03 August 2020
The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) calls on local authorities to probe how the police are using data analytics software, following the news that London's Metropolitan Police have used software that its makers claim can be used “to profile perpetrators and victims”, raising concerns over the potential for unwarranted discrimination.
Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.
IRR: Local authorities must probe police use of data analytics to map communities (IRR, link):
"Local authorities and other partners in police safer neighbourhood teams should further probe possible racial profiling in policing, says the IRR today, after it emerged that five police forces, including the Metropolitan police, have used software that can be deployed to help identify whether different ethnic groups ‘specialise’ in particular types of crime.
(...)
The IRR is asking any organisation or local authority that partners with police in safer neighbourhood teams to consider questions about the police commissioning of contracts with data analytics firms such as the Webber Phillips consultancy. More specifically, they need to know how the data obtained in any existing contracts has impacted on the policing of particular neighbourhoods. The IRR concludes that:
‘As this information comes to light at a time when police and black community relations in the capital are extremely fraught, it’s inevitable that the Met’s use of demographic mapping will be viewed with suspicion and seen for what it is, racial profiling.’"
The original story, published by The Guardian: Met uses software that can be deployed to see if ethnic groups 'specialise' in areas of crime (The Guardian, link):
"The Metropolitan police have been using software that can be deployed to help identify whether different ethnic groups “specialise” in particular types of crime, the Guardian can reveal.
The Origins programme, produced by Webber Phillips, a consultancy run by Prof Richard Webber and the former Equality and Human Rights Commission chair Trevor Phillips has been described by the former as conferring the ability “to profile perpetrators and victims” of crimes.
That has led to warnings that the software – which works by attempting to identify people’s ethnicity or cultural origin by their name – can facilitate stereotyping and stigmatisation.
The Met said it had never used it for the purpose suggested by Webber but instead to enable safer neighbourhood teams to better understand the communities they serve.
Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.
Statewatch does not have a corporate view, nor does it seek to create one, the views expressed are those of the author. Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement. Registered UK charity number: 1154784. Registered UK company number: 08480724. Registered company name: The Libertarian Research & Education Trust. Registered office: MayDay Rooms, 88 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1DH. © Statewatch ISSN 1756-851X. Personal usage as private individuals "fair dealing" is allowed. We also welcome links to material on our site. Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions of that licence and to local copyright law.