Home Office Scientific Development Branch

Home Office Scientific Development Branch
AbbreviationHOSDB
FormationUnknown
DissolvedUnknown date
Legal statusGovernment-owned company
PurposeResearch
LocationSandridge, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
MembersScientific Development
Director
Alan Pratt
Parent organization
Home Office
AffiliationsUK Police Forces
WebsiteHOSDB

The Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB; formerly the Police Scientific Development Branch) was a branch of the Home Office in the United Kingdom which provided scientific research into new technology that could be used to fight crime.

History

The HOSDB's role was to support the Home Office's strategic aims through the effective application of science and technology. HOSDB would also provide technical support for the UK's police and security services. HOSDB has two sites in the UK: Sandridge, Hertfordshire and Langhurst, West Sussex. The work of the HOSDB involved hi-tech research into countering terrorism, technology to fight crime, borders security, and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour. Their work sometimes involved attending incidents such as the suicide bombings in London on 7 July2005 (aka the 7/7 bombings) in order to assess structural impacts, etc. There were 250 staff: 200 scientists and engineers and 50 support staff, half of whom lived in and around Sandridge, making them a large local employer.

The Home Office Scientific Development Branch underwent restructuring and was officially renamed in April 2011 as the 'Centre for Applied Science and Technology' (CAST).[citation needed]

The www.gov.uk website states that CAST was then integrated with the ‘Defence Science and Technology Laboratory’ (Dstl) on 1 April 2018."

References

  1. ↑ "Home Office Scientific Development Branch". Home Office. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "Protecting the public using science and technology A UK Perspective" (PDF).
  3. ↑ "[Withdrawn] Centre for Applied Science and Technology". GOV.UK. 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
  4. ↑ "Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) becomes part of Dstl". GOV.UK. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 2021-12-24.