The Innovation Zone returns to Security & Policing 2025 with new organisations to engage with and an exciting programme of speakers and panels from senior government, policing, industry, academia, and international partners.
We asked Detective Chief Superintendent Jerome Kent, Home Office Science Senior Police Advisor, to reflect on last year’s Innovation Zone programme.
What is the Innovation Zone?
The Innovation Zone brings together key organisations, such as Home Office Science, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), and National Crime Agency, with key innovation platforms like the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) and Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA). The Innovation Zone stage hosts a variety of briefings, panel sessions, networking opportunities and awards from senior members of government, policing and the Border Force responsible for national security, border security, and safer streets.
Why should I visit the Innovation Zone?
The Innovation Zone provides attendees with a central hub for networking and engagement with the security and policing innovation communities. Facilitating connections between different stakeholders, ranging from police forces to technical specialists, enables exchange of knowledge and expertise. The presence of industry, academia, and international partners emphasises the focus on fostering relationships, creating avenues for identification of opportunities on current and future challenges. Furthermore, interactions with government officials in the innovation sector allow the exploration of synergies, facilitating discussions on potential collaborations for mutual benefit. The collaborative environment in the Innovation Zone plays a vital role in enhancing dialogue, promoting innovation, and fostering future collaborations across diverse sectors.
What were a few highlights from the Innovation Zone last year?
The stage events and presentations were engaging, providing the presenter with a valuable platform to discuss scientific, innovative, and technological themes. This proved to be highly effective in attracting a diverse audience and facilitating discussions tailored to the insights gained from the event. Additionally, having police advisors participate in panel discussions offered real world, operational perspectives, generating even more interest in the topics being explored.
Highlights for me last year included INTERPOL Innovation Centre’s presentation on Policing and Innovation discussing how to prepare for the unknown. We were able establish links prior to the highly successful 92nd INTERPOL General Assembly that was held in Glasgow later in the year. We also had productive conversations with the National Physical Laboratory to better understand their areas of expertise and how we can collaborate on future projects. The Home Office Forensics Databases team did a great presentation on the future of forensic database services and the ‘Swab out Crime’ DNA profile testing of the Y-chromosome. Other highlights included AI and deepfakes; Position, Navigation and Timing (GPS); Ethics; and Horizon Europe. I was also able to meet up with police colleagues, understand their innovation priorities and requirements, and hopefully help introduce them to some potential solutions.
Security and Policing serves as an excellent platform for engaging in meaningful conversations for addressing shared challenges with various government departments, industry, and academia that you may not have engaged with before.
Make sure to visit the Innovation Zone to explore how we can work together to keep the UK safe and secure. Whether your interests are in data analytics and AI, forensics, detection, behavioural science, emerging technologies, or more, stop by to discuss how we can build our science, innovation and technology capabilities, identify opportunities to work together on shared challenges, and support innovation.