Protecting public-facing professionals and their dependents online (3PO)
Lead Research Organisation:
Sheffield Hallam University
Department Name: College of Business, Technology & Eng
Abstract
Police officers are public-facing professionals. This means they operate in the public eye with at times dramatic repercussions for their private lives (e.g., 'trial by social media', unwanted identification, online harassment and threats to themselves or their families). While this is often framed as a way to 'redress police injustices' or as a democratising potential of 'watching back', it threatens officers' social standing as well as mental and physical health outside of their professional role. Their loved ones (spouses, children, other close family members) are involved directly and immediately, either because they are also targeted or because they have to live with fears and accept restrictions to their online participation in order to safeguard their police family members. Due to this, public-facing professionals police personnel (LPFPs) and their dependents clearly face strong challenges and risks to their rights and opportunities as citizens online. 3PO takes the unusual and pioneering step to re-focus the theme of protecting citizens online to the law enforcement domain, which is often treated as the one 'citizens need protection from'. However, at present neither the extent of online risks for officers, let alone their dependents, is known nor do credible plans exists for safeguarding this citizen group online.
The 3PO project will address these gaps through a user-centred approach that will deliver a series of targeted outcomes. Firstly, 3PO will create in-depth knowledge about the extent, nature, drivers, mechanisms and consequences of online risks and harms for LPFPs and their dependents. This will lead to important refinements in current understandings of privacy and consent as collective concepts that need to be negotiated in (family/professional) groups and create a taxonomy of LPFP-specific online risks and harms. A major focus will be on the co-creation of three user-focused tools for LPFPs and dependents for reactive and proactive protection: (1) a Harm Reporting Application for LPFPs and/or their dependents to report incidents, problematic events or concerns to instigate support and protection measures, (2) a Vulnerability Assessment ("self-check") App to assess their own online presence and account settings to identify potential risks, (3) an AI-based harm mitigation and risk assessment platform for police organisations consisting of AI-based analysis capabilities and a dashboard for the visualisation of reactive analysis and proactive monitoring of individual and organisational harm profiles. Thirdly, 3PO will produce design and policy recommendations and specialised police training and awareness campaigns.
The project will do so by utilising a highly experienced consortium of applied and policy researchers from Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, UCL and Napier led by the globally connected security research Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research (CENTRIC) at Sheffield Hallam University. To guarantee outcomes are co-developed with and fully pertinent for our target group, 3PO comprises six UK police forces (Metropolitan Police, Police Scotland, Police Service Northern Ireland, South Yorkshire Police, Lancashire Police, Humberside Police) and the Home Office as active research partners.
3PO results will benefit societal groups outside police and law enforcement, as knowledge and products transfer to other public-facing professions faced with the same challenge such politicians, teachers, emergency services, NHS staff, journalists, amongst others. Hence, 3PO's results and products will be relevant for a large number of groups crucial for societal functioning and resilience.
The 3PO project will address these gaps through a user-centred approach that will deliver a series of targeted outcomes. Firstly, 3PO will create in-depth knowledge about the extent, nature, drivers, mechanisms and consequences of online risks and harms for LPFPs and their dependents. This will lead to important refinements in current understandings of privacy and consent as collective concepts that need to be negotiated in (family/professional) groups and create a taxonomy of LPFP-specific online risks and harms. A major focus will be on the co-creation of three user-focused tools for LPFPs and dependents for reactive and proactive protection: (1) a Harm Reporting Application for LPFPs and/or their dependents to report incidents, problematic events or concerns to instigate support and protection measures, (2) a Vulnerability Assessment ("self-check") App to assess their own online presence and account settings to identify potential risks, (3) an AI-based harm mitigation and risk assessment platform for police organisations consisting of AI-based analysis capabilities and a dashboard for the visualisation of reactive analysis and proactive monitoring of individual and organisational harm profiles. Thirdly, 3PO will produce design and policy recommendations and specialised police training and awareness campaigns.
The project will do so by utilising a highly experienced consortium of applied and policy researchers from Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, UCL and Napier led by the globally connected security research Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research (CENTRIC) at Sheffield Hallam University. To guarantee outcomes are co-developed with and fully pertinent for our target group, 3PO comprises six UK police forces (Metropolitan Police, Police Scotland, Police Service Northern Ireland, South Yorkshire Police, Lancashire Police, Humberside Police) and the Home Office as active research partners.
3PO results will benefit societal groups outside police and law enforcement, as knowledge and products transfer to other public-facing professions faced with the same challenge such politicians, teachers, emergency services, NHS staff, journalists, amongst others. Hence, 3PO's results and products will be relevant for a large number of groups crucial for societal functioning and resilience.
Organisations
- Sheffield Hallam University (Lead Research Organisation)
- South Yorkshire Police (Project Partner)
- Humberside Police (Project Partner)
- Lancashire Constabulary (Project Partner)
- Police Service of Northern Ireland (Project Partner)
- Metropolitan Police Service (Project Partner)
- HOME OFFICE (Project Partner)
- Police Scotland (Project Partner)
Description | 3PO Consortium Meeting - Cambridge |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 3PO Partners (academics, police partners, home office) and Abvisory Board Members attended the first 3PO Consortium Meeting in Cambridge. The event took place on the 29th and 30th of September 2022 at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge. It was organised by the project leader, the Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research (CENTRIC) at Sheffield Hallam University, a globally renowned, leading research institution in security research. Participants had the opportunity to discuss project advancements and investigate the 3PO infrastructure, its challenges, impact, and potential solutions in greater detail. By bringing together consortium, academic, police, and Home Office partners, as well as Advisory Board members the meeting aimed to promote discussions regarding the progress and activities of the 3PO project in relation to its main objectives, achievements to date, challenges, plans, and risks, as well as the harmonisation of the various tools and technologies used. This event also provided an opportunity for networking by facilitating the planning of future meetings and actions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | 3PO Launch Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The 3PO Launch Event in April 2022 was a chance for project partners and advisory board members to celebrate the start of the project and launch research activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | 3PO Presentation at the REPHRAIN Showcase in London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Two 3PO researchers presented the project at the REPHRAIN Showcase on the 19th January 2023 at the Goodenough College in London. Further information about the event can be found here: https://www.rephrain.ac.uk/rephrain-showcase-january-2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | As part of MSc Criminology Course at Hochschule Polizei Brandenburg (Germany) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Information from 3PO project was used in MSc Criminology Course at Hochschule Polizei Brandenburg (Germany) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Cyber Secruity 2023 Conference Attendance |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Members of the 3PO Team attended the Cyber Security 2023 Conference. This conference was the main event in the 2023 CyberScotland Week (running from the 27th February - 5th March 2023). Armed with 3PO flyers the team attended the conference with the aim to raise awareness of the 3PO Project to 3rd sector professionals and businesses. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Face to face presentation of project overview at Rephrain All Hands Meeting, March 2 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation of 3PO at the REPHRAIN All Hands Meeting in March 2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Internal stakeholder meeting about supporting the research by one of the participating police forces |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | One of the police partners held an internal meeting with key stakeholders to discuss supporting the project and which department this would suitable fit within. This has resulted in additional points of contact joining the project team as well as a pathway/area for the project to operate within the force. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Invited Plenary Presentation at Future Scot's 'Digital Justice and Policing' Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited plenary presentation at Future Scot's 'Digital Justice & Policing' Conference, 13th October 2022, Glasgow. In this invited plenary presentation ('A Just Future for Digital Policing') which was part of the closing plenary session 'The Future of justice Technology' the opportunity was taken to raise awareness of the 3PO project to a large audience comprising technology, policing, regulatory and academic partners. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Invited Presentation to Regional Organised Crime Units |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Members of the 3PO Project presented to the project to Regional Cyber Crime Units |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Launch of the 3PO Quarterly Newsletter |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We launched the 3PO Quarterly Newsletter. We launched a successful campaign to get sign ups for the Newsletter from the public and from partners across the project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://us18-campaign--archive-com.translate.goog/?u=aab2bcaba1d8bd5756dbc4a79&id=d4c5772fa0&_x_tr_s... |
Description | Participation at REPHRAIN All Hands Meeting - Bath |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Discussions around 'Online Harms' and the various projects funded through REPHRAIN and UKRI's impacts on this knowledge including 3PO. Made people aware of the project throughout the two-day event and a variety of activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Participation in REPHRAIN All Hands Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Discussions around Sandpits, Data Sharing and Testbeds to which 3PO could contribute. Interactions with the various projects funded through REPHRAIN and UKRI's impacts on this knowledge including 3PO. Made people aware of the project throughout the two-day event and a variety of activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Participation in REPHRAIN All Hands Meeting - Edinburgh |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Attendance at the REPHRAIN All Hands Meeting in Edinburgh. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Police partner sharing information about 3PO |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | One of the 3PO Project's police partners shared 3PO Research to members of staff and officers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Police partner sharing information about 3PO |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | One of the 3PO Project's police partners shared 3PO Research to members of staff and officers (internal communication). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Presentation of 3PO at a confidential event in Australia |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation of the 3PO Project at a confidential security event in Australia. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Presentation to Senior Leadership Team at Regional Organised Crime Units |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation to Regional Organised Crime Units as a forerunner for further research participation with 3PO |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Radio Interview about the 3PO Project |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Radio interview about 3PO project, Hallam FM & Greatest Hits Radio South Yorkshire |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Sheffield Hallam University press release on organisational website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Sheffield Hallam University released a press release on the organisation's website regarding the beginnings of the 3PO Project. Led to an invitation to a radio interview to introduce 3PO to a broader general audience. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.shu.ac.uk/news/all-articles/latest-news/centric-3po-project |
Description | Twitter, Linkedin and General Social Media Activity |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The 3PO Project has successfully set up various social medias (with the primary being Twitter and LinkedIn). Over the course of the project we aim to expand these social medias accounts with the hope of reaching as many people as possible. We are regularly Tweeting and post on LinkedIn about the project activities as well as highlighting the events of REPHRAIN and others related. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
URL | https://twitter.com/3PO_project |
Description | Website Blog Posts and Updates |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We have continually been updating the 3PO Website with news about the endeavors that the project has undertaken. https://3po-project.co.uk/news |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |