Michael Brown OBE
Associate Lecturer in Criminology
Department of Community, Social Justice and Health
email: michael.brown2@worc.ac.uk
Michael has 15 years’ experience as a lecturer on topics in criminology and forensic mental health alongside a career as an 24/7 operational police officer. He served for 27 years, mostly as a 24/7 critical incident, public order and firearms commander at the rank of inspector and he spent 5 years seconded to the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council, advising senior officers and Government, authoring national guidance and training on mental health.
His PhD research now examines mental health related police contact deaths, drawing upon his operational and policy experience as well as his work as an expert witness in HM Coroner’s Courts. It seeks to analyse Preventing Future Death reports issued by Coroners and police claims of “lessons learned”, specifically in the context of the “Right Care, Right Person” initiative.
His teaching covers a range of mental health and criminal justice topics as well as criminological theories. In 2016, Michael was awarded an OBE for his services to policing and mental health and is the only police officer to have been awarded the President’s Medal by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2015) for a “significant contribution to the lives of people with mental illness”.
He was twice commended by Chief Constables for his work on mental health and continues to write about it on his award-winning “MentalHealthCop” blog.
Qualifications
- Master of Science (Criminology & Criminal Justice), Cardiff University, 2004
- Master of Arts (British Music), University of Birmingham, 1998
- Bachelor of Music, University of Birmingham, 1996
Michael is currently studying for a PhD at the University of Birmingham in Social Policy & Criminology.
Teaching Interests
Undergraduate
- CRMN1401 - An introduction to criminology and criminal justice
- CRMN1403 - Introduction to Legislation and Policy
- CRMN2506 - Policing in England and Wales (module lead)
- CRMN3605 - Mental Health and Criminal Justice
- CRMN3601 - Dissertation Projects
- CRMN3608 - Criminal Profiling
Postgraduate
- CRMN 4705 - Complex Criminal Investigation (module lead)
Research Interests
Michael is active in research on policing, mental health and criminal justice - with a particular interest in the learning to be gained from researching mental health police contact deaths.
His PhD research examines Preventing Future Death reports issued by Coroners in England & Wales to assess what they tell us about the notion of “lessons learned” and how this affects perceptions of policing and its legitimacy.
Membership of Professional Bodies
Research Affiliate at the Policing and Vulnerability Futures Centre, Universities of Leeds / York.
Member of the British Society of Criminology.
Recent Publications
Thematic Inspections
- Evidence to the “Adebowale” inquiry – the Independent Report on Policing & Mental Health in London, 2013.
- Evidence (commended) – to the Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry in to policing & mental health, 2015.
- Evidence to the “Angiolini” inquiry – the Independent Review of Deaths or Serious Incidents in Police Custody, 2017.
Michael is also the author of the “MentalHealthCop” blog.
External Roles
Michael acts from time to time as an expert witness in His Majesty’s Coroner’s inquests in both the United Kingdom and Australia, related to his research interests.
Expert Witness (completed cases only) –
- Leon Briggs (2015) – report for the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
- Michael Thompson (2017) – report & oral evidence for HM Senior Coroner for Southwark.
- Terry Smith (2017) – report & oral evidence for HM Senior Coroner for Surrey.
- Courtney Topic (2017) – report & oral evidence for HM Coroner for New South Wales.
- Leon Briggs (2018) – report for the Independent Office for Police Conduct & the Crown Prosecution Service.
- Leon Briggs (2021) – report & oral evidence for HM Senior Coroner for Bedfordshire & Luton.
- Jade Hutchings (2022) - report and oral evidence for HM Senior Coroner for West Sussex.
- Steve Pampalian (2026) - report & oral evidence for HM Coroner for New South Wales.
- Krista Kach (2026) - report & oral evidence for HM Coroner for New South Wales.