Police are the frontline response to major crises (such as natural disasters and terrorism). One key element to the successful outcome of major crises is the effective communication by police to their fellow officers, command, and other emergency personnel to contain and control the situation. Yet, there is no current academic research examining the effective communication of police during major crises. This study conducted a systematic literature review on the effective communication by emergency personnel during major crises to identify lessons learned from other disciplines in order to identify best practice strategies for preparing police for major crises. Of the 11,352 initially identified publications, 45 were assessed as relevant for 'environment' and 'communication' criteria which resulted in a final list of 15 publications. The findings highlight two important factors for effective communication in such situations; decentralized communication structures and shared mental models. However, while the importance of these two factors is understood, actually achieving these factors is difficult. These findings have implications for policy and procedures in identifying best practice for preparing officers for the effective communication during major crises.

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Acts of extreme or mass violence perpetrated by lone offenders have become increasingly common in liberal democracies over the past 20 years. Some describe these acts as politically motivated, while others attribute them to mental disorder or criminal intent. However, there is an increasingly common view that the distinction between political ideology, criminal intent and personal motivation is blurred, and that the violence carried out by these individuals is better understood using the broader concept of grievance-fuelled violence. This work employs a multifaceted analytical approach to develop a holistic model of the processes of grievance development.