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Governance

TOEX is part of two linked governance structures:

1. Operational response to Organised Exploitation

The first relates to the operational response to Organised Exploitation, as a result of TOEX intelligence and analytical resources being embedded in the ROCUs and the provision of a national team to coordinate the response. The resources, funded by the Spending Review and Police Uplift Programme, are dedicated to tackling the criminal and safeguarding aspects of exploitation under a 4P response model.

A quarterly TOEX Strategic Governance Group (SGG) is attended by senior leads/staff officers for relevant NPCC portfolios, Home Office, C3E strategy partners, PND, VKPP and ROCU pilot sites. The SGG deals with the detail of operational delivery, implementation, resourcing, infrastructure and enablers, communications and stakeholder engagement and Home Office Grant Agreement reporting.

TOEX are represented on the National Strategic Governance Groups for MSHT & CSA. SGGs held at regional level are attended by the regional TOEX Detective Inspector, to ensure delivery against regional aims and objectives.

2. Technical collaboration

TOEX remains at the cutting edge of technical innovation and we are now looking to transition our data strategy from being force-hosted (Norfolk/Suffolk) to being delivered across our regional network against TOEX operational demand.

There are two key parts to our plans:

  • Capability Development – The programme continues to develop and test new technical capabilities for operational use against TOEX demand, in the fight against organised exploitation. These intelligence, analytical and research tools have been developed by the TOEX data team and are being used within live investigations. This workstream is at the leading edge of the development of predictive analytics to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of policing data. TOEX has been working with national policing partners with a desire to share as many of these tools and applications with wider law enforcement as possible, following the principle of ‘build once, many uses’. The Police Digital Service (PDS) possess the remit to create repeatable solutions on behalf of all forces. Building on the successful evolution of the National Blueprints – including Microsoft Office 365 and the Sentinel cyber security products – PDS are now seeking to deploy ‘Shared Services for policing’, with TOEX hoping to be one of the first to realise a centrally-hosted service.
  • TOEX Data Platform – TOEX, together with industry partners, have developed an operational, scaled, cloud-hosted data solution for policing. The TOEX Data Platform has a unique ability to conflate local, regional & national data allowing valuable assets to focus on high-harm victims and offenders; filling gaps in tactical intelligence; supporting effective investigations and enriching strategic understanding. It enables data to be shared with TOEX by forces within the nine force Athena collaboration, conflates force source data (intel/crime/custody) against OE relevant datasets sourced by TOEX, e.g. Organised Crime Group Mapping (OCGM), County Lines Intelligence Collection Matrix (CLICM), Missing Persons, Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and enables cloud-based analytical modelling of the total enriched dataset. Ultimately, this is used to enhance collaboration, evidence-based decision making, contributes to the safeguarding of vulnerable people and helps pursue those causing harm. This is first for UK policing and is already creating efficiencies in time and resourcing.