And what is the current state of policing?

Police in Europe were already facing mounting pressures, with the threat of the far-right, left-wing extremists, organised crime gangs, and deteriorating morale and public trust even before the pandemic hit the continent last year. With governments imposing lockdowns in Europe because of COVID-19, this has impacted on how police are dealing with extremism, changed the potential operational landscape for organised crime, and caused economic and personal stress factors to a wide section of the population. This has worsened many of these issues, with increasing clashes with police by ordinary citizens, and creating opportunities for criminals and activists alike.

Policing the pandemic has also meant dealing with worsening anti-lockdown protests, enforcing business closures and social distancing rules, and arresting criminals who may spit, cough or use the threat of COVID-19 to resist arrest.

We've also seen that attacks on police, as well as protests and riots in Europe, have become a common feature of policing during the pandemic.

This episode takes a look at the current state of policing across Europe, particularly since the lockdowns were imposed, to see the impact of COVID-19 on police forces across the continent, and what long-term effects this might have on policing, and on police mental health.

Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day-to-day monitoring of the security landscape in Europe. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0

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