Policing - new material (55)
01 March 2001
Call to order, John Dean. Police Review 23.2.01, pp22-23.
Article on “a newly developed computer programme which can recognise voices” and “is being used as part of an experimental police-backed scheme to reduce problems posed by young offenders.” The trials, launched by the national Youth Justice Board last year, “could work by the young person ringing the computer at a prearranged time, but the preferred method...is for the computer to make the call itself...[The computer] could also be programmed to contact him [sic] at school or similar establishments to check that he was attending.”
Operation of certain police powers under PACE: England and Wales, 1999/00, Graham Wilkins & Paul Hayward. Home Office Statistical Bulletin 3/01 (February) 2001, pp23.
Statistics showng 857,200 persons and/or vehicles were stopped and searched in 1999-2000 with resulting arrests of121,300 - a decrease of 11%.
Time for change, Tony Cross. Police Review 23.2.01, pp25-26.
On the community and race relations “initiatives” in the London borough of Greenwich, where Stephen Lawrence was killed in a racist attack, on the second anniversary of the Macpherson report. It examines local “Community and Race Relations” policies, described by Dr Robin Oakley as “a leading example of “best practice” within Britain and Europe.” However, the article concludes by acknowledging that “it would be wrong to give the impression that racial attacks and public service failure are a thing of the past.”
Keeping order, Richard Evans. Police Review 6.4.01, pp25-26.
This article examines ACPO's proposals “for greater cross-border cooperation between [police] forces” when dealing with public order issues, particularly animal rights protests. ACPO secretary, Tim Hollis, identifies four “cornerstones” to their proposals: i. intelligence (the National Public Order Intelligence Unit was formed in April 1999 to “coordinate public order intelligence nationally and...disseminate this intelligence through its close links with force special branches.”); ii. the establishment of “a unified command and control structure”; iii. “greater liaison with potential target individuals and institutions in each force area”, and iv. legislation.
Changing man, Sean Howe & Roy Penrose. Police Review 1.12.00, pp20-22. Howe interviews Roy Penrose, the former director general of the National Crime Squad, who retired last December.
Ground control, John Dean. Police Review 2.2.01, pp26-27.
Interview with Ron Hogg, the Association of Chief Police Officer's spokesman on football disorder, who “is involved in moves to improve the way nations on the continent work together in identifying known hooligans when they travel abroad to follow their national or team clubs.” In particular he advocates the importance of “improved police intelligence, helped by CCTV surveillance systems at many grounds.”
Keep off the grass, James Morton. Police Review 16.2.01, pp18-19.
Morton questions “whether the evidence of jailhouse informers is too dangerous to use.” He concludes: “Perhaps the time has come when decisions should be taken that, when the case is so weak that one or more jailhouse snitches are needed, it should not be put to the jury until there is more evidence than the words of those with very serious axes to grind.”
Parliamentary debates
Regulation of Investigatory Powers (British Broadcasting Corporation) Order 2001 Lords 9.3.01 cols 477-482
Private Security Industry Bill [HL] Lords 15.3.01 cols 1005-1024