“See something, say something” is what we tell the general public to do. It is equally important for the security industry to practice what it preaches. In a world becoming ever more reliant on security technology, most security professionals recognise the best technology of all is the human brain and its ability to identify warning and danger signs both of hostile reconnaissance and imminent threats.
That is the focus of Behavioural Analysis 2026, taking place in Krakow, Poland, from 16–18 September. Bringing together security practitioners, law enforcement, government regulators, criminologists and academics, the conference examines how behavioural analysis can be applied in an evidence-based, ethical and operationally effective manner. Across three days, delegates will explore how to recognise hostile, criminal or negative intent, challenge pseudoscience and misconceptions, and consider the evolving relationship between human judgement and technology.
The conference is bookended by two keynote speakers. Figen Murray OBE, whose campaigning was instrumental in securing Martyn’s Law, will share her personal journey from tragedy to legislative change. Closing the event, The Rt Hon. Dame Penny Mordaunt DBE PC will offer a broader perspective on contemporary security threats and discuss a number of cross-party initiatives aimed at strengthening resilience.
Day One
The opening day explores behavioural analysis across a range of operational environments, highlighting both its potential and its limitations. Tina Wallace KPM will explain how UK policing and partner agencies are using behavioural indicators to identify sexual predators in public spaces, while Spain’s Guardia Civil will present research into the attributes that make an effective Behaviour Detection Officer operating in an airport environment.
Several sessions challenge assumptions about who appears suspicious and why. Nancy Yammout, co-founder of Rescue Me in Lebanon, will discuss her work assessing radicalised offenders in Lebanese prisons and the likelihood of post-release recidivism. Psychologist Aleksandra Kapela examines apophenia — the tendency to perceive meaningful patterns in chaotic environments — while research from the Police Academy of the Czech Republic will demonstrate how bystander photography can influence both suspect behaviour and police interactions.
Delegates will also consider the unintended consequences of behaviour-driven interdiction strategies. Dr Sagit Yehoshua will examine the psychology of contemporary terrorist actors and why practitioners may need to update their mental models of risk. Addressing human trafficking, Cristina Schimbov, President of the Women Police Association of Moldova, will outline a pilot initiative designed to improve victim protection. A survivor perspective from Shandra Woworuntu will highlight the cultural barriers that can hinder victim identification and draw attention to links between organised crime and illicit massage parlours.
Day Two
Investigative interviewing and credibility assessment remain central themes within behavioural analysis. Rather than focusing solely on detecting deception, Prof. David Keatley will explore how individuals persuade others to believe them, and why some audiences prove particularly susceptible. Paulo Barbosa Marques of Portugal’s Polícia Judiciária will discuss the implementation of the Méndez Principles within airport border control environments, while Police Capt. (Retd.) Christian Cory examines the dangers of over-reliance on confessions and the continued use of pseudoscientific lie-detection techniques.
The growing role of artificial intelligence forms another key strand of the programme. Singapore’s Home Team Science & Technology Agency will examine the development and deployment of contactless credibility-assessment technologies, including eye tracking, voice analysis and micro-facial expression systems. Dr Brandon May will consider the risks of AI-mediated investigative interviewing, including algorithmic bias and memory contamination, while Martin Lynch explores how operators respond to AI-generated prompts and commands within surveillance environments.
The day also challenges some of the assumptions underpinning behavioural assessment. Diana Lubandy-Nowek will present facial motion-capture research demonstrating that autistic individuals often express emotions differently from neurotypical populations, highlighting the need for more neuro-inclusive assessment models.
Wellbeing and vulnerability feature prominently throughout the afternoon. In ‘Ctrl-Alt-Del’, Darcy Fletcher will examine the responder’s role in assessing and managing suicide-related risk. Capt. Malcolm McGuire of Southern Methodist University Police Department presents a stalking case study involving a university employee, while Kelly Dore explores frameworks for identifying indicators of exploitation among at-risk youth and displaced women. Dr Keith Silika of the University of Salford addresses ritual crime and witchcraft accusations, a subject often obscured by misunderstanding and sensationalism.
Day Three
The final day turns its attention to concerning behaviours in workplaces, online environments and interpersonal relationships. Simon Carl Hardegger of Zurich University of Applied Sciences will discuss targeted psychological risk assessment within organisations, while Peter B. Lund examines behavioural patterns found in both espionage recruitment and internet dating.
Behavioural Analysis conference stalwarts Kim Covent of the Ghent Local Police and Sandra Adiarte will present ‘Cheetah Games’, exploring behavioural analysis in multiplayer online environments and approaches to identifying indicators of bullying, stalking, fraud and insider threats.
The concluding session asks whether suspicious behaviour can ever be reliably captured through structured assessment frameworks. Prof. Murat Kaplan will demonstrate how subtle behavioural cues can be translated into systematic and defensible assessments of negative intent, while David Stephens presents Australian Federal Police research into cross-cultural credibility assessment and the influence of cultural norms on communication and truth-telling.
As the conference draws to a close, delegates may participate in an optional reflective visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. Ahead of that visit, the Museum’s Deputy Spokesman, Paweł Sawicki, will explain how the memory of Auschwitz is being protected in an era increasingly shaped by disinformation.
Chaired by Behavioural Analysis founder Philip Baum and co-moderated by An Gaiser, Aaron Le Boutillier and Catherine Piana, Behavioural Analysis 2026 promises not simply to examine suspicious behaviour, but to explore the evidence, ethics and human judgement that underpin effective security decision-making.
To register, visit www.behaviouralanalysis.com
