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Explore Alder’s emergency services insights covering crisis communications, reputation management and media challenges faced by police, fire and ambulance services.
By Lottie Newell Inquests create a form of scrutiny that is both public and highly personal. By the time proceedings begin, organisations are often already under pressure, whether from bereaved families, staff, regulators, or the media. Crucially, an inquest does not need to assign blame to cause reputational damage. What matters is the narrative that forms as […]
The BBC Panorama investigation into Charing Cross Police Station has once again exposed a deeply troubling culture within the Metropolitan Police. Racist, misogynistic, and Islamophobic comments, alongside a disregard for victims, were caught on camera. For many observers and staff, the scenes feel painfully familiar – Charing Cross has been here before, and previous promises […]
When an employee is arrested or charged with a criminal offence – particularly one likely to attract public or media interest – the communications challenges can be significant. Navigating this situation requires care, confidentiality, and co-ordination between HR, legal and communications teams. How you manage internal and external messaging can have a lasting impact on […]
Public inquiries in the UK are designed to investigate matters of serious public concern – from major health or safety failures to decisions made by public bodies or private organisations. While inquiries are not about determining criminal or civil liability, they can place an organisation and its leadership under intense scrutiny. Many law firms offer […]
Inquests are a vital part of the judicial process, designed to establish how someone died – particularly in unexpected or unexplained circumstances. However, they can also be high-profile, emotionally charged events that attract significant media interest. For organisations involved, how they respond – and are seen to respond – can have a lasting impact on […]
What is an inquest? An inquest is a public, fact finding inquiry to establish who the deceased was, when and where they died and how they came about their death. A coroner must hold an inquest if the cause of death is still unknown; the person might have died a violent or unnatural death; or […]
Since a damning 2022 report uncovering institutional racism and misogyny, the culture of UK fire and rescue services has been under intense media scrutiny. This month, the firefighting inspectorate has published another report that reveals there is still more to be done. The findings point to a continuing, urgent, need for transparent communication and transformative […]