Mark Abbotts

Biography

I previously served for thirty four years with Staffordshire Police the majority spent in the CID. I was a Detective Inspector for seventeen years working in Stoke-on-Trent, the force Drugs Unit and finally with the force Serious Organised Crime Unit where I gained extensive experience in relation to the investigation of serious organised crime, the investigation of crimes in action, the use of covert investigation techniques and the leadership of the various units deploying these methods. As a Detective Inspector and as part of my on call duties I was also responsible for coordinating the initial investigative response and scene management for all major crime including murder, kidnap and serious sexual offending. I was a regional chair and member of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) National Surveillance User Group, the body responsible for developing national best practice regarding surveillance and other covert policing activity. I joined Staffordshire University as a lecturer on the Policing and Criminal Investigation MSci and BSc Awards in July 2011. I am the Module Leader for the Missing Persons, Crime and Dishonesty and Personal Development Modules. I also teach on the other course modules on both awards. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Research Interest

I continue to develop my specialist interest in drugs investigation, the investigation of serious organised crime groups, investigation of crimes in action and the development of covert investigative strategies. .