Mr James Harris

I joined CCCU in April 2022 as a Lecturer and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in August 2024. Currently, I serve as the Course Director for the BSc Criminal Investigation program. Additionally, I am the Module Leader for three key undergraduate modules: Criminal Investigation (Level 5), Investigative Interviewing (Level 5), and Major Crime Investigation (Level 6).

Before entering academia, I dedicated over a decade to law enforcement, primarily as a Detective with the City of London Police, where I held various specialized investigative roles. My experience spans a wide array of major crime investigations, including homicides and complex fraud cases. I was recognized for my role in the investigation into the 2017 Borough Market Attack.

Previously, I was also the Course Director for the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) at the University of Cumbria, where I contributed to the Police Education Consortium, delivering professional police education programs for Surrey, Sussex, and Hampshire police forces.

My primary area of expertise lies in investigative interviewing. As a Detective, I achieved the designation of Specialist Interview Advisor, the highest level of interview training in England and Wales. In this role, I provided strategic guidance to Senior Investigating Officers on suspect interviews and developed tailored strategies for interviewing witnesses with complex needs. I am also an accomplished trainer in interviewing techniques, with experience delivering training to police officers, judiciary members, and private sector professionals in the UK and internationally. I am an active member of the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG) and sit on its Executive Board.

My current research interests focus on enhancing the interviewing skills of new police recruits in England and Wales, post-initial training. I am also deeply interested in the Disclosure process within criminal proceedings, particularly regarding the confidence and competence of Disclosure Officers, in light of recent high-profile failings and miscarriages of justice. I am eager to pursue further research in these areas.

I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGCLTHE) from the University of Cumbria and am currently pursuing an MSc in Forensic Psychological Studies with the Open University. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

I currently teach the following modules:

• Criminal Investigation (Level 5)
• Investigative Interviewing (Level 5)
• Major Crime Investigation (Level 5). 

In addition, I am a guest lecture on modules such as Policing Terrorism and Political Violence in the UK (Level 6) and Investigative Psychology (Level 7).

Harris, J. ‘Learning from Local Government Interventions: A Path to Statutory Police Reform in England and Wales’. CCPR Annual Conference: Problems and Solutions in UK Policing. Canterbury Christchurch, 17th-18th January 2024 [Conference Paper]

Milne, R. & Harris, J. ‘Getting it Right – Necessary Steps for Reform’. Advancing the Méndez Principles on Effective Interviewing. Canterbury Christchurch University, 23rd – 24th November 2023 [Conference Paper]

Harris, J. & Smith, J. ‘Intelligence and Information’, in Wood, D., Bradshaw, S., Dickens, T., Parker-Mcleod, J. and Davies, C. (ed.) 2025. Blackstone's handbook for policing students. Oxford University Press. (In Publication) [Book]

Executive Board Member - International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG)

External Examiner at Anglia Ruskin University (2022-2024)