Inaugural Detective Sergeants CPD Conference, 25 and 26 March 2025

• An online conference aimed at Detective Sergeants to support their continuous professional development

 

• Our Conference recognises and celebrates the pivotal role Detective Sergeants play in today’s increasingly complex investigations

 

• It features a packed programme of best practice presentations from Detective Sergeants, leading law enforcement practitioners, industry and academia

 

• Our speakers will explore current challenges and opportunities and offer best practice, support and encouragement for Detective Sergeants to enable them to develop in their role

 

• Provides a forum for debate and networking

 

• Held online Via Teams. Certificates of CPD available.

 

The Investigator is pleased to announce our first Detective Sergeants CPD conference that aims to bring together Detective Sergeants to discuss current issues, challenges and best practice that are unique to the role of the DS.

 

Our event aims to recognise Detective Sergeants as a professional body and provide them with best practice, support and advice to enable them to thrive and develop.

 

This comes at a time when the role of the Detective Sergeant has never been more important. The DS is pivotal to the management and supervision of investigations and they are deployed in diverse roles across a range of departments and disciplines.

 

It also comes at a time when policing is becoming more complex and risk-based and where actions and decisions are increasingly subject to heightened levels of scrutiny both internally and externally.

 

Speakers and topics

Roles and Responsibilities

An overview of the current roles and responsibilities of the DS: challenges, opportunities and future evolution, Chief Superintendent Jamie Daniels, Crime and Criminal Justice Delivery Lead, College of Policing

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Professional identity and the Detective Sergeant: understanding roles, and responsibilities, Dr Emma Spooner, Programme Lead, BA (Hons) Applied Investigation course, University of Sunderland, former investigator with the National Crime Agency and Wiltshire Police

Understanding your roles and responsibilities under Police Regulations, Ben Hudson, Chair of the Police Federation National Detective Forum and DI, Suffolk Police

 

Research

New research that assesses whether DS’s are getting the best from suspect interviews in Rape and Serious Sexual Assault (RASSO) investigations, DS Jesse Conquest, Safeguarding Coordination Hub, Crime Directorate, Derbyshire Constabulary 

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Detective Sergeant’s experiences of complex demand, competing pressures and resilience, Abigail Salter, former DS and now Lecturer in Policing Organisation and Practice, Faculty of Business and Law, Open University
 

Managing and Supervising Teams

Challenges and opportunities of managing and supervising teams in a busy force-wide specialist unit, DS Jason Vickers, Specialist Crime Command, Serious Organised Crime Unit, Sussex Police

 

Learning and Development

Learning and Development opportunities for Detective Sergeants to help maintain annual accreditation, Andy Welbourn, Crime Training Manager, West Yorkshire Police

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Undertaking academic study to develop and enhance in the DS role and to prepare for promotion, Professor Gary Shaw, MBE, Professor of Professional Practice, University of Sunderland and former NCA National Interview Advisor

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An insight into how DS’s can use analysis to support a successful investigation, Lucy Roger National Analyst Business Group and Intelligence and analytics lead, Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX)

 

Contemporary Challenges

Working as a DS at the forefront of digital and cyber investigations, DS Chris Haines, Digital Operations, Digital Strategy and Data Exploitation, Digital Intelligence Services. Met Police

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Working as a DS in intelligence and digital analysis, DS Darren Murphy, Intelligence Manager, Major Crime Unit, Specialist Intelligence and Digital Analysis team, Joint Protective Services for Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Constabularies

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Decision Making and Developing as a Manager and Leader  

Making effective decisions and the Detective Sergeant, Matt Bonner, retired SIO with the Met Police Homicide and Serious Command and now experienced SIO trainer with the College of Policing

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Developing key leadership skills and an assessment of the difference between a leader and a manager, Stuart Blaik, retired SIO with Thames Valley Police and now trainer delivering The Investigative Supervisor/Manager Development Programme (ISMDP) to policing.

 

Health and Well-being

Managing your well-being and the well-being of your team, recognising and responding to trauma and PTSD, Paul Roe, Retired Police Officer, who now runs Blue Paw Wellbeing and Trauma Support

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Accessing Health and Wellbeing services, Police Federation, TBC

 

Further speakers to be announced shortly.

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HOW TO BOOK

Cost: £299.99 + VAT (GBP) per delegate (LEA and Government Agency rate). 

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Group bookings: We offer various discounts for group bookings depending on numbers, please contact us for details.

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Booking: Please send the delegates name(s), email address(es) and purchase order (made out to The Investigator) to booking@the-investigator.co.uk or telephone +44(0)844 660 8707 for further information. 

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Payment can be made by PayPal/debit/credit card (corporate card fees apply + 3%). ​The meeting link will be sent out 7 days before the event.