On October 3, 2023, the 3PO Project hosted its first multi-stakeholder symposium in Edinburgh. The symposium was a fantastic opportunity to showcase what the project has achieved to date. Project partners presented research findings that provide much-needed insight into how police officers and staff, as well as their families, are affected by online harms and how they cope with them. The symposium was also an opportunity to explore solutions to online harms, ranging from policy guidance to training and proposals for technological tools.
A key aspect of the day was the opportunity for participants to engage in discussions that will help the academic team further their research in close collaboration with forces and other participants with an interest in online harms and policing. Participants joined table discussions, used an interactive commenting platform, and joined the debate at a closing roundtable. As the project moves into the second half, researchers are looking to build on the discussions and suggestions from the symposium and continue to share their findings at upcoming events.