Policing - new material (42)
01 May 1998
New CMOS processor for PNC - the first in Europe. PITO News, April 1998, pp8-9. The Police National Computer (PNC), first introduced in 1974, is to get a major upgrade in September this year. The new CMOS computer system from Siemens is intended to cope with the growing demand by the police for instant access to information now running at 60 million searches a year (1997) with 10,000 "screens of information" being given out every five minutes. The new system will be linked to the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS). Other systems to be linked include QUEST which will allow investigative searches of the complete set of criminal records, Vehicles Owners Descriptive Search (VODS), the National Firearms Register, Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems (which logs the time and place of vehicle number plates), and in the future a Mobile Data Terminal to be carried by police on patrol and the planned Criminal Records Agency.
Press Digest One. National Campaign Against CS Spray 1998. The Campaign has compiled a digest of press cuttings and reports on police (mis)use of CS gas sprays. It contains a collection of articles from across the UK covering 1996-97. The Campaign would like supporters to send local press cuttings and information. The Digest is available for ?3 (to cover costs and post) from: National Campaign Against CS Spray, c/o NMP, London E7 8QA; Tel. 0181 555 8151.
On the Road to Justice Newsletter. M25 Three Campaign Issue 8 (May) 1998. The M25 Three - Raphael Rowe, Michael Davis and Randolph Johnson - were jailed for life in 1990 after being convicted of murder. Despite eye-witness identification and police appeals for information on the two white men and one black man involved in the murder the M25 Three, all of whom are black, were convicted (see Statewatch 2:6). The Newsletter carries updates on their campaign for justice. Further information from: M25 Campaign, 28 Grimsel Path, Farmers Road, London SE5 0TB; Website: http:// www. spanno. demon.co.uk/m25 campaign
In the shadows, John Dean, Police Review 8.5.98. pp16-17. This piece reports on "a Northumbria undercover team which has broken down the barriers between CID and uniformed officers..." but "needs to retain anonymity to continue undercover surveillance work".
Earmarking evidence, David Adams. Police Review 8.5.98. pp26-27. Article on earprints, which are described as "a very useful contribution to crime detection." The National Training Centre for Scientific Support to Crime Investigation has been working with the Dutch National Police Training Institute to produce the required experts.
NAFIS launch: partners celebrate a world beating system. PITO News Issue 11 (June) 1998, pp4-7. Article on the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), a national fingerprint database which has links to the Police National Computer and will be available to all 43 police forces in England and Wales by 2001.
Strong arm of the law? John Beaumont. Police Review 19.6.98. pp20-22. This article considers police "uncertainty" concerning the "amount of force against the person that a police officer might lawfully use in the exercise of his or her duties."
Shooting from the hip, Max Daly. Big Issue 8.6.98. pp6-7. This piece looks at the increasing number of complaints against the police's indiscriminate use of CS gas which have rocketed from 25 to 254 since last year.
Crime, disorder and criminalisation, Phil Scraton. Foundations Vol. 1, no. 2 (April-June) 1998. This article focuses on the morality debate which has contextualised political developments for policing and "targeting crime", and examines the relationship between "New Right" and "New Labour" strategies concentrating on the current Crime and Disorder Bill.
The porn king, the stripper and the bent cops. Secret History (Channel 4) 18.5.98. This television programme, part of Channel 4's "Secret History" series, looks back at Operation Countryman and speci