SPRITE+ at the Security and Policing Conference 2026

The SPRITE+ team had a fantastic three days exhibiting and speaking at Security & Policing 2026, the UK Government’s flagship national security event.  

Hosted in Farnborough by the Home Office’s Joint Security & Resilience Centre (JSaRC), this year’s event emphasised innovation, resilience and the role of science and technology in strengthening the UK’s security landscape. 

Our exhibit was based in the event’s Innovation Zone, where we presented a selection of SPRITE+’s latest research and innovation programmes - including Deep Dives, Sandpits and the RISE project - demonstrating how our work supports national security, public protection and operational capability across the UK.  

The team engaged with a wide range of senior government representatives, policing partners and researchers from across the UK, sparking valuable conversations about future collaboration and applied research opportunities. Visitors were particularly interested in SPRITE’s AIM Days and Expert Clinics, as well as how our research helps to shape policymaking and supports agencies to anticipate and respond to emerging TIPSS issues.  

SPRITE+ Co-Director Professor Deeph Chana (Imperial College London) was part of a panel on ‘Driving collaboration across public safety and national security through the use of AI’, while later in the week SPRITE+ Expert Fellow Dr Richard Jones (University of Edinburgh) delivered a talk on ‘Policing and AI: Implications for UK Policing’. These sessions highlighted the key trends and scenarios which could shape national thinking on responsible AI adoption, operational effectiveness and the future of technology‑enabled security. 

Reflecting on the event, SPRITE+ Director Professor Mark Elliot said: “Security & Policing provided an invaluable platform to connect our research with the UK’s operational and policy needs. We were delighted by the keen interest in our work and look forward to building on the partnerships formed during the event.”