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This pioneering and exciting two-day event will see international and local speakers from academia, public health and policing come together to explore the subject of Neurodiversity in Policing. This event will be hosted by Edinburgh Napier University in partnership with the Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association, the Scottish Institute for Policing Research and Police Scotland.
The event will take place on the 12th and 13th of February 2025 at the Sighthill Campus of Edinburgh Napier University.
The two-day event will offer a platform for learning, exploring, and challenging how neurodiversity impacts officers/staff and the public they serve. Day one will focus on ‘Our People’ as the theme for discussion with Day 2 focusing on ‘Our Public’.
The event is free to attend and will be open on each day.
***There will be limited parking available for both days. For further information, please contact sipr@napier.ac.uk.***
***Please ensure you select the correct tickets. Police Scotland tickets are for Police Scotland personnel only. Any non-Police Scotland orders for those tickets will be cancelled and reallocated to General Admission.***
***Please be aware that there will be photo/video recording of small elements of both days for internal and external marketing purposes. If you do not wish to be included in this, please contact us as soon as possible.***
***Police Scotland Attendees must have approval from their organisation to attend this event.***
Further programme details forthcoming.
Day Two will be opened by Deputy Chief Constable Alan Spiers from the Professionalism, Strategy, and Engagement team.
Speakers to be confirmed.
We propose a conference presentation which will be developed on a model of co-production with people with lived experience. The presentation will be co-delivered by members of the SOLD User group and SOLD workers. All members of the SOLD User group are people with learning disabilities and/or autism with experience of the justice system as an accused person.
The content of the presentation will focus on the key reasons people with learning disabilities and autism come into conflict with the law. This will cover:
We will also provide insights into the key elements required for inclusive justice including identification of needs, accessible information, and additional support, both in relation to system processes, but also for successful long-term rehabilitation.
Speaker: Dr Megan Parry
Abstract to follow.
Speaker: Dr Jana De Villiers
Abstract to follow.
Speaker: Dr Alice Siberry – Specialist Neurodiversity Criminal Justice Consultant
Abstract to follow.
Speakers: Superintendent Patricia Robertson, Professor Stan Gilmour, and Speaker from Edinburgh Napier University (to be confirmed)
Abstract to follow.
Megan M. Parry, (PhD), is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Rhode Island. Her research draws on theories of police legitimacy, social cognition, and media studies and focuses on public perceptions of policing. Her current research examines policing and disabled populations, in particular autistic and Deaf and hard of hearing communities experiences and perceptions of the police. Her work has been published in Crime and Delinquency, Law & Society Review, Justice Quarterly.
Dr de Villiers is the Forensic Network Clinical Lead for Intellectual Disability. She is Consultant Psychiatrist for the High Secure Intellectual Disability Service for Scotland and Northern Ireland, based at the State Hospital. Prior to her appointment at The State Hospital, she was the Consultant Psychiatrist for the Fife Forensic Learning Disability Service from 2011 until 2018, with responsibility for a regional low secure ward, a forensic learning disability locked ward and the Fife-wide community forensic learning disability team. She also contributed to a forensic autism advisory service. She has presented on forensic aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders at both national and international conferences, and contributed to the reference textbook ‘Forensic Aspects of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide’, published in October 2023. She is currently Chair of the Intellectual Disability Faculty for the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland.
Alice received her PhD in Criminology and Law from the University of Sheffield in July 2021. She also holds a first-class degree in Counselling, Coaching and Mentoring and an MSc Psychology degree. Throughout her studies, Alice continued to gain experience in the Criminal Justice sector and the neurodiversity sector. She has worked with North and West Yorkshire Police, and the Independent Office of Police Conduct. She also lectured at the University of Sheffield and York St John University, where she worked primarily with neurodivergent students. Alice is a Specialist Neurodiversity Consultant at Creased Puddle. Continuing her personal and professional passion for neurodiversity, she delivers training and consultancy to a wide range of businesses and organisations. Alice is also highly experienced in managing the most complex and high-profile Workplace Needs Assessments. As Academic Lead, she bridges academic research with practical applications, ensuring innovative and evidence-informed approaches to neurodiversity in the workplace. She also collaborates with universities on consultancy research projects, providing tailored solutions and insights informed by her academic and practical experience. In recognition of her research contributions, Alice was awarded the Translational Fellowship by the ESRC Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre. This fellowship supports her ongoing research into neurodiversity, particularly within policing. Her first book, “Diversity, Difference or Disorder: Neurodiversity in British Policing”, is currently in development and will be published early 2025.
Global Strategic Consultant | Transforming Public Safety, Health, and Wellbeing. Professor Stan Gilmour is a distinguished strategic consultant with over 30 years of experience in law enforcement, public safety, and partnership-building. As the Founder and CEO of Oxon Advisory (OXA), established in 2023, he provides innovative solutions to advance community safety, health, and wellbeing. Throughout his career, Professor Gilmour has demonstrated exceptional leadership in law enforcement, with Thames Valley Police, the South East Counter Terrorism Unit, and as Director of the Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit. His expertise spans neighbourhood policing, counterterrorism, organised crime, major investigations, and violence prevention, with a deep commitment to collaborative approaches at local, national, and international levels. In addition to his operational achievements, he is a respected academic, holding positions as a Professor at Keele University, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, and an external examiner at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on neurodisability, violence prevention, state threats, and capacity-building strategies for harm reduction. Professor Gilmour has also been a pioneer in data collaboration, leading the development of the UK Common Data Platform, a groundbreaking initiative to improve cross-sector information sharing. Internationally, he has worked extensively with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to enhance global capacities for prevention and harm reduction. Recognised for his contributions, in 2024 he was awarded the King’s Police Medal for distinguished service and received the Home Secretary’s Commendation in 2023 for services to home affairs. As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of numerous national and international advisory boards, he continues to shape the fields of public safety and community wellbeing. A published author and thought leader, Professor Gilmour shares his insights on policing, organised crime, data collaboration, systems leadership, neurodisability, equity, and human rights through academic and professional platforms. His work embodies a forward-thinking vision, integrating innovation, collaboration, and a deep commitment to creating safer, healthier communities worldwide. For more, visit his LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stan-gilmour
Trish Robertson is a Superintendent with Police Scotland, covering the role of Partnerships and Preventions for Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Argyll and West Dunbartonshire. She has 20 years police experience, having joined Lothian and Borders Police in 2005. She has worked in a variety of roles across policing, including response, community, CID, Major Investigations, HMICS (secondment) and Executive Support. She is a trained Hostage and Crisis Negotiator and Coordinator and has worked with negotiators from across the globe. She has also worked in Malawi, developing and delivering training for police colleagues in relation to child protection and gender-based violence. Prior to her current role, Superintendent Robertson worked within Criminal Justice Services Division and held the portfolio for Custody Healthcare and Interventions. This involved working with NHS health boards and 3rd sector organisations to improve the identification and support for underlying causes of offending and vulnerabilities, to improve outcomes and reduce re-offending.
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