Policing - new material (85)
01 October 2008
Demonstrating Calm, Andrew Staniforth. Police Review 23.1.09, pp. 22-23. This is the first part in a series on “policing extremism” (i.e. large demonstrations) and discusses how officers can “keep order at future events”. It drift is summarised in the first paragraph: “Police officers are responsible for managing the high number of public protests in the UK. While they may not seriously threaten national security, without intervention, protests could cause harm to communities and the economic wellbeing of the UK”.
EUROPOL: coordinating the fight against serious and organised crime. Report with evidence. House of Lords (The Stationery Office, London, UK) November 2008, pp. 207. This report says that UK police forces do not work well with Europol. It also points to a serious lack of coordination with the Serious Organised Crime Agency that has led to a “truly regrettable state of affairs.” Available as a free download at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldselect/ldeucom/183/183.pdf
Police Misconduct and the Law – Parts 1 and 2, Stephen Cragg, Tony Murphy and Heather Williams. Legal Action October 2008, pp.13-17, November 2008, pp44-48. Part 1 of this review of developments in police misconduct law covers case-law in the following areas: failure to protect victims of crime, assault, false imprisonment, misfeasance, trespass, discrimination, privacy and defamation. Part 2 considers case-law and inquests involving deaths in, or shortly after, custody.
Police Pistols: doing the rounds, Mike McBride, and On Target in Germany, Albrecht Mueller, Police Product Review October/November 2008, pp. 28-32. This article considers the wide variety of handguns used by police forces worldwide and “explores this lucrative market which is constantly evolving and encompasses a wide range of technologies.” The second piece “reviews how evolving technology and tactics” have shaped police weapon use in Germany, “the largest net procurer of handguns for police in the European Union”.
Police Station Law and Practice Update, Ed Cape. Legal Action October 2008, pp.18-23. The update covers developments in law and policy affecting police station practice in the areas of legal advice and Legal Aid, policy and legislation (simple cautions, stop and search and vulnerable suspects) and case law.
New Defence, Max Blain. Police Review 23.1.09, pp. 22-23. Discussion of the International Police Defensive Tactics Association which was founded by a former Swedish police officer, Slavo Gozdzik, in 1996. Its system, which is being taught to four UK police forces, “is not a martial art and does not involve set moves or styles. Instead, officers use repeated hand slaps and occasional knee kicks to drive the offender back and put them off balance. Once the assailant is momentarily dazed or on the ground, officers are taught to revert to more traditional methods of subduing offenders, such as CS spray, the baton, handcuffs, or to call for help”.
`The demands of a modern police service’ Ed Cape. Legal Action December 2008, pp.10-11. This article discusses the latest government proposals on the review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984.