Dr Adrian James
School of Justice Studies
Faculty of Arts Professional and Social Studies
Email: A.D.James@ljmu.ac.uk
Telephone: 0151 231 5156
ORCID
Former Scotland Yard detective, Adrian James, is the Research Director for the Centre for Advanced Police Studies, Liverpool John Moores University, UK He is a Reader in Police Studies. Awarded his doctorate by the London School of Economics for a study into the origins and development of intelligence-led policing, Adrian has published extensively on investigative policy and practice. He maintains strong links with the policing institution through his research and consultancy work. In recent years, he has competed: a study into ‘what works’ in police intelligence practice for the UK’s College of Policing; an evaluation of the UK's financial investigation processes for the Home Office; and evaluations of detective recruitment and training for the National Police Chiefs' Council. Currently, he is investigating detective performance across five police forces in England and also researching the changing nature of serious and organised crime, with police practitioners and academics in the Netherlands and Scandinavia.
Degrees
2012, London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom, PhD
2003, London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom, MSc with Merit in Criminal Justice Policy
2000, University of Portsmouth, UK, BSc (Hons) Policing & Police Studies
Academic appointments
Co-Director, Scenes of Crime & Accidents Network, Forensic Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2024 - present
Director of Research - Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies, School of Justice Studies, Liverpool John Moores University, 2022 - present
External Examiner (BSc Professional Policing Practice & Graduate Diploma Professional Policing Practice), Centre for Intelligence & War, Brunel University, 2021 - 2024
Visiting Professor, Faculty of Life Sciences & Education, University of South Wales, 2021 - 2026
External examiner, BSc (Hons) Policing & Criminal Investigation, School of Justice, University of Central Lancashire, 2021 - 2025
Reader in Police Studies, Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies, Liverpool John Moores University, 2017 - present
External Examiner, Police Sciences, University of South Wales, 2017 - 2021
External Examiner, Sociology, University of Limerick (Garda Siochana College), 2016 - 2021
External Examiner, Social Sciences, Humanities & Law, Teesside Universty, 2015 - 2020
Senior Lecturer in Criminal Investigation, Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth, 2007 - 2017
Internet publication
James A, Carr R. 2025. Overburdened and undervalued: inside the world of modern detectives Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
James AD. 2016. Drowning not waving: after 40 years of neglect, what now should be done to develop police intelligence practice in Britain? Publisher Url Public Url
James AD. 2016. In praise of 'little data' Author Url Publisher Url
Report
James A, Silverstone D, Karecha J, Kelly T, Carr R. 2025. A report for the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) on innovative programmes for the recruitment and training of investigators, currently in operation in police forces in England & Wales A report for the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) on innovative programmes for the recruitment and training of investigators, currently in operation in police forces in England & Wales Public Url
James A, Pajon L, O'Brien F, Carr R. 2024. Whodunnit? Do officers have the skills they need to answer that eternal question? Whodunnit? Do officers have the skills they need to answer that eternal question? Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Cox C, Panter HA, James A, Boulton L, Hagan R, Craven J, Silverstone DM. 2023. Diversity and inclusion within police firearms teams Diversity and inclusion within police firearms teams Public Url
James A. 2019. Written evidence provided to The Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants (established on 13/12/2018 by the Governor of Victoria to inquire into and report on Victoria Police’s relationship with a former criminal barrister, and matters relating to Victoria Police’s use and management of human sources with legal obligations of confidentiality or privilege) As above :1-8
James AD, Phythian M, Wadie F, Richardson J. What works in intelligence Public Url
Allen C, Adrian J, Ian D. An Evaluation of the UK's Proceeds of Crime Centre
Journal article
Cox C, Yates J, O'Brien F, Pajon Moreno L, Farrell A, Ward M, McCabe P, James A, McNamara-Catalano I. 2024. Wearable Technology: A Wellbeing Option for Serving Police Officers and Staff? A Comparison of Results of a Pilot Study with Firearms Officers and a Group of Mixed Officers and Staff International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21 :1-17 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
James A. 2023. Firearms officers: new report reveals the ‘toxic culture’ keeping women and ethnic minorities out of specialist squads The Conversation, Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
James A, Rogers C, Turner J, Silverstone D. 2023. Helping the police with their inquiries: improving investigator resilience and capacity in England and Wales Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, DOI Publisher Url Public Url
James AD, Safjański T. 2018. Europol's crime analysis system - practical determinants of its success Policing, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
James A. 2017. The Path to Enlightenment: Limiting Costs and Maximizing Returns from Intelligence-Led Policy and Practice in Public Policing Policing (Oxford): a journal of policy and practice, 11 :410-420 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
James AD, Valkberg E. 2017. Intelligence Icelandic Police Journal, Public Url
James AD, Phythian M, Wadie F, Richards J. 2017. The road not taken: understanding barriers to the development of police intelligence practice The International Journal of Intelligence, Security, and Public Affairs , 19 :77-91 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
James AD. 2013. Forward to the past: reinventing intelligence-led policing in Britain Police Practice and Research, 15 :75-88 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
James A, Mills M. 2012. Does Acpo Know Best: To What Extent May the Pip Programme Provide a Template for the Professionalisation of Policing? Police Journal, 85 :133-149 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2005. Criminal Networks, Illegal Immigration and the Threat to Border Security International Journal of Police Science and Management, 7 :219-229 DOI Publisher Url
James AD. 2005. Criminal Networks. The challenge to Policing the 21st Century? SIAK-Journal − Zeitschrift für Polizeiwissenschaft und polizeiliche Praxis, 3 :20-28 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
James AD. 2003. The advance of intelligence-led policing strategies: the emperor’s new clothes? The Police Journal, 76 :45-59 DOI Publisher Url
Cox C, Blockley T, Hagan R, James A. Is the Police Service still a long term career choice? Perspectives of new recruits. Policing: an international journal of police strategies and management, DOI Publisher Url
Book review
James A, John T. 2023. The Human Factor — Maximising the Use of Police Informants International Journal of Police Science and Management, 5 :214-215 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
James A. 2018. Review of Jerry Ratcliffe, Intelligence Led Policing (2nd Edition). Published in Abingdon, Oxon by Routledge (2016), 222 pages. POLICING & SOCIETY, 28 :120-122 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Chapters
James A, Huotari V. 2023. Police and Policing Models Corteen K, Steele R, Cross N, McManus M. Forensic Psychology, Crime, and Policing Policy Press. Bristol, UK 978-1447359395 Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
James AD. 2018. Intelligence-Led Policing: Comparing National Approaches to its Regulation and Control den Boer M. Handbook on Comparative Policing from a Legal Perspective :134-152 Edward Elgar Research DOI Publisher Url Public Url
James A. 2016. Organisational intelligence processes UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :73-88 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. Intelligence work in context UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :23-37 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. Opportunities and threats in the digital age UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :107-121 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. The legal and procedural framework UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :55-72 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. Organisational structures UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :39-54 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. Fundamentals of intelligence practice UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :5-22 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. Taking stock: looking ahead UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :139-151 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK Preface UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :XI-+ 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. Directing intelligence work UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :89-105 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2016. Intelligence failure UNDERSTANDING POLICE INTELLIGENCE WORK :123-137 978-1-4473-2641-0
James A. 2013. Evaluating the NIM: County Case Study Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :168-190 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2013. Evaluating the NIM: Challenges to the Model Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :122-144 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2013. Setting the Contemporary Policing Scene Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :1-22 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2013. A Brief History of Investigative and Intelligence Practice in Britain Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :23-48 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2013. The Prospects for ILP Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :191-207 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2013. ILP as a Catalyst for Policy/Knowledge Transfer Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :98-121 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2013. Intelligence-Led Investigation Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :49-72 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2013. ILP in the Contemporary Era Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :73-97 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
James A. 2013. Evaluating ILP and the NIM: Urban Case Study Examining Intelligence-Led Policing :145-167 Palgrave Macmillan UK 9781349455515 DOI Publisher Url
Books (authored)
James A. 2016. Understanding police intelligence work Policy Press 9781447326434 DOI Author Url Publisher Url
James A. 2013. Examining intelligence-led policing: Developments in research, policy and practice :1-227 DOI Publisher Url
Young S. Adrian James(2016) Understanding Police Intelligence Work :paw049-paw049 Oxford University Press (OUP) DOI Publisher Url
Thesis/Dissertation
James AD. The influence of intelligence-led policing models on investigative policy and practice in mainstream policing 1993-2007: division, resistance and investigative orthodoxy Newburn T.
Other
James AD. Police intelligence practice in the UK Public Url
Highlighted activities
Research Grants Awarded:
National Police Chiefs Council, Evaluation of fast-track detective recruitment schemes, Silverstone, Daniel; Kelly, Tim; Karecha, Jay; Carr, Richard, Grant value (£): 48000, Duration of research project: 6 months. 2019
Professional activities
Conference presentation:
Whodunnit? Ensuring Effective Investigator Capacity and Capability, National Police Chiefs Council, Investigator Wellbeing Week of Action, Online - hosted by NPCC, Oral presentation. 2024
Keynote - Examining intelligence led policing: a critical review of its promises, European Crime Analysis Conference 2024, Copenhagen, Oral presentation. 2024
Analysis in the Finnish Police - applied research in a practice-driven organisation (discussant of paper presented by Juha Syrja), 8th Nordic Police Research Conference, online (Tampere, Finland), Oral presentation. 2021
Review of Fast-Track Detective Recruitment in the UK, NPCC Detective Resilience Summit Learning Event, Conference Centre, College of Policing, Leamington Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry. CV8 3EN, Oral presentation. 2019
Achieving expertise in police intelligence practice through simulation, LJMU Teaching & Learning Conference, LJMU, Lecture. 2019
Can science solve policing's problems, New trends in modern policing, Norwegian Police University College, Oslo., Keynote presentation. 2019
Achieving expertise in police intelligence practice through simulation, CEPOL 2017 Research and Science Conference INNOVATIONS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT - Implications for practice, education and civil society, National University of Public Services; Budapest, Hungary, Oral presentation. 2017
Teaching law enforcement intelligence, 12th Annual IAFIE and 1st Annual Conference of IAFIE''s European Chapter, Royal Military Academy, Breda, The Netherlands, part of the Intelligence & Consumers session. 2016
Future of intelligence - an academic perspective, ACPO National Intelligence Conference - Intelligence fusion: connecting the dots, Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicestershire, Oral presentation. 2013
Up the Evolution! or Where next for criminal intelligence and ILP?, ACPO National Intelligence Conference, Hinckley, Oral presentation. 2013
Other invited event:
Presentation of interim findings of detective research to the National Special Crime Department (NSK), Denmark, NSK Headquarters, Copenhagen, Denmark, Presentation to senior members of the NSK as described above. 2024
London Policing Seminar Series, online (UCL), Presented paper on direct entry detectives - police recruitment and training. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/jill-dando-institute/research/institute-global-city-policing/igcp-events. 2021
Danish Police intelligence analysis course, University College Copenhagen, Online - guest speaker on intelligence course delivered by University College Copenhagen, Faculty of Social Education, Social Work and Administration Department of Management and Administration, Emergency and Risk Management. 2020
Meeting of the National Police Board of Finland, Police University College, FI-33721, Tampere, Finland, Presentation to the Finnish National Police Board on the international adoption of intelligence-led policing. 2017
OSCE Guidebook on Intelligence-Led Policing - Launching Event, OSCE Headquarters, Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria, Launch of the OSCE Guidebook on Intelligence-Led Policing. Dr James was a key contributor to the guidebook. 2017
Organisation for Security & Cooperation in Europe, Annual Police Experts Meeting, Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria, Keynote speaker - 2016 Annual Police Experts Meeting under the German Chairmanship-in-Office of the OSCE. The meeting addresses the subject of Intelligence-Led Policing: A Model for Strategic Planning; Strengthening Community Policing; and Countering Transnational Threats by Criminal Activity.. 2016
Media Coverage:
Opinion piece on serious organised crime in Policing Insight (opens in a new tab) 2023
Other Professional Activity:
Professional Development Course for External Examiners. 2023
Safer Streets 3 review panel member. Working in a small team on behalf of the Merseyside PCC to review local authority bids for Home Office Safer Streets funding. 2021
3-4/10/2018. Facilitated two-day visit to LCAPS by Norwegian Police University College. Visit led be Assistant Chief of Police Johnny Steenbek.
Member of ESRC Global Challenge Peer Review Group.
External PGR examinations performed:
University of Gloucestershire, PhD, Who should pay for the policing of football? A critical examination of Special Police Service (SPS) arrangements for football policing in England and Wales. 2023
Canterbury Christ Church, MSc by thesis, Simply brilliant or brilliantly simple? Practitioners perspectives of the utility of the national decision model in relation to criminal investigation. 2022
Edge Hill, MPhil, Building partnerships to fight crime: an exploratory case study for police to investigate telephone frauds through creating a Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).. 2021
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, An examination of risk-taking behaviour by armed police officers of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. 2021
Charles Sturt University, Queensland, Australia, PhD, Intelligence Support for Tactical Policing: Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace. 2019
London Metropolitan, Professional Doctorate, Preventing and reducing intelligence flaws with particular reference to the Mossad.. 2019
London Metropolitan University, PhD, The extent of changing role of women participating in ‘front line’ terrorism (Women being accepted as suicide terrorists, violent and ruthless; devotion or struggle for equality). 2019
Canterbury Christ Church University, MPhil, An explorative case study of the coping mechanisms used by the Metropolitan Police Service Territorial Support Group. 2018
University of South Wales, PhD, An exploration of changes to the investigation of homicide in England and Wales from the 1980s to the present day. 2018
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, Policing the Police and Crime Commissioners: An evaluation of the effectiveness of Police and Crime Panels in holding Police and Crime Commissioners to account. 2017
London Metropolitan University, Professional Doctorate, Police governance in Canada - a parallax perspective. 2016
Canterbury Christ Church University, MPhil, Skin coloured targets. 2016
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, "Mediation and Gangs: A study of violence reduction in the Metropolitan Police Area in London".. 2015
London Metropolitan University, Professional Doctorate, Same destination, Different Journey: a comparative study of public order policing in Britain and Spain. 2015
Canterbury Christ Church University, MPhil, Eyewitness Understanding of Post-Identification Feedback and Witness Confidence Inflation as System Variables: a review of police practice. 2014
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, "Pathways to Accountability? Independent Oversight, the Right to Life and the Investigation of Deaths involving the Police". 2014
London Metropolitan University, Professional Doctorate, The life and death of S.44 Terrorism Act 2000 - stop and search. 2013
London Metropolitan University, Professional Doctorate, Policing in Afghanistan. Time for the local Afghan police to play a greater role?. 2013
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, Increasing the effectiveness and impact of Community Safety Partnerships in two London boroughs: practitioners’ perspectives. 2013
London Metropolitan University, Professional Doctorate, Assessing the challenge of policing animal rights extremism in the UK and the changing impact on community safety and human rights in the period 2004-2010.. 2013
University of Portsmouth, PhD, Watchdogs of the wrongly convicted: the role of the media in revealing miscarriages of justice. 2012
Fellowships:
Visiting Professor, University of South Wales Department of Life Sciences & Education. 2021
Research Grants Awarded:
Home Office, An evaluation of the UK's Proceeds of Crime Centre, Daniel Silverstone; Cheryl Bolton, Emily Hughes; Ian Davidson (external); Mick Creedon (external); Chris Allen (external); Nick Ridley (external), Grant value (£): 78,000, Duration of research project: 9 months. 2019
National Police Chiefs Council, Evaluation of fast-track detective recruitment schemes, Silverstone, Daniel; Kelly, Tim; Karecha, Jay; Carr, Richard, Grant value (£): 48000, Duration of research project: 6 months. 2019
APSS, Achieving expertise in police intelligence practice through simulation, Grant value (£): 1800, Duration of research project: 6 months. 2018
UK College of Policing, What works in intelligence practice?, Mark Phythian (University of Leicester); Julian Richards (Buckingham University); Fiona Wadie (University of Portsmouth), Grant value (£): 24,550, Duration of research project: 2 years. 2014
External PGR Supervision - completed students:
University of Portsmouth, PhD, 'The life-stories of young adult men in the criminal justice system and the role that offender services have in shaping them: A critical narrative analysis. 2019
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, Providing explicit knowledge in an experience-driven culture: levels of professionalism in intelligence analysis and its role in the law enforcement knowledge management apparatus. 2019
University of Portsmouth, PhD, Adapting to a new security environment: Turkey’s border security.. 2016
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, Does External Power Affect the Fairness of Public Policing in Dublin's North Inner City?. 2016
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, "Pregnancy on Patrol - A Critical Exploration of the Issues Surrounding Pregnancy, Maternity and Operational Policing". 2015
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, An examination of the use and management of juvenile covert human intelligence sources (CHIS) and child safeguarding orthodoxy in England: an exploratory study.. 2015
University of Portsmouth, Professional Doctorate, To what degree have the non-police public services adopted the National Intelligence Model?. 2012
External collaboration:
National Police Chiefs Council, Intelligence Practice Consortium, David Hollies, West Midlands Police. 2018
British Transport Police, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Newton (Review of force's national intelligence plan).. 2016
National Police Chiefs Council, ACC Phil Kay, Leicestershire Police, Intelligence Innovation Group. 2013
Conference organisation:
Conference on “Intelligence-Led Policing – The Path to a Smarter Policing". A conference organised under the auspices of the Georgian MIA International Relations Department and the EU's Criminal Justice Support Project for Georgia., Conference moderator and keynote speaker, http://agenda-dev.website/en/news/2017/4326. 2017
Membership of professional bodies:
Member - International Association for Intelligence Education, International Association for Intelligence Education, http://www.iafie.org/. 2015
Member - Association of Ex-Detectives of the Metropolitan Police, Association of Ex-Detectives of the Metropolitan Police, https://www.exscotlandyarddetectives.org/. 2007
Teaching qualification:
Advanced Certificate in Education. 2002
City & Guilds - Further and Adult Education Teaching Certificate. 1998