Following the success of previous Innovation Zones, we sat down with Detective Superintendent Richard Myszczyszyn to explore the plans for the Innovation Zone in 2026 and why innovation in security and policing is more important than ever.
Richard, why do you think it’s important to consider innovation in the operational world?
As someone who spent more than two decades in policing before joining the Home Office Science, Innovation & Technology (SIT) Delivery team, I’ve seen first-hand how quickly the operational landscape is changing. From major crime to public protection, science, technology and innovation now play a central role in how we keep people safe.
That’s why I’m particularly proud to champion the Innovation Zone at Security & Policing (S&P) 2026, a space designed to bring operational colleagues, government and industry together to solve real operational challenges and shape the future of public safety and national security.
And how does the Innovation Zone help bring these groups together?
Since joining the Home Office on secondment, I’ve worked closely with policing and borders colleagues to continue to develop how operational requirements are fully reflected throughout the Home Office’s missions. The Innovation Zone is one of the most important places where this happens.
It ensures that the voices of frontline colleagues, alongside innovation partners across government, academia and industry, directly inform the Home Office’s research, development and innovation (RDI) work. It’s also where some of the most exciting ideas and technologies start their journey into operational reality.
What can we expect from the Innovation Zone at S&P 2026?
Building on solid foundations from previous years, the Innovation Zone at S&P 2026 will spotlight work aligned to the Home Office’s core missions: Public Safety, Migration & Borders, and Homeland Security.
Across the Zone, you will find demonstrations, panels and presentations on:
- AI enabled tools supporting investigations, safeguarding and offender risk management
- New capabilities for border security, biometrics and threat detection
- Emerging technologies tackling drone misuse, deepfakes and AI enabled crime
- Operational efficiencies that help forces save time and reduce cost pressures
- Advances in forensics including innovations building on 30 years of the National DNA Database
These aren’t future concepts – these are technologies and approaches already helping deliver safer streets, secure borders and stronger public safety outcomes today.
How can people get involved in the Innovation Zone?
The Innovation Zone is built for participation, insight and collaboration. Whether you’re a policy adviser, technical specialist or frontline partner, your experience matters.
Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Join the workshops and live sessions: Hear directly from RDI programme teams and share your operational insight. Your experiences help us understand what works, and what still needs to be solved.
- Explore new technologies: Test prototypes and speak to the innovators behind them. These conversations often shape the next stage of development.
- Bring your challenges: We want to hear about the problems you face on the frontline. The Zone includes dedicated spaces for roundtables and networking on the latest science and technology issues.
- Connect across policing, government and industry: The Innovation Zone brings together people who rarely get the chance to collaborate in the same room. It’s a unique opportunity to build partnerships and influence future priorities and find out what we have been up to one year on from the publication of our Research, Development and Innovation Strategy.
Looking Ahead
I encourage all colleagues to visit the Innovation Zone at S&P 2026 and explore how we can work together to keep the UK safe and secure. Whether your interests lie in data analytics and AI, forensics, detection technologies, behavioural science or emerging capabilities, the Zone is the perfect place to see what’s coming next.
More importantly, it’s an opportunity to share your insight, identify areas where we can collaborate on shared challenges, and help shape the next generation of science, innovation and technology for policing and public protection.
If you’re attending S&P 2026, make sure the Innovation Zone is at the top of your agenda, your voice and experience will directly influence the future of UK security and policing.
