Will has worked in the police for the last 15 years in Scotland, primarily in intelligence analysis. In 2005 he joined the Violence Reduction Unit, the first public health policing unit in the World. Will was responsible for developing the research capabilities of the unit moving from traditional policing analysis to a more epidemiological/criminological research approach.
Over the last ten years, Will has been responsible for the development of many of the successful approaches and programmes adopted by the VRU, including the development of Homicide/Deaths Database and CIRV (the gang intervention programme Community Initiative to Reduce Violence), Injury Surveillance, Mentors in Violence Prevention, Employability/Desistence programmes, sobriety monitoring.
Will is currently responsible for the innovation, business and strategic planning of the unit, ensuring that the unit and its outputs remain forward looking and relevant to the delivery of violence reduction in Scotland and acts as an advisor to the Scottish Governments’ community safety department. Working with a number of universities in Scotland and beyond he has helped improve the knowledge base to enhance evidence led practice in the areas of violence prevention, public health and policing, with published works on gangs, alcohol and homicide.