Policing - new material (89)
01 January 2010
Responding to G20: Draft report. MPA Civil Liberties Panel 16.3.10, pp 68. This report investigates the Metropolitan police’s current public order policing strategies following the G20 protest in central London in April 2009 at which passer-by Ian Tomlinson died after being assaulted by police officers. Available as a free download at: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/downloads/committees/mpa/100325-06-appendix01.pdf
Inquiry call after video evidence clears man accused of violence at protest, Simon Hattenstone and Matthew Taylor. The Guardian 25.3.10. This article covers the prosecution of Jake Smith, accused of violent disorder at a demonstration opposing the Israeli invasion of Gaza in January 2009. Smith was charged with two counts of violent disorder, but the case against him was dropped at Isleworth crown court when police video evidence against him was undermined when the prosecution eventually released extra footage to the defence. Lawyers have criticised the police for the delay in releasing this material which supported Smith’s contention that he acted in self-defence. At least 22 people, many of them young Muslims, have received lengthy prison sentences following protests against the invasion and a defence campaign has being mounted in protest at the lengthy sentences handed See: http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1779/27/
Science and Innovation in the Police Service 2010-2013. National Policing Improvement Agency, pp. 30. This report discusses the “accelerating” pace of change in police science, arguing that “in a changing world, science and innovation need to be harnessed more effectively than ever before.” It considers the strengthened role of science by police forces supporting the new strategies by the Home Office and the UK’s counter-terrorist programme, CONTEST and the Home Office’s Science and Innovation Strategy which sets out key activities over the next three years. These involve “a commitment to build a stronger partnership with the research community and the private sector.” Available: http://www.npia.police.uk/en/docs/science_and_innovation.pdf
Police Drone fails to pass the legality test. Police Review 19.2.10, p. 11. This article discusses Merseyside police’s first arrest using its airborne drone which has “been overshadowed by the revelation the force has been operating the equipment illegally.” The force admitted “using the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which is operated by a police officer on the ground, without a permit.”