Police forces in the United Kingdom could learn from methods used in the Isle of Man.

That vote of confidence comes from former UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke, who was one of a number of renowned speakers at the Villa Marina yesterday.

Day two of the conference on International Criminal Justice examined the misuse of substances, as well as ways of reducing crime and reoffending.

Mr Clarke, the MP for Norwich South, told Manx Radio the conference was worthwhile and made special reference to neighbourhood policing:

"I know cynics can describe them as talking shops but the fact is, particularly in how you deal with crime, there's different experiences from different countries, and we've had a wide range of people internationally at this conference, and I think it's to the benefit of everybody to hear how other people do it.

"I think one of the most dangerous things in all policy actually, but particularly in criminal justice, is the idea that we really know how to do it, we've got it all sorted [and] we've got nothing to learn from anybody else. I think that's a very dangerous way of looking at things.

"In Britain generally, we've tried to get back to neighbourhood policing, get back to those kind of ideas, to have groups of police officers working directly with the communities they serve, and that has reduced crime."