Managing Protests and Public Order Conference 

Clifford Stott is Professor of Policing Research and Academic Director of the Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL) at The Open University. He is Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Police Science Advisory Council (PSAC), through which he supports the Chief Scientific Adviser for Policing and the development of science, research and innovation across UK policing. He has also held visiting academic positions at The Ohio State University’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs and University College London.

Professor Stott is a leading international authority on crowd psychology and public order policing. As a co-developer of the social identity approach to crowd behaviour, his research has helped transform understanding of the dynamics through which policing can either prevent or contribute to conflict and disorder. He has led or co-led research programmes worth more than £8.2 million and published over sixty peer-reviewed articles alongside several books, including Policing the Crowd (Routledge, 2026).

Across more than twenty-five years, he has worked with police forces, governments and international organisations to translate scientific evidence into policy and operational practice. His recent work includes major programmes of research and innovation on football policing in the UK and Europe, preparations for international sporting events, and collaborations with police agencies across the United States to develop dialogue-led and evidence-based approaches to protest policing.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Professor Stott advised the UK Government through the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), where he co-chaired its Security and Policing sub-group. His work continues to shape national and international thinking on public order, police legitimacy, crowd governance and the role of science in strengthening policing.

Andy Rhodes OBE QPM served 30 years as a police officer and is the former Chief Constable of Lancashire Police. Up until retirement in 2021 he was chair of CPOSA the Chief Police Officers Staff Association, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the North West Police Benevolent Fund and National Police Chiefs Council lead for well being and organisational development. In 2015 he established the first National Police Well Being Service – Oscar Kilo which he continues to support as Service Director.
He was awarded the Queens Police Medal in 2017 and an OBE in the 2022 birthday honours for services to emergency service workers mental health. He is a voluntary member of INVICTM the International Network Supporting Victims of Terrorism and Mass Violence and has been instrumental in the development of the Police Covenant for England & Wales. He is a member of the National Forum for Health & Well Being which advises organisations and Government on workforce health issues.
Andy is married to Helen a psychotherapist and has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

Patrick joined London Fire Brigade (LFB) in 1997 serving at several fire stations in Central and East London. Rising steadily through the ranks he served as Borough Commander in Islington and Tower Hamlets, before being promoted to Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Special Operations Group (SOG). He is currently the Assistant Commissioner for Operational Resilience and Control (OR&C) and the Deputy Chair of the London Resilience Forum.

In 2017, he responded in various command roles to the terrorist attacks at Westminster Bridge, London Bridge, Finsbury Park, Parsons Green, Fishmongers Hall, the fire at Grenfell Tower. He was the Incident Commander for the Major Incidents at the New Providence Wharf fire in 2021, Spectrum Building Fire in 2024 and Strategic Commander for the substation fire resulting in power outages at Heathrow 2025.

Patrick was LFB Strategic/Gold Commander for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Operation London Bridge following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and in 2023 Operation Golden Orb, the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.

He is responsible for delivering LFB’s response to events (pre-planned or spontaneous), capabilities and response to terrorism, public order, major and high threat incidents with Brigade Control responsible for all operations for the delivery of LFB’s emergency call activity. Patrick also chairs LFB’s Equality Support Group (ESG), providing a powerful voice and support to underrepresented groups within LFB.

He is the NFCC Counter Terrorism (CT) National Coordinator, responsible for International Operations, United Kingdom’s National Inter-Agency Liaison Officer (NILO) cadre and National Coordination Office and the NILO foundation course which delivers acquisition training for all UK emergency service NILOs and collaborates with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisations (NATO).

Patrick was awarded the Kings Fire Service Medal (KFSM) in the 2025 Kings Birthday Honors for his distinguished service in the fire and rescue sector.

T/Commander Clair Haynes is a senior policing leader within the Metropolitan Police Service with more than 30 years of operational experience. A highly qualified Gold Public Order and Public Safety Commander, she has directed the strategic and operational delivery of numerous large‑scale and high‑risk public order operations across London’s most challenging environments. This includes leading the operational planning and delivery of Notting Hill Carnival, the world’s second‑largest street festival, necessitating the deployment of in excess of 7,000 officers each day.

With a strong background in frontline policing, Clair brings a community‑focused approach, balancing robust operational effectiveness with the principles of community‑led policing to strengthen public trust and confidence. She works closely with local authorities, emergency services, and national partners to ensure preparedness, enhance coordination, and mitigate risk across major incidents. Clair also has a background in covert and firearms policing and is accredited as a Gold, Silver, and Bronze Public Order Commander, as well as a Gold CBRN and Multi‑Agency Incident Commander.

Clifford Stott is Professor of Policing Research and Academic Director of the Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL) at The Open University. He is Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Police Science Advisory Council (PSAC), through which he supports the Chief Scientific Adviser for Policing and the development of science, research and innovation across UK policing. He has also held visiting academic positions at The Ohio State University’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs and University College London.

Professor Stott is a leading international authority on crowd psychology and public order policing. As a co-developer of the social identity approach to crowd behaviour, his research has helped transform understanding of the dynamics through which policing can either prevent or contribute to conflict and disorder. He has led or co-led research programmes worth more than £8.2 million and published over sixty peer-reviewed articles alongside several books, including Policing the Crowd (Routledge, 2026).

Across more than twenty-five years, he has worked with police forces, governments and international organisations to translate scientific evidence into policy and operational practice. His recent work includes major programmes of research and innovation on football policing in the UK and Europe, preparations for international sporting events, and collaborations with police agencies across the United States to develop dialogue-led and evidence-based approaches to protest policing.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Professor Stott advised the UK Government through the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), where he co-chaired its Security and Policing sub-group. His work continues to shape national and international thinking on public order, police legitimacy, crowd governance and the role of science in strengthening policing.