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06 February 2012

FREE timely e-Briefs on UK Policing by email Our e-Brief news services will help keep you up to date and informed. It is a key part of our scanning and monitoring services. It includes official press releases, issues raised in Parliament, items of interest from Scotland and news from other areas. e-Briefs are delivered in Adobe PDF format for ease of use. We also give an option to download a Word version to make it easier for you to cut and paste into your own research and circulations. If you are interested in what is happening this is a must have service - it takes little effort on your part, and it's FREE. Register here *Click here to access eBriefs archive*
02 February 2012: RSPB: POLICE SWOOP TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED PEREGRINE PERSECUTION A multiagency operation investigating alleged crimes against peregrine falcons has been launched across four police areas in England and Wales. Police officers issued with search warrants, supported by staff from the RSPB, RSPCA, Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales, raided the homes of four pigeon fanciers earlier today. The raids took place within the following constabulary areas: Avon and Somerset Police; South Wales Police; Northumbria Police and West Midlands Police. A 47-year old man has been arrested by officers at one of the addresses in connection with evidence which has been seized during the operation. Mark Thomas, an RSPB investigations officer, said: “The peregrine falcon is one of the UK’s most heavily persecuted birds of prey, and we hope that today’s operation will help further our investigations.” 03 February 2012: IPCC: FINDINGS PUBLISHED FOLLOWING INQUEST INTO SHOOTING OF MICHAEL FITZPATRICK The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has today issued the findings of its investigation following the fatal shooting of Michael Fitzpatrick by Sussex Police. Shortly after 1pm on Thursday, 10 February, 2011, 49-year-old Michael Fitzpatrick was shot by armed officers in Rock Place, Brighton. Officers administered first-aid to Mr Fitzpatrick who was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The fatal shooting required a mandatory referral to the IPCC and an independent investigation commenced the same day. A thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Fitzpatrick’s death, the actions of the officer firing the shots and the planning, decision making and implementation of Sussex Police’s pre-planned operation found no evidence of any criminal or misconduct offences. The IPCC’s findings can today (Friday, 3 February) be published following the conclusion of the inquest into Mr Fitzpatrick’s death. The inquest at Brighton Magistrates’ Court returned a verdict of lawful killing. IPCC Commissioner for South East, Mike Franklin, said: “This is an extremely sad case and nothing can compensate Mr Fitzpatrick’s family for their loss. “At the outset of our independent investigation I sought to ensure we looked at every aspect of Sussex Police’s contact with Mr Fitzpatrick on that day. It was crucial we explored the planning, decision making and implementation of Sussex Police’s pre-planned operation with particular attention to threat assessments as well as applying scrutiny to the actions of the firearms officer. “Firearms officers often find themselves in incredibly challenging situations where they are required to make split-second life and death decisions. A position most of us will never find ourselves in. “Clearly, the outcome of this tragic incident is not the conclusion anyone wanted. However, I am confident we have thoroughly and independently investigated the full circumstances of this fatal shooting and have concluded the action taken by the firearms officer could not have been avoided.” After concluding the independent investigation the following recommendations were made: Remind officers to consider the use of the two-way Airwave radio system when appropriate to brief those engaged in armed policing deployments. Sussex Police should remind officers from the Tactical Firearms and Strategic Firearms teams to include the suspect of the operation in the working strategy in all relevant stages of the operation. Equally the requirements contained within the NPIA Manual of Guidance on the Management, Command and Deployment of Armed Officers (2010) i.e. the SFC ‘must ensure that the strategy for the armed deployment is recorded, including any changes to it, to provide a clear audit trail’. UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes For media enquiries please contact the IPCC press office on 0207 166 3028 CCTV footage is available upon request from the press office 03 February 2012: IPCC LAUNCHES REVIEW INTO HOW IT DEALS WITH MOST SERIOUS CASES Following eight years of experience in carrying out independent investigations into the most serious cases the Independent Police Complaints Commission is launching a review in to how it deals with deaths in custody and deaths following police contact. The review, which has been the subject of discussion since the autumn of 2011, will look at how the IPCC handles cases where Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) is engaged. The review will focus on the IPCC’s powers, its resources and approach towards dealing with cases of this kind. The IPCC has kicked off the review by contacting a number of stakeholders, including those who have an interest in and experience of the IPCC’s work. Those contacted include bodies such as Inquest, the Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG) as well as policing bodies such as ACPO and MPs and academics. Many of the families and police forces affected by previous IPCC investigations are also being contacted. At this early stage of the review the IPCC is starting out by asking these groups a number of key questions which will help to shape what the review will look like. IPCC Deputy Chair Deborah Glass said “This review is a significant milestone for the IPCC. Eight years ago there were no independent investigations at all into deaths involving the police – everything was investigated by the police themselves. We now carry out over 160 investigations a year into the most serious cases, many of them involving death. They are, inevitably, our most challenging cases. We are particularly keen to invite our critics to help us look at how we approach these cases and if there is anything that we can do to improve the system and the way that we work. “Our focus will be the powers that we have, the resources available to us and the approach that we take to these cases. Our first stage is to make sure we are asking the right questions and involving the right people, so we are seeking feedback on that. The review may well identify areas for legislative change or other matters outside our remit. We are keen to hear from as many people as possible on how we can improve our own practices and – working with other parties like Coroners - raise public confidence in the system. ” The aims of the review are set out below; • to take stock after eight years of operation and identify any changes / improvements that are required to the IPCC’s approach, the resources allocated to this area and the IPCC’s powers; • to engage extensively with ALL stakeholders particularly individuals who have been involved in the IPCC’s work in this area to listen to their views and concerns; • to improve public understanding of the IPCC’s work in this area and thus public confidence. The questions that all those consulted have been asked are the following; • Do you have any comments on the scope of the review - is there anything else you think should be included? • How would you/your organisation like to be involved with the review? • The IPCC is considering creating a steering group for the review with external stakeholders being represented? Do you think this is the right approach? • What advice and assistance could you offer us to engage with some of the groups we have identified such as families and communities? • Is there anyone else we should be engaging with? • Do you have any other comments on either the scope or the methodology? The next stage of the review will start once all correspondence has been received and we aim to announce the next stage of the review in April 2012. The closing date for those wishing to help inform the review is the 20th March 2012. Anyone wishing to take part in the review or with responses to the above questions is asked to contact the review team at the following address Article2_Review@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk by 20th March 2012. Further information on the review is available at http://www.ipcc.gov.uk UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes For media enquiries please contact the IPCC press office on 0207-166-3239. 02 February 2012: HMRC: PAYBACK TIME FOR £17 MILLION VAT FRAUDSTER Convicted Staffordshire fraudster, Terence Broad, has today been ordered to repay crime profits of £244,522 within four months or return to prison for a further three years. He was part of a 13 strong organised crime gang jailed for conspiring to steal £17million of taxpayer’s money in a complicated ‘missing trader’ VAT fraud following a five-year investigation by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Criminal investigators from HMRC smashed the multi million pound fraud, centred on the mobile phone industry. VAT claims to steal a further £5m had been made, but these were stopped from being paid. Paperwork recovered during house searches showed that the gang were planning on a further fraud to steal an additional £300m of VAT from the public purse - this plot was foiled. Gary Lampon, Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation for HMRC said: “This is the start of a series of confiscation hearings, working closely with the Proceeds of Crime Unit of the Crown Prosecution Service, set to take place to recoup the money this gang stole and return it to the nation. This was a complex and lengthy investigation, over five years, to unravel this multi million pound fraud by an organised crime gang. They used the money to fund extravagant lifestyles at the expense of the British taxpayer. ‘Missing trader’ fraud is not merely a paper fraud, it funds other serious crime and we are determined to pursue and bring to justice the criminals behind this type of fraud. “ Further confiscation hearings are set to take place throughout 2012 for other defendants. UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes Details of the Confiscation Order today, Thursday, 2 February 2012, and previous sentencing at Southwark Crown Court include: • Terence Thomas Broad, (DOB 17.02.45), of 359 Bemersley Road, Brown Edge, Staffordshire, was ordered to pay £244,522 within four months or return to prison for a further three years He was sentenced on 3 December 2010, to one year and four months in prison and disqualified from being a company director for four years. Broad, along with co-defendant Crowther ran the logistics and freight side of the organisation. They used their premises to convince HMRC that goods were being inspected by them, when in fact there were no goods at all. Details of a Confiscation Order secured on, Thursday, 26 January 2012, and previous sentencing at Southwark Crown Court include: • Russell Crowther, (DOB 27.09.62), of Betws Lodge, Tan-y-Gopa Road, Abergele, Conwy, North Wales, was ordered to pay £27,500 within four months or serve a further 14 months in prison. He was sentenced on 3 December 2010 to two years and three months in prison. He was disqualified from being a company director for four years. Crowther, along with co-defendant Broad ran the logistics and freight side of the organisation. They used their premises to convince HMRC that goods were being inspected by them, when in fact there were no goods at all. Details of all the defendants and further information are available at: http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=421093&SubjectId=5 Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office Press enquiries only please contact: Jennie Kendall, Press Officer for Central England Tel: 07810 815832 Email: jennie.kendall@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk Out of hours Tel: 07860 359544 Website www.hmrc.gov.uk 02 February 2012: APA: 'ELECTED PCCS SHOULD HAVE AN APPROPRIATE ROLE IN OVERSEEING COVERT POLICING' Commenting on the release on 02.02.12 of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC)'s 'Review of national police units which provide intelligence on criminality associated with protest', http://www.hmic.gov.uk/inspections/review-of-the-national-public-order-intelligence-unit-npoiu/ APA Chairman Cllr Mark Burns-Williamson commented: “The Independent Inspectorate’s welcome report into covert policing provides a typically thorough and helpful examination of the serious issues arising from the Mark Kennedy case. The report makes clear that enhanced oversight of covert policing by those outside of the service would be beneficial to all concerned. Whilst the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner will no doubt have an important role here, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), elected in every force area this November 15, will have a crucial interest in both the significant costs and the conduct of covert operations, which might have a serious impact on public confidence in the police. We welcome the Home Secretary’s undertaking that “With the police, the Government will consider carefully the recommendations to ensure enhanced control of these undercover police officers in the future”. We urge the government to ensure that those elected to hold to account the totality of policing in their area will have an appropriate, meaningful oversight of covert policing in order to protect public confidence in this controversial, but essential tactic.” UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes Press contact: Nathan Oley, Head of Press and Public Affairs, 07714 399 760 / Nathan.oley@apa.police.uk The Association of Police Authorities (APA) represents all police authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as the British Transport Police Authority, the Civil Nuclear Police Authority, and the Ministry of Defence Police Committee. Local police authorities, along with the Home Secretary and chief officers of police, make up the tripartite relationship which is responsible for the governance of policing in England and Wales. Police authorities are currently made up of local people: a mix of local councillors and independent members (selected from the community) of which one must be a magistrate. The tripartite partners are the Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities. The job of police authorities is to: • Consult with local communities to find out what they want the local police to do • Set the strategic direction for policing locally and decide what the police should focus their attention on locally, based on consultations with local communities • Set the budget for their police force, and decide how much local people should pay for policing in the local council tax • Make sure the police force is continuing to do a better job • Appoint (and, if necessary, dismiss) chief constables and senior police officers 02 February 2012: IPCC: LETTER TO RT HON KEITH VAZ MP REGARDING IPCC STATISTICS Dear Mr Vaz I am writing in relation to concerns you raised on last night’s File on Four programme regarding the way in which the IPCC collates its data on deaths in police custody. This also followed an article in yesterday’s Independent which raised similar concerns. As you are aware, we publish annual statistics on deaths during or following police contact. There are approximately one hundred deaths each year following police contact and we classify these into police shootings, road traffic incidents, deaths in police custody and others following police contact. In order to monitor whether these cases are increasing or decreasing, we need to consistently record the cases and therefore have to follow a series of strict definitions which are stated in all our reports. Deaths in or following police custody includes deaths of persons who have been arrested or taken into police custody under the Mental Health Act 1983. It includes deaths from the point that a person is arrested or taken into police detention. The death may have taken place on police, private or medical premises, in a public place or in a police or other vehicle. We would not therefore include cases, in this category, where an individual died following police restraint but in circumstances where they had not officially been arrested or detained. For example, we have dealt with a number of cases where police officers have been called to a secure hospital to deal with a patient who is violent. The officers use restraint and the person dies. While we could count this as a ‘death following police contact’ it would not be classed as a ‘death in police custody’. The article published in the Independent referred to a detailed piece of research that we commissioned on deaths in police custody. This research was not specifically designed to examine the use of police restraint. The headline of their article - ‘rate of deaths in custody is higher than officials admit’ was therefore inaccurate and we have written a letter to the Independent to inform them of this. Restraint related deaths are however a matter of concern and we had already planned to undertake a more detailed piece of research in relation to this area in the next financial year. I would be happy to keep you updated as this work progresses. The data we provide is completely transparent and is published on our website. As you will be aware, we are also accountable to Parliament for the statistics we collate. I am completely confident in the statistics that we publish in this area however given the concerns raised this week, I have asked the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics, Jill Matheson, to conduct a review on how we collect, analyse and present our figures on deaths following police contact. She has agreed and the findings of that review will be published in due course. If you remain concerned about this matter, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. Yours sincerely Jane Furniss Chief Executive Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) 01 February 2012: WOMEN'S AID FEDERATION OF ENGLAND: “TECHNOLOGY MUST BE SAFER” WARNS STALKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARITIES “Technology must be safer” warns stalking and domestic violence charities Today, Wednesday 1st February 2012, national domestic violence charity Women’s Aid and national stalking charity Network for Surviving Stalking are together launching a practical guide for victims of stalking. ‘Digital stalking: a guide to technology risks for victims’ http://www.womensaid.org.uk/page.asp?section=0001000100280003§ionTitle=Digital+stalking is an important resource for all stalking victims, including the many survivors of domestic violence who are being stalked by an ex-partner. It explains the wide range of technological risks for those being stalked, including use of Spyware on personal computers, tracking devices on mobile phones and tracking of information through social networking sites. With over 18% of women and 9% of men experiencing stalking since the age of 16 , stalking affects a wide range of people. However, stalking by ex-partners accounts for the largest group of victims and women are most at risk from physical assault and fatal harm. The guidelines, which are funded by the Nominet Trust and Avon Cosmetics, contain practical advice on how to reduce the risk of being stalked online. They can also be used for training organisations which deal with stalking and domestic violence cases, including the police and other key agencies. Ellen* - a keen eBay user left her abusive partner. He was monitoring her account. When she next bought something he contacted the seller claiming it hadn’t arrived. He asked the seller to verify the address. The seller gave him Ellen’s new address. He then found her and beat her so severely she was left blind in her left eye. Jane* was in a relationship that became physically abusive and he had broken her ribs during one attack. Every time she left him he harassed her until she took him back, so next time she left she moved into a refuge. Her ex-partner tracked her down to her workplace and then to a pub she was in one evening. He threw a brick through the window of the pub, which hit the landlord. Jane could not work out how he knew where she was, until her mechanic friend discovered a tracking device on her car. Author of the report and cyber-stalking expert Jennifer Perry said: “Geo-location services that use GPS are the perfect tool for a stalker. Once he has access to a victim’s phone or computer he can watch, listen and follow her wherever she goes – these products are also extremely cheap to buy.” Women’s Aid Chief Executive, Nicola Harwin CBE, said: “Stalking is a frequent aspect of domestic violence, and it is frightening how easy it can be to do this through technology. Getting access to a partner’s phone or computer, and installing applications without their knowledge, can happen quickly and provide the abuser with substantial information. This guide provides important information that can help increase safety. If an abuser can track his ex-partner, even after she has left the relationship, she will be at increased risk of violence.” Network for Surviving Stalking Chief Executive Alexis Bowater said: “We’re calling on technology companies to consider the safety of stalking and domestic violence victims when designing their products. Technology is here to stay and it can be a very useful tool – we think the companies could make their products even better by factoring in safety features.” Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said: "The effect of stalking on victims lives can be devastating and we are actively looking at what more can be done to protect victims and ensure perpetrators are prosecuted. I welcome this practical guide as an example of the valuable work a number of charities are doing to provide information and support to stalking victims.” UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes For media enquiries please contact Teresa Parker, Press & Publicity Manager for Women’s Aid on 0117 9837123 or email teresap@womensaid.org.uk , Jane* and Ellen* are based on real cases. A small number of people who have been stalked are available for interview by the media. They must remain anonymous for safety reasons. They have all had access to the report “Technology Risks for Victims of Stalking and Domestic Violence” and are happy to comment upon the findings. To arrange an anonymous interview contact our press office, contact details above. Jennifer Perry is a digital stalking expert. She has produced the report, Technology Risks for Victims of Stalking and Domestic Violence –which has been funded by the Nominet Trust and Avon. Jennifer is available for interview through our press office. Network for Surviving Stalking is a UK charity that campaigns to improve the rights of stalking victims. NSS is one of three charities that established the National Stalking Helpline. NSS Chief Executive Alexis Bowater is also available for interview through our press office. Women’s Aid is the national domestic violence charity that co-ordinates and supports an England-wide network of over 500 local services working to end domestic violence against women and children. Keeping the voices of survivors at the heart of its work, Women's Aid campaigns for better legal protection and services, providing a strategic "expert view" to government on laws, policy and practice affecting abused women and children. In partnership with its national network, Women's Aid runs public awareness and education campaigns, bringing together national and local action, and developing new training and resources. Women's Aid provides a package of vital 24 hour lifeline services through its publications (available in 11 languages including English), websites (http://www.womensaid.org.uk and http://www.thehideout.org.uk ), and running the Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline in partnership with Refuge. Women's Aid is a registered charity no 1054154. 0808 2000 247: Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline (run in partnership between Women’s Aid and Refuge). The Women’s Aid Website can be found at: http://www.womensaid.org.uk . This is a comprehensive website about domestic violence and its impact on women and children. The website has help sections for women experiencing domestic violence, as well as policy briefings and research findings. The website, built in 1999, has around 2 million hits a month. Women’s Aid also runs a website for children and young people experiencing domestic violence http://www.thehideout.org.uk To interview Nicola Harwin CBE, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, please contact the Women’s Aid press office on 0117 9157454. Avon, the company for women, is committed to supporting the causes that matter most to women – breast cancer and domestic violence. Each year, Avon sells a range of Empowerment products to raise vital funds and awareness to help end violence against women. Avon has donated over £500,000 in the UK to its charity partners Women’s Aid and Refuge, to fund life-saving domestic violence support services, education and lobbying. Top Safety Tips for stalking and domestic violence victims: Using a Mobile phone a) Set your mobile so you have to use a PIN to unlock your phone. It should be set to lock after 1 to 2 minutes use. Use random numbers – don’t use birthdates etc. b) Don’t use apps that tell you where friends are, checks you in etc. If you suspect someone has put a tracking app on your mobile back-up your data and do a factory reset. Be careful when reinstalling data not to install any software or apps you are unsure about. c) Turn off geo-location services in camera apps and your mobile settings. Using a computer a) Use a safe computer – many victims' computers have had spyware/monitoring software installed. Use a different computer from a friend or library until you can install anti-spyware software on your computer. b) E-mail – get multiple new e-mail addresses. Make them anonymous; don't use your real name or nickname an ex-partner would recognise. c) Delete ALL online accounts – The most important thing you can do is delete ALL existing accounts – you don't know which accounts your stalker has access to d) Passwords – Create completely new passwords. Abusers often get access to information because they know or guess a password. Don't use obvious security questions – most ex-partners can guess them. e) Set up several Google alerts with your name, e-mail and phone number so if the abuser posts information about you online you will be alerted f) Password protect your computer – at work always log off or lock the screen even if you are just stepping away for a few minutes. On a Windows machine you can lock the screen by holding down the [Windows] key and pressing L. Using social networks a) Social networks are not secure and your friends can easily leak information that can help an abuser track you down. If possible, delete your Facebook account and don’t use it. If you want continue using Facebook then create a new account with an obscure name, use a fake photo and information. Only add your most trusted friends. Most of all make sure that you and your friends have put on the highest privacy and security settings. For more detailed advice on staying safe online, see our fact sheets at http://www.nssadvice.org.uk 02 February 2012: ACPO COMMENT ON HMIC REVIEW OF NATIONAL POLICE UNITS WHICH PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE ON CRIMINALITY ASSOCIATED WITH PROTEST The review by HMIC recognises that undercover officers play a critical role gathering evidence and intelligence to protect communities from harm. It is one of the most challenging areas of operational activity undertaken by the police service ACPO lead on organised crime Chief Constable Jon Murphy said: “This review recognises that undercover officers play a critical role gathering evidence and intelligence to protect communities from harm. It is one of the most challenging areas of operational activity undertaken by the police service. When used correctly it is lawful, ethical, necessary and proportionate. It is important the HMIC has recognised that the use of undercover tactics in the context of protest and campaigns is small by comparison with areas such as organised crime. “The police service would welcome increased oversight in this critical area of policing. The bodies comprising the National Domestic Extremism Unit were placed under the Metropolitan Police to provide lead force governance in January 2011. The ACPO President has suggested increased judicial oversight of undercover operations and HMIC now suggests strengthening prior approval for intelligence development through the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner. We hope these recommendations can ensure that the public have confidence in the use of these tactics to keep communities safe.” UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes A copy of the report can be found here: http://www.hmic.gov.uk/publication/review-of-national-police-units-which-provide-intelligence-on-criminality-associated-with-protest-20120202/ For more information contact ACPO Press Office Association of Chief Police Officers e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk The ACPO press office can be contacted via 020 7084 8946/47/48 (office hours) or via 07803 903686 (out of office hours). The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally-led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, co-ordinates the strategic policing response. ACPO’s 329 members consist of 242 chief police officers from the home forces of assistant chief constable rank (commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) and above, plus 66 senior police staff members from the 44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Non home forces such as British Transport Police have 21 chief police officer members and there are three members from the Service Police. 02 February 2012: HMIC: STRONGER CONTROLS NEEDED FOR UNDERCOVER DEPLOYMENTS THAT TACKLE CRIMINALITY ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC ORDER AND DOMESTIC EXTREMISM Undercover officers deployed into protest communities gathered intelligence which enabled the police to prevent acts of serious violence; but there was serious intrusion into the lives of others, and this risk needs to be better managed in future, a report published today by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has found. HMIC reviewed the use of undercover officers by the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU), which is now part of the National Domestic Extremism Unit (NDEU). The NPOIU was funded by the Home Office to gather and coordinate intelligence in order to: • reduce criminality and disorder from domestic extremism; and • support forces across England and Wales managing strategic public order issues. HMIC found that while there was only a handful of this kind of undercover deployment active at any one time, the intelligence these officers gathered allowed the police to prevent bombs being planted; recover explosives; prevent arsons and serious violence being committed; seize weapons and equipments; and frustrate attacks on the national infrastructure. Undercover deployments are inherently risky: and those aimed at gathering intelligence (ie as carried out by the NDEU) were in some respects more so than those aimed at gathering criminal evidence (e.g. staging a drugs purchase on a street corner). For instance, they tend to last longer (sometimes years), partly because trust takes longer to grow; this increases the risk of intrusion into the lives of all members of the group among which they are deployed. In addition, there is not the same accountability to the courts as for evidence-gathering deployments. HMIC found that as well as being more risky, NPOIU operations were not as well controlled as those of other units which deploy undercover officers on serious criminality. This was especially so in the case of Mark Kennedy, where the evidence suggests the risks of intrusion into the lives of members of the public while undercover were not well managed; on occasions, he did not follow the codes of practice for undercover officers, or the instructions of his supervisors; and NPOIU/NDEU did not identify the problems as quickly as they should have. HMIC is therefore making recommendations to improve the control of undercover officers deployed to tackle criminality associated with public order and domestic extremism. These improvements centre on three main areas: System of control: Serious consideration should be given to establishing a stronger system of pre-authorisation for pre-planned, long-term intelligence development operations, in order to increase the level of accountability in future. This pre-authorisation should not sit within the police; if it were done by the courts it could create issues for judicial independence and the OSC might be a suitable alternative. The risks associated with undercover tactics need to be controlled at all stages of an undercover officer’s deployment, from authorisation through to exit strategies. The NDEU should strengthen their implementation of existing controls. Definitions: HMIC recommends that a clearer definition of domestic extremism (which reflects the severity of crimes that might warrant this title) would help in judging whether an undercover deployment is an appropriate tactic to use. HMIC proposes a working reference point for this, and outlines a practical framework of six questions against which officers can test whether a potential deployment is necessary and proportionate. Structure: HMIC recommends a clear separation between units that collect intelligence on public order generally and those that collect intelligence on extremism, in recognition of the fact that domestic extremism and public order policing are two different police functions. HMIC also reviewed whether the systems adopted by the NPOIU (which was set up in 1999) overlapped with those of the Metropolitan Police’s Special Demonstration Squad (SDS – which was closed in 2008). This revealed there were a small number of staff and managers who had worked for both the SDS and the NPOIU in some areas. Some issues relating to SDS are already being considered by the IPCC, and HMIC has communicated additional matters to them for consideration. The MPS has agreed to undertake a separate, external and independent review of all the other MPS units which carry out undercover work, (but were outside the scope of HMIC’s review) in order to assure the Commissioner that current best practice is being applied. Sir Denis O’Connor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary said: “The police are right to use undercover tactics in order to protect the public from serious harm. But these operations are inherently risky and must only be used when they are necessary and proportionate. NPOIU operations were not adequately controlled in this regard. “HMIC reviewed evidence available at the time, but not all of this can be put in the public domain.” UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes A copy of the report A review of national police units which provide intelligence on criminality associated with protest can be found on the HMIC website http://www.hmic.gov.uk/publication/review-of-national-police-units-which-provide-intelligence-on-criminality-associated-with-protest-20120202 . In January 2011 HMIC announced we would carry out a review of the operational accountability of undercover work conducted by the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU). The terms of reference and further information can be found on the HMIC website http://www.hmic.gov.uk/ The National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) was created in 1999 as part of the Police Service’s response to campaigns and public protest that generate violence and disruption. The NPOIU’s role was to provide police with intelligence on campaigners’ plans in order to enable forces to protect the public by preventing crime and disruption. It is normal practice for the police to neither confirm nor deny the true identity of undercover officers. This is to protect both the officers themselves, and the effectiveness of the tactic. However, the case of Mark Kennedy is one of exceptional circumstances, including his own revelations, the media interest in him, and the fact that the Court of Appeal named him on 19 July 2011. Because of this, HMIC considers that it is in the public interest on this occasion to use his real name. HMIC is an independent inspectorate, inspecting policing in the public interest, and rigorously examines the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces and authorities to tackle crime and terrorism, improve criminal justice and raise confidence. HMIC inspects and regulates all 43 police forces in England and Wales together with other major policing bodies such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the British Transport Police. For further information, or to request an interview, HMIC’s press office can be contacted during office hours from 8:30am – 5:30pm Monday – Friday on 0203 513 0600. HMIC’s out of hours press office line for urgent media enquiries is 07836 217 729. 01 February 2012: MINISTRY OF JUSTICE: NEW INTERPRETER SERVICES TO PROVIDE MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE JUSTICE Courts across England and Wales have started using a new interpreter service which is expected to save tax-payers more than £18m a year. The change means that all courts and justice agencies are now being provided with skilled interpreters and translators through a single agency, Applied Language Solutions. The new system came into effect this week and means that interpreting assignments across several agencies, including the police and Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, can be allocated to interpreters more effectively. A single interpreter can now complete consecutive assignments for different agencies in the same general location where previously two, or more, interpreters would have been booked. National roll-out for the Ministry of Justice is now being completed following successful implementation of the new service in courts in the North West last month. Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice Nick Herbert said: 'The Government is determined to ensure that taxpayers get value for money across the whole of the justice system. This new contract will save at least £18 million a year on the cost of interpretation and translation, a reduction of almost a third, but will ensure that high quality interpreters and translators are still available to those in need. 'This is just one of a number of common sense changes we are implementing across the justice system to make it more efficient and effective, including digitisation of the courts, greater transparency and expanding the use of virtual courts.' The new arrangement will: •Provide a 'one-stop shop' for all language services including face-to-face foreign language translation and telephone interpretation as well language services for the deaf and deafblind, and written translation. •Simplify the booking and allocation of interpreters and translators, to save staff time and ensure a quicker service for the public. •Centralise the booking of interpreters so that they can be used more efficiently on behalf of the public. •Increase the numbers of interpreters and translators available for use. The changes have been introduced for criminal, civil and family courts, tribunals and prisons. Other justice organisations, including police forces, probation trusts and the Crown Prosecution Service can also sign contracts under the framework agreement. UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes People can learn about how the justice system works, see how judges reach their sentencing decisions and find out about how courts in their area are performing at the Open Justice website: http://www.open.justice.gov.uk/ For more information contact the Ministry of Justice news desk on 0203 334 3536. 31 January 2012: HMRC: FAKE TOBACCO FACTORY GANG JAILED A criminal gang who set up a factory potentially capable of making up to 625 million counterfeit cigarettes and five million pouches of fake hand rolling tobacco a year were jailed today. The plot, worth over £131 million per annum in lost revenue, was foiled when HM Revenue & Customs criminal investigators swooped and closed down the fully equipped cigarette factory in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, before it went into production. During the raid in September 2009 they discovered that the gang were also planning to expand into making counterfeit alcohol. In two co-ordinated searches at the gang’s other industrial units in Blidworth, Nottinghamshire, and a barn at Top Farm, Laxton, Newark, Nottinghamshire, the investigators also seized: • Cigarette manufacturing equipment destined for another criminal gang, capable of producing a potential 750 million cigarettes a year with an annual revenue loss of over £141 million, from Blidworth, and • A five tonne tobacco cutting machine to process the tobacco to make counterfeit hand rolling tobacco and cigarettes, from Laxton. Gary Lampon, Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation for HMRC, said: “This was organised crime on an industrial scale. The gang planned to launch a UK production facility, manufacturing counterfeit tobacco goods by the million. We had previously seized 1.25 million illegal cigarettes from them, so in the belief that they could make a bigger profit, they decided to make their own. This was all about lining their own pockets and they had no regard to the potential harm such criminal activity causes to individuals, communities and legitimate businesses.” His Honour Judge Jonathon Teare said “ The potential loss of revenue was substantial; the project was grand with a series of plans set to evade duty and make millions”. On sentencing Robinson, he said, “your expectations were high and if you had succeeded you would be a millionaire by now and the public purse very much depleted”. Background Gang members traded in smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes illegally manufactured in the UK. HMRC had already seized 1.25 million cigarettes from the gang in two separate operations. The first in June 2009, when one million cigarettes were seized in Rainworth, Nottingham, and the second in August 2009 when 250,000 cigarettes were seized at the Sherwood Business Park, Nottingham. The gang had conspired to escalate from trading in these illegal cigarettes and tobacco, to manufacturing their own counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco on an industrial scale. Unbeknown to the gang, HMRC were aware of their elaborate plans and were secretly tracking their every move, swooping once they were confident they had enough evidence to bring the defendants to justice, but before the manufacturing plants went into production. At the Chesterfield plant officers also seized packaging for 43 million cigarettes, cigarette paper and cigarette tipping paper, foil cellophane, glue and cardboard inners for packets of 20 cigarettes. In Blidworth, 5,000 litres of 96 per cent proof alcohol was seized in a lorry just yards before it was delivered to the gang’s warehouse. This was enough to produce 25,000 bottles of spirits such as vodka or whisky, with a revenue loss of £109,000. Forensic analysis showed the liquid was denatured alcohol unfit for human consumption. At the barn in Laxton officers also seized 100,000 counterfeit Golden Virginia pouches. UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes Details of the defendants sentenced today, 31 January 2012 at Nottingham Crown Court include • Phillip William Robinson, (DOB 25.02.65), of 3 Southfields Close, Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison. A five year crime prevention order was also granted. Robinson was the principal player in the fraud heading up the tobacco manufacturing plant and running the UK arm of the operation. He was also responsible for organising the illicit alcohol plot. • Derek Lloyd Hickling, (DOB 29.12.64), of 278 Woodborough Road, Nottingham, was sentenced to twelve months in prison suspended for twelve months. He is also required to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. Hickling played a role in the alcohol supply chain. • Michael Roy Larcombe, (DOB 23.04.54), of 66 Meadowside Crescent, Nottingham, was sentenced to twelve months in prison suspended for twelve months. He is also required to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. Larcombe was the driver responsible for transporting the 5,000 litres of illegal alcohol seized. • Vincent Waller, (DOB 01.12.64), of 10 Jubilee Crescent, Clowne, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison. A four year crime prevention order was also granted. Waller was Robinson’s right hand man and oversaw the setting up of the machinery and sourced the commercial premises. • Peter Bent, (DOB 09.10.67), of 73 George Street, South Normanton, Alfreton, Derbyshire, was sentenced to ten months in prison suspended for one year. A curfew from 9pm – 6am for four months was imposed. Bent acted as a broker in the cigarette smuggling operation and was to partner Robinson in the illicit alcohol plot. • Phillip William Hall, (DOB 22.01.61), currently of HM Prison Service and formerly of 5 Highland Way, Rugeley, Staffordshire, and 26 Oberon Grove, Wednesbury, West Midlands, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Hall (along with co-defendant James) was to be the supplier of the tobacco and instruct how to operate the tobacco manufacturing machinery. Hall was jailed for five years in March 2011 for his role in operating an illegal tobacco manufacturing plant in Blithbury, Staffordshire. • Donald James, (DOB 14.03.49), of 51 Meschines Street, Coventry, West Midlands, was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for one year. A curfew from 9pm – 6am for four months was imposed. A three year crime prevention order was also granted. James (along with co-defendant Hall) was to be the supplier of the tobacco and instruct how to operate the tobacco manufacturing machinery. • Christopher John Burns, (13.07.77), of 3 Leigh Ave, Burntwood, Staffordshire, was sentenced to 16 months in prison. A three year crime prevention order was also granted. Burns arranged the transportation of smuggled tobacco and would have played a role in commercially selling the counterfeit goods across the UK. • Andrius Kochanauskas, (DOB 01.02.82), of Ozuku, 37-1, Vilnius, Lithuania, was sentenced to five months in prison. Kochanauskas was taking control of the second tobacco manufacturing machinery for a separate organised crime gang. • Dangis Sulzinskas, (DOB 23.01.71), Flat 4, Nelson House, Western Avenue, London, was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 1 year. He is also required to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. Sulzinskas was a driver and a supplier of smuggled cigarettes. The defendants were charged with either tobacco or alcohol smuggling offences under the Customs and Excise and Management Act 1979 or conspiracy to produce cigarettes and / or hand rolling tobacco within the UK contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1977 and Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovuk Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office Press enquiries only please contact: Jennie Kendall, Press Officer for Central England Tel: 07810 815832 Email: jennie.kendall@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk Out of hours Tel: 07860 359544 Website www.hmrc.gov.uk 31 January 2012: HMRC: DUO JAILED FOR £700,000 VAT FRAUD Two fraudsters from Kent who falsely claimed VAT repayments of over £700,000 have been jailed following an investigation by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Keith Chamberlain (42) and Rhonnan Mundy (49) submitted false Value Added Tax (VAT) repayment claims to HMRC by setting up companies and providing fake documentation to support their claims. Chamberlain and Mundy were each jailed for two years and eight months. John Cooper Assistant Director HMRC Criminal Investigation said: “The motivation of Chamberlain and Mundy was pure greed. They selfishly attempted to steal over £700,000 of taxpayers’ money which is needed to fund vital public services. These sentences will act as a deterrent to those who are tempted to become involved in this type of criminal activity. HMRC will not only pursue and prosecute VAT fraudsters but we will also seek to reclaim the proceeds of the crime.” Between January 2008 and July 2010, Chamberlain and Mundy conspired together in registering a number of companies to falsely reclaim VAT on zero rated services including PD&C Ltd, a building company that specialised in dry lining, and Kent Farm Produce, a fruit and vegetable wholesale business. HMRC also found evidence of the pair hijacking a legitimate VAT registration and also using the identities of at least four people without consent, to set up further businesses in order to submit false VAT reclaims. Some of the businesses never actually traded and were simply a front to commit VAT repayment fraud. In respect of PD&C Ltd, which reclaimed over £550,000 in VAT alone, investigations by HMRC officers found that between January 2008 and October 2009 there was no evidence of any trading activity. None of the legitimate companies the pair had claimed to have done business with had ever heard of them. Both men pleaded guilty and were sentenced yesterday (30 January 2012) at Canterbury Crown Court. Confiscation proceedings are in place to reclaim the proceeds of their crime from Chamberlain and Mundy. UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes Keith Lawrence Chamberlain, date of birth 29/06/1969, of 316 London Road, Dover CT17 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cheat the revenue contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 in April 2011.He was sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court on 30 January 2012 and disqualified from being a company director for 10 years. Rhonnan Mark Mundy, birth 29/01/1963, of Thatched Cottage, Mill Lane, Worth, Deal, Kent, CT14 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cheat the revenue contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 in April 2011. He was sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court on 30 January 2012 and disqualified from being a company director for 10 years. The total amount of VAT fraudulently claimed was £707,595.52. Anyone with information about people committing VAT fraud is encouraged to call the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000 or email customs.hotline@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk. Confiscation proceedings are in place. Photos of the defendants are available. Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovuk Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office Press enquiries only please contact: Georgina Myles, Regional Press officer for London, Thames Valley & the South East Tel: 07748 931504 E-mail: Georgina.myles@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk Or Bob Gaiger, Media Relations Manager Tel: 01404 811532 or 07802 634144 E-mail: Bob.gaiger@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk Out of hours Tel: 07860 359544 Website www.hmrc.gov.uk 31 January 2012: IPCC: RECOMMENDATIONS MADE FOLLOWING INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO DEATH OF ANDRZEJ RYMARZAK IN POLICE CUSTODY The Independent Police Complaints Commission made a number of recommendations following the death of Andrzej Rymarzak in police custody. An independent investigation commenced after Andrzej Rymarzak (also known as Andrew), 43, was found dead in a police cell at Chelsea police station in the early hours of Thursday, 22 January, 2009. Mr Rymarzak had been arrested on Old Brompton Road on 21 January after attacking an ambulance crew that had come to his assistance. The crew was responding to a call from a member of the public who had seen Mr Rymarzak in distress. The IPCC’s independent investigation examined the circumstances of Mr Rymarzak’s arrest and transportation to Chelsea police station, the authorisation of his detention, the subsequent care and treatment afforded to him while in custody and the medical review and examination carried out. The IPCC independently investigates the majority of deaths in custody and makes recommendations to forces and nationally for change to prevent future deaths. After concluding the independent investigation the following recommendations were made: 1. That the Metropolitan Police Service and other forces put in place a regime to ensure there is effective line management of custody sergeants by duty officers or custody inspectors. 2. That there is greater clarity about the responsibility for detainees in custody when at any given time there is more than one custody sergeant on duty. 3. That there is guidance given to custody sergeants about how to proceed when there is dissatisfaction with the performance of any Health Care Professional or when there are concerns about the competence of a Health Care Professional who examines a detainee. Death in police custody is a priority area for the IPCC. Commissioner Mike Franklin, who leads on custody issues for the IPCC said: “Investigating deaths in police custody is a priority area for the IPCC and we will continue to identify areas for improvements and make recommendations for forces regarding how to deal with detainees. “Following our independent investigation we made recommendations regarding effective line management, the need for greater clarity about detainees in custody and how custody sergeants should proceed if they are unhappy with medical professionals. “This was a tragic incident which resulted in the death of Mr Rymarzak. My thoughts and condolences are with Mr Rymarzak’s family and friends.” In April 2010 the IPCC passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service which contained evidence concerning the conduct of four police officers, a civilian designated detention officer and the Force Medical Examiner. All of whom were present at the custody suite at various times on the evening of 21 January and the morning of 22 January 2009. Dr Hisham El-Baroudy, a former FME, was charged with gross negligence manslaughter. He was found not guilty at Southwark Crown Court last Thursday (26 January). Offences of misconduct in public office and attempting to pervert the course of justice were considered by the CPS but they decided there was insufficient evidence to bring any charges. Management action was agreed against two officers, a gross misconduct panel is pending and one person has since retired. Knowledge gained during investigations has resulted in the IPCC making recommendations to PACE codes and the Safer Detention and Handling Guidance (ACPO guidance). This work includes 1) looking at the definition of intoxication 2) ensuring that risk assessments are carried out correctly by officers 3) rousing is done properly. This work has been submitted to the Home Office, ACPO and the NPIA. UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes For media enquiries please contact the IPCC press office on 0207 166 3028 31 January 2012: FEDERATION REACTION TO PUBLICATION OF ‘GETTING IT RIGHT FOR VICTIMS AND WITNESSES’ Commenting on the publication of the consultation document ‘Getting it right for victims and witnesses’ (30 January), Paul McKeever, Chairman of the Police Federation of England & Wales, says: " It is important that the government ensures that suitable help and resources are available for those victims of crime who need it. However, with diminishing budgets, we must safeguard against any changes that could be expensive, wasteful or result in a poorer service for victims of crime. "We don't necessarily have to re-invent the wheel. There are many schemes in place that work and the government would do well to listen to advice from experts, such as the charity Victim Support, as to what victims really want and expect from the criminal justice system." 31 January 2012: NPIA UPGRADES CRIME MAP TO MARK ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY Website provides even more information about crime and anti-social behaviour in local neighbourhoods. As the crime map http://www.police.uk marks its first anniversary, NPIA is providing even more information to the public about crimes and anti-social behaviour occurring in their local neighbourhoods. We have upgraded the website to identify crimes occurring at or near local points of interest, such as shopping areas, hospitals, night clubs, railway stations and parking areas. We are also providing information about crimes and anti-social behaviour recorded at all train stations and railway networks recorded across England and Wales. And from today the points on the website will relate to as few as eight postal addresses, rather than the previous threshold of 12, whilst still protecting individual identities. This is in response to public feedback for more detailed information on the crime map. The development of the website, which is being managed jointly by the NPIA and the Home Office, has received more than 450 million hits since its launch a year ago - more than any other government website. Assistant Chief Constable David Peacock, NPIA's strategic lead for crime mapping, said: "Providing crime information is essential in building the public's trust and confidence in policing, and reducing their fear of crime. Through crime mapping, forces are helping the public to better understand what is happening in their local area and reassuring them of what is being done to make their neighbourhoods safer." The NPIA, Home Office and the Ministry of Justice are also working on a government commitment to use http://www.police.uk to show what happens after a crime has occurred. By May the crime map will show what action the police took and what the criminal justice outcome was. UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes Additional Resources •Image of street level crime and ASB in Westminster, December 2011 http://npia.pressofficeadmin.com/repository/files/policeuk04.jpg Written by Verity Hambrook (verity.hambrook@npia.pnn.police.uk) 31 January 2012: SCOTLAND: MINIMUM PRICING OF ALCOHOL Minimum pricing for alcohol, together with the existing ban on irresponsible promotions could prevents thousands of deaths, illnesses and crimes and save Scotland millions of pounds. These are the findings of a revised report carried out by researchers at the University of Sheffield which was published this morning. The report, which was published as the Cabinet Secretary for Health Nicola Sturgeon appeared at the Health Committee to talk about Minimum Unit Pricing, measures the effect that the policy is estimated to have on Scotland’s alcohol misuse problem. The Sheffield team first carried out the report in 2009 and it has been refreshed in light of new data. The report looks at a range of minimum prices from 25p to 70p, with and without a ban on promotions. This will help Ministers decide on the level of the minimum price, which will be announced in the Spring. Key findings from the updated report, using a 45p minimum price, with a promotions ban, as an illustrative figure, include: • Overall weekly consumption across society would fall by six per cent. Consumption changes are greatest for harmful drinkers • Alcohol related deaths would fall by about 60 in the first year and over 300 by year ten of the policy • Alcohol-attributable morbidity decreases with an estimated reduction of 1,000 acute and 260 chronic illnesses in year one • A fall in general hospital admission of 1,660 in year one and 6,630 by year ten • Harmful drinkers would pay an extra £132 per year, compared to just £9 for moderate drinkers • A fall in crime of 3,600 offences per year • Around 36,500 fewer workdays lost through absenteeism and 1,180 fewer people unemployed because of alcohol misuse each year • Harm reduction valued at £952 million over 10 years Ms Sturgeon said: "We all know that Scotland has a serious problem with alcohol misuse, with Scots drinking more than any other part of the UK and these findings further confirm my belief that minimum pricing can be a key weapon in the battle against this. "The findings also confirm that the measure will have more of an effect on heavy drinkers as they tend to favour cheaper alcohol. "There is a clear link between the price of alcohol and consumption levels which is why we always intended to introduce a minimum price alongside the quantity discount ban. "The support in favour of minimum pricing is now overwhelming, and I hope that this time around Scotland’s MSPs will do the right thing and back this policy. "Doctors, nurses, the police, academics and politicians, as well as growing numbers of the general population, have now recognised the harm that alcohol is doing to our communities and the benefit minimum pricing will bring – saving lives and reducing crime." Related information: Sheffield Alcohol Research Group http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/ph/research/alpol/publications 31 January 2012: NEW MOTORWAY GATES TO HELP DRIVERS Work to install five new gates that will help emergency services and the Highways Agency to free drivers stuck in traffic after major motorway incidents will start this weekend. The gates are being installed in the central reservation of sections of the M25, the M4 and the M20, and will be used to turn drivers around onto the other carriageway when the road ahead of them has been blocked by a major incident. Two locations on the M25 between junctions 8 and 9 near Reigate in Surrey, and one between junctions 24 and 25 near Potters Bar in Hertfordshire will see the gates installed, as will the M4 between junctions 3 and 2 in west London and the M20 between junctions 1 and 2 in north Kent. Each location has been carefully chosen as there is a relatively long distance between junctions, increasing the risk that high numbers of vehicles could become stuck on the carriageway if the road ahead becomes blocked. Work starts this Saturday (4 February) and is expected to be complete at all locations by the end of March. Highways Agency project leader Peter Rix said: "Even with one of the safest road networks in the world, it is an unfortunate fact that major incidents do occur from time to time and, when they do, minimising their impact on drivers is a responsibility we take seriously. “We work hard to keep traffic flowing during incidents – both by managing traffic as safely and efficiently as possible, and by giving people useful information to help them make choices about their journeys. However, some drivers are unlucky enough to get caught behind incidents just after they have happened and that causes a whole range of challenges for us in terms of traffic management and driver and passenger welfare. These new gates will give us one more tool in our battle against congestion and driver delays." At each location, the work will be carried out using temporary overnight lane closures. On the M25 between junctions 8 and 9 there will be two half-mile sections of narrow lanes past the area where the gates are being installed with a 50mph speed limit, which will remain in place 24 hours a day for safety reasons. Elsewhere, restrictions will be removed outside working hours. There are no road closures or diversions planned at any point during the work. The work is expected to be complete by the end of March. UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England’s motorways and other strategic roads on behalf of the Secretary of State. The work is being carried out in four phases. The exact dates of work are weather dependent, but the expected programme of work is: * M25 J8 – 9: 4 Feb to 10 March * M25 J24 -25: 20 Feb to 3 March * M20 J1-2: 25 Feb to 10 March * M4 J2-3: 12 Feb to 25 Feb For the Highways Agency’s advice to road users this winter, “Make time for winter”, please visit www.highways.gov.uk/winter We plan maintenance and improvement projects carefully to allow road works to be completed safely, in a cost effective way while keeping disruption to road users to a minimum. We do as much work as possible overnight and when roads are less busy in order to keep more lanes open for road users at peak travel times. Drivers are advised to check their route for road works and allow extra time for their journeys where needed. We have a variety of journey planning tools that road users can use to check travel conditions on the roads we manage, and we will do all we can to keep road users informed. Safety at roadworks: The Highways Agency is working with the industry and road users to reduce the risks of working on the roads. For the safety of road workers and all road users, when you are approaching roadworks: - Keep within the speed limit – it is there for your safety. - Get into the correct lane in good time – don’t keep switching. - Concentrate on the road ahead, not the roadworks. - Be alert for works’ traffic leaving or entering roadworks. - Keep a safe distance – there could be queues in front. - Observe all signs – they are there to help you. Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and other strategic roads is available: - From the web at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic or www.highways.gov.uk/mobile if using a phone or mobile device. - By phone from the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000 at any time. (Calls to 0300 numbers will cost no more than 5p per minute from a standard BT residential landline. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary, but will be no more than a standard geographic call and will be included in all inclusive minutes and discount schemes). Make sure it’s safe and legal before you call. Before using any mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. - On an iPhone app which will automatically select the region you are in. Free to download from the iTunes store or search for Highways Agency on your device. - From Twitter – there are eight feeds with live traffic information provided by region. For information on roads in the south east region follow us @HAtraffic_seast or for the full index visit www.highways.gov.uk/twitter. Receive our national and regional press releases by RSS and get the latest headlines straight to your desktop the moment we publish them to our website. Choose to receive a national press feed or one of our regionalised feeds - go to www.highways.gov.uk/rssnews for more information. Issued by the Highways Agency. 31 January 2012: MINISTRY OF JUSTICE: £50 MILLION FOR VICTIMS’ SERVICES In an overhaul of victims’ services, up to £50 million would be generated from offenders to help create a speedier, more supportive system for victims of serious crime. Criminals will be forced to fund victims' support services and those with unspent convictions could be banned from claiming compensation, under new proposals announced by Justice Secretary, Kenneth Clarke, today. The planned shake-up, which is now out to public consultation, includes: •Ending payments for minor injuries such as sprained ankles, cuts and grazes and speeding up payments for serious injuries; •Greater funding for victims' support services, better targeted at those most in need; •Stopping criminal injuries compensation payments to people with unspent convictions - totalling at least £75million over the past decade; •Banning criminal injuries compensation payments to people who have been resident in the UK for less than 6 months (except for UK and EU/EEA nationals); •A new statutory Victims' Code including the right for victims to make a personal statement and to request a meeting with their offender; •A simpler route of complaint and redress for victims; •Giving new Police and Crime Commissioners a key role in deciding the priorities for local victims' services; •Ensuring more voluntary victims' organisations have access to long-term funding. Justice Secretary, Kenneth Clarke, said: 'Victims in this country must be able to rely on a justice system which punishes offenders properly and ensures that victims who suffer serious consequences are properly helped and supported. 'Cash compensation should be better focused on blameless victims of the most serious crimes and more support for victims should be funded by offenders rather than taxpayers. 'Victims should be supported and not be let down by the criminal justice system. They are the people to whom we have the greatest responsibility. I believe all these proposals will go a long way to putting right the failings of the past.' The Government will also, for the first time, compensate British victims of terrorist atrocities abroad on the same basis as victims of terrorism in Britain. Those with ongoing disabilities from attacks after 2002 will also receive financial support. The intended boost of £50m from the Victim Surcharge and financial penalties for victims' services is in addition to the £1million that the Government aims to take from prisoners' pay packets through the Prisoners' Earnings Act. Respond to the consultation now http://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/victims-witnesses . UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes For more information call the Ministry of Justice Press Office on 0203 3343555. Each year central Government spends £66million on victim and witness support services. Offenders only contribute around £10m to this through the Victim Surcharge - currently set at £15 on all court fines which helps fund Independent Domestic Violence Advisers, Witness Care Units and voluntary support groups. The Prisoners' Earnings Act, which came into force last September, sees 40% of the net wages of prisoners working outside prison go to Victim Support. Victim Personal Statements give victims an opportunity to tell criminal justice agencies, the magistrate or judge how they have been affected by a crime. 31 January 2012: ACPO COMMENT ON CRIME MAPPING - ONE YEAR ON The upgrade of the existing http://www.police.uk website announced today will provide the public with even greater access to important information about crimes occurring in their local area, including crimes at or near points of interest, such as shopping areas, airports, railway stations, parking areas and night clubs ACPO lead on crime information Deputy Chief Constable Neil Rhodes said: “Providing crime mapping information to members of the public assists awareness of how the police service is working to reduce crime and disorder in communities, helps reduce the fear of crime and in areas where crime is occurring, provides encouragement to the public to support the police with information and remain watchful when appropriate. "Through the work of the National Policing Improvement Agency, the upgrade of the existing http://www.police.uk website announced today will provide the public with even greater access to important information about crimes occurring in their local area and in particular provide an ability to identify crimes occurring at or near local points of interest, such as shopping areas, airports, railway stations, parking areas and night clubs. Providing this information is essential to building trust and confidence in policing by giving local communities direct and easy access to information which pinpoints what is occurring in their local neighbourhoods. “By using crime mapping, forces will continue to work hard to provide the public with more information to help them understand what is happening in their area and reassure them of what is being done to make them safer.” UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes For more information contact ACPO Press Office Association of Chief Police Officers e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk The ACPO press office can be contacted via 020 7084 8946/47/48 (office hours) or via 07803 903686 (out of office hours). The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally-led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, co-ordinates the strategic policing response. ACPO’s 329 members consist of 242 chief police officers from the home forces of assistant chief constable rank (commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) and above, plus 66 senior police staff members from the 44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Non home forces such as British Transport Police have 21 chief police officer members and there are three members from the Service Police. 30 January 2012: CPS: LONDON'S TOP PROSECUTOR CHALLENGES SOCIAL ASSUMPTIONS ON RAPE VICTIMS The capital's Chief Crown Prosecutor is calling for a greater debate on ways in which society can challenge, combat and dispel the assumptions and myths associated with rape victims. At a talk today (January 30) at City Hall, London, Alison Saunders said: "The Crown Prosecution Service in London is doing a huge amount of work to improve our performance in this important area. The good news is that the number of unsuccessful cases going through the system in London is dropping. "One of the biggest challenges for the prosecution in these cases is to challenge pre-conceived jury assumptions that they bring to the trial. This is particularly true in cases where the victim and defendant are known to each other, or where there the victim has consumed alcohol. "I have today met with practitioners, victims groups and partners to discuss how we can actively challenge these assumptions. Victims can be reticent to come forward for fear of being demonised in court and even in the media. As a society we need to be aware that these myths and stereotypes have the potential to influence court outcomes and ultimately lives." Over 200 CPS London lawyers are designated as rape specialists. The criteria for becoming a rape specialist is rigorously applied and they receive specific training. CPS prosecutors follow the Merit Based Approach to prosecuting rape cases. This means that the prosecutor's decision is based on an objective assessment of the evidence, ignoring stereotypical assumptions about the victim's behaviour, despite the fact that these assumptions may be held by members of the jury who are ultimately responsible for deciding the outcome of a trial. Mrs Saunders added: "We have done a lot of work with our prosecutors dispelling these stereotypes internally and our performance in prosecuting these cases is improving. I believe this is partly due to our dedicated rape charging centre and in 2012 we will be launching the London Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) unit, which will mean all rape cases being managed by a dedicated team of prosecutors. We are working hard with our partners, particularly the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), to improve the way in which we deal with these cases. I am determined to ensure that victims are confident in coming forward and reporting these crimes." UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes A number of myths are laid out in the CPS Rape Manual, which can be found here: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/rape_manual/rape_manual/#a21 For media enquiries and interview bids call the CPS Press Office on 020 3357 0906; Out of Hours Pager 07699 781 926 The DPP has set out what the public can expect from the CPS in the Core Quality Standards document published in March 2010 http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/core_quality_standards/index.html . The CPS consists of 13 Areas in total, each headed by a Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP). In addition, there are three specialised national divisions: Central Fraud Group, Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism, and Organised Crime. A telephone service, CPS Direct, provides out-of-hours advice and decisions to police officers across England and Wales. The CPS employs around 8,316 people and prosecuted 982,731 cases with a conviction rate of 86.8% in the magistrates' courts and 80.7% in the Crown Court in 2009-20010. Further information can be found on the CPS website http://www.cps.gov.uk/ . The CPS, together with ACPO and media representatives, has developed a Protocol for the release of prosecution material to the media. This sets out the type of prosecution material that will normally be released, or considered for release, together with the factors we will take into account when considering requests. Read the Protocol for the release of prosecution material to the media http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/agencies/mediaprotocol.html . 30 January 2012: SCOTLAND: FAST-TRACK JUSTICE A pilot project designed to speed up the punishment of low level offenders sentenced to a Community Payback Order has seen encouraging results during its first nine months, with 92 per cent of offenders on the pilot sent out to pay back the community within 24 hours, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said today. Early initial results also show that 98 per cent are starting their manual labour within seven days. The ‘one stop shop’ system involved community service and social work staff being housed directly opposite Glasgow Sheriff Court, meaning offenders can be transferred immediately from the dock down to be assessed, allocated, and then taken directly to their first community payback work squad placement. The pilot is being funded by the Scottish Government in response to a determination by Ministers to speed up the current system to ensure low level offenders are sent out to repay their dues to the community swiftly. A full evaluation will take place at the end of the pilot period, but if successful, the model could be replicated elsewhere in Scotland. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “We want to see low level offenders out paying back communities by doing some tough manual labour. “Punishment should be tough and justice should be immediate which is why we are piloting this new initiative. The aim is to get these low level offenders out doing manual work to improve communities within hours of being sentenced. “Whether it is cleaning streets of graffiti, renovating elderly care homes, restoring fallen gravestones or helping to clear pavements of snow, these offenders should be repaying communities they have harmed. “It is early days, but the initial results are encouraging with an overwhelming majority out doing manual labour and making improvements to communities within 24 hours and nearly all of them out within seven days. “Prison is and always will be the right place for serious and dangerous offenders and recent statistics show we are beginning to get that balance right. Crime is down, fear of crime is down, the number of people carrying out crime is down, and those that do break the law are being punished swiftly by Scotland’s justice system with criminals now being punished through the longest prison sentences in a decade. “But at the other end of the scale, we need to address Scotland’s appalling reoffending rate for low level offenders. These offenders are going in and out of prison, time and time again and committing more crime in communities upon release. “It has gone on too long, has been ignored for years by successive Governments and it is time to stop. That is why we are doing something about it – and the UK and Northern Irish Governments are now looking to follow our lead. “All the evidence shows that getting offenders out doing some manual labour in the community works far better than short term prison sentences and actually stops them committing further crimes. “The facts speak for themselves with three quarters of those sentenced to a short prison sentence of three months or less going on to reoffend within two years of getting out, but in direct comparison, three out of five given a tough community sentence do not.” Councillor Matt Kerr, Glasgow City Council's Executive Member for Social Care said: "All the credit must go to the staff in the council's social work department and in community safety services. They were the ones tasked with delivering a fast track community payback system and that's exactly what they have done. "Staff have created a system that represents a huge step forward in the way that offenders are dealt with once they have left court with a community payback order. "The vast majority of offenders who receive a community punishment can now expect to be put to work on the day of sentencing and that can only enhance the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. I am very pleased that Glasgow has again shown its capacity to innovate and I can only thank the staff for all their efforts." Sheriff Joseph Platt, Sheriff of Glasgow and Strathkelvin said: “The courts and the public rightly expect community sentences to be firmly enforced and administered. The department’s new and demanding standard for the fulfilment of unpaid work orders shows a clear and strong commitment to supporting the courts and meeting public expectations: it also means that orders should be completed sooner, again to the benefit of the public.” Further information A ‘presumption against’ ineffective short prison sentences of three months or less in favour of a new Community Payback Order came into effect in Scotland on 1st Feb, 2011. Judges will still be able to sentence someone to three months in jail if they wish, but there will be a general presumption that low level offenders will instead be sent out to do some tough manual labour to repay their dues to the communities they have harmed, backed by action to address any underlying problems that may be fuelling the crime – whether that be alcohol, drug or mental health problems. The Scottish Government is committing £25,000 of funding in 2010/11 and £150,000 of funding in 2011/12 to Glasgow Community Justice Authority for the pilot, which will last one year. The pilot will then be fully evaluated. 30 January 2012: HOME OFFICE: HOME SECRETARY SPEECH ON POLICE REFORM The police do one of the most important jobs in this country. They do their work with great courage, great skill and great commitment. In fact, I believe Britain has the finest police officers in the world. But we can help them do their job even more effectively. Today I want to talk about the government's radical programme of police reform, about how those reforms are starting to take shape, how the police are already responding and about how they will leave us with a police force that is answerable to the public and transformed in its ability to fight crime. When people talk about public service reform it's often through the prism of cuts. With the deficit we have, that's understandable, but it's just not what our police reforms are about. Of course, the need to make savings makes reform more urgent than ever. But the aim of our police reforms is not just to save money, it's to equip the police to face the future and make them more effective at fighting crime. The Winsor Report Last year, I said at another reform event that we would need to take difficult decisions to save police jobs and fight crime. We would need to reform police pay and conditions, not just to make savings, but also to reinvest some of those savings in the frontline, and reward skills, performance and crime-fighting. When the police spend around £11 billion per year on pay – three quarters of total police spending – we have to get it right. That's why I commissioned Tom Winsor to carry out a full independent review of police pay and conditions. The existing police pay system was designed over 30 years ago. Since then, the way the police work has changed a great deal. But the way they are paid has not. In the late 1970s, for example, the vast majority of officers regularly worked unsocial hours. Now only around 60 per cent do. Since the 1970s, pay systems in the private and the wider public sector have changed to recognise and reward specialist skills. The most productive employees are paid more. Incentives are used to improve performance. But in the police that doesn't happen enough. Skills, performance and successful crime fighting aren't rewarded. Time served still determines how well most police officers are paid. And I don’t think that’s right. So I asked Tom Winsor to design a system that is fair to the taxpayer and fair to police officers and staff. I asked him to help maximise deployment to frontline roles. And I asked him to allow chief constables to deploy modern management practices that give them the flexibility they need to cut crime. After a thorough and considered review, Winsor provided us with the outline of what a modern police pay structure could look like. He produced a package that is fair to the police and that is fair to the taxpaying public. A package that can produce savings and improve incentives, that recognises and rewards specialist skills and frontline service, not just time served. The Winsor Report has been considered by the independent police arbitration tribunal, and I can announce today that I am accepting all of the tribunal’s recommendations in full. I know that some police officers will be disappointed by this outcome. But I want to stress that there will be no reduction in basic pay. Extra payments will be targeted at frontline staff and those doing the most demanding work. And the total savings will represent less than two per cent of the total police pay bill. Policing will remain a well-paid job. And the fact remains that if we hadn't taken this tough decision, we would have had to cut police budgets more deeply and there would have had to be more police job cuts. That is something that neither the police nor the public wants. Once the PAT's recommendations have been fully implemented they will save around £150 million per year. Already police forces like Surrey and Cambridgeshire have begun recruiting again. ACPO believe more will start in the next financial year. The Second Winsor Report In response to the first Winsor report, there were a few areas on which the police arbitration tribunal explicitly made no decision. The most important was Winsor's proposed expertise and professional accreditation allowance. This payment was intended to link the pay that officers receive to the skills they have acquired and use. The link between pay and skills is a vitally important principle. In every walk of life, people are paid according to their skills. The same should be true for the police. That is why this principle will be considered again when we look at the second part of Tom Winsor's review. This second report will look into police pay and conditions in the longer-term, including basic pay, career length and pension age and the pay negotiating machinery. In particular, it will consider the introduction of direct entry into the police. I have been clear that I want to see a widening of the pool of talent from which police leaders are drawn. So I look forward to Tom Winsor’s Part 2 recommendations. Helping the Police to Make Savings We're leaving no stone unturned in our work to make the police more efficient. Police forces spend over £1 billion per year on information and communications technology. There are 5000 police ICT staff, working on 2000 separate systems, across 100 different data centres. The scope for savings is clear. That's why last year I announced the creation of a police information and communications technology company to help police forces improve their systems and save money. ICT is crucial to policing, but the company will allow IT professionals to do the IT and the crime fighters to do the crime fighting. And by harnessing the combined purchasing power of police forces, the company will be able to drive down costs, drive up value and save the public money. We're also helping police forces to come together and use their collective buying power to procure goods and services from uniforms to patrol cars. It makes no sense for the police to buy things in 43 different ways, but this is what happens. One supplier has over 1,500 individual contracts with the 43 forces. No wonder prices are so high. By putting in place framework contracts for standard things like body armour we can cut out this needless waste. Our police procurement programme has already realised savings of £34 million – a total projected to rise to around £70 million by the end of this financial year and to approximately £200 million per year by the end of the spending review period. Most forces recognise the huge financial benefits that this standardised and collective purchasing can bring. But in exceptional cases, where a small minority are creating a barrier to the rest making savings, then we're prepared to mandate joint action. That's why Nick Herbert, the policing minister, announced last week that we intend to require all forces to collaborate in the creation of the national police air service. This will ultimately save £15 million per year and result in a better co-ordinated and more consistently available air service for forces across the country. These are all savings that are being made because of action we're taking, from the home office, to help the police. But police forces are also doing a great deal to help themselves to rise to the challenge – and I want to praise them for the way they have responded to both the need to reform and the need to save money. Greater Manchester police have saved £62 million per year from their support functions and have released 348 police officers from these roles so they can get back to frontline roles. Surrey Police have carried out a significant restructuring which has allowed them to commit to increasing constable numbers by up to 200 over the next four years. In my own constituency force, Thames Valley, they have slashed support costs, such as HR, saving over £15 million this year and allowing them to redeploy 35 officers to frontline roles in neighbourhoods or on patrol. And they have ambitions to redeploy a further 100 officers to the frontline over the next two years. Reducing Bureaucracy But good policing is not just about numbers and our police reforms are about more than just money. We are also freeing the police to get on with fighting crime. Police officers join the force because they want to catch criminals and keep their communities safe. And yet for too long those officers have been hamstrung by red tape and form filling. Well we're changing all that. That's why I've announced a package of measures that will cut police bureaucracy and save up to 3.3 million police hours per year. That's the equivalent of putting over 1,500 police officers back on the streets. I know that senior officers and chief constables don’t want their officers stuck in the station – they want them on the frontline. And the evidence is already mounting that they're succeeding in protecting that frontline. Last week's figures show we will have a smaller police workforce overall. But Her Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary have found that police forces across England and Wales were planning to increase the proportion of police officers working on the frontline from 68% in 2010 to 70% by March of this year and with that trend predicted to continue. I want to see that proportion continue to go up because it's what's effective in fighting crime and it's what the public want. So our reforms are protecting thousands of police officer jobs, saving millions of police man hours, and making the police more visible and available to the public than ever before. Empowering the Public Empowering the public is the theme than runs through our whole police reform programme. The police are a public service: they should serve and respond to local people. That is why we are introducing directly elected police and crime commissioners. From November this year, they will bring democratic accountability to the police. They will have the local knowledge and understanding to set their force's policing priorities. They will have the democratic mandate to set the police budget and the council tax precept. And they will have the power to hold chief constables to account for the performance of their force. Earlier this month, the mayor of London became the police and crime commissioner for the metropolitan police force area. This important milestone means that London can now benefit from direct local accountability over its police force, with the elected mayor, not the metropolitan police authority, setting policing priorities for London. But police and crime commissioners are only one way in which we are strengthening the link between the police and the public. Earlier this month we launched a single non-emergency number to contact the police – 101 – to replace the various 0845 numbers used by forces around the country. 101 gives an easy-to-remember number for the public to use when they need to contact the police when it's not an emergency, for example to report a crime that has already happened, to get advice or to raise local policing issues. And there have already been nearly 3 million calls to the 101 number. If people want to speak to the police in person, rather than over the phone, we've made that much easier too, by mandating the police to hold neighbourhood beat meetings. And as well as making it easier to contact the police, we're also giving the public more information than ever before about crime and policing in their area through street-level crime maps. Last year, our crime mapping website – police.uk - received more hits than any other government website. Since October the public have been able to use the police.uk website to see how their force performs in a range of areas like crime rates, quality of service and victim satisfaction. Tomorrow we'll launch the next stage of crime mapping, in which we'll start to map crimes to or near a range of public places like railway stations, nightclubs, parks and shopping areas. By May, crime maps will show the public what happens after a crime has occurred - what action the police took and what the criminal justice outcome was. You'll be able to see if the criminal was arrested, charged and sent to prison. Armed with the information from those crime maps, people can attend their local neighbourhood beat meeting and hold their local police to account for their performance. That will help drive up local policing standards and help drive down local crime. Local crime includes, of course, anti-social behaviour. But we know in the past the authorities have not always heard cries for help from vulnerable victims. So we have been working with eight police forces and their local partners to test new ways of handling calls from the public about anti-social behaviour. The aim was to quickly identify the vulnerable and those who reported incidents repeatedly, and to prioritise their cases. The eight forces have reported encouraging initial results from the trials – including better working relationships with other agencies, an improved service to the victim and the start of a shift in culture, with call handlers responding to the needs of the victim, rather than just ticking boxes. Most importantly, forces have been able to identify high-risk individuals – often people experiencing the most horrendous abuse - who might otherwise have slipped through the net. And they have taken action to make that abuse stop. So we will now work with police forces nationwide to share the lessons of the trials so that every community can benefit. It's too easy to overlook the harm that persistent anti-social behaviour causes. Many police forces, councils and housing providers are working hard, but I still hear horror stories of victims reporting the same problem over and over again, and getting no response. Just last week I met a woman who had been telling the police about anti-social behaviour in her area for over two years – and it's still going on. These long-running problems - and the sense of helplessness that goes with them - can destroy a victim's quality of life and shatter a community's trust in the police. That's why we proposed a 'community trigger' as part of our reforms to anti-social behaviour laws. The trigger will give victims and communities the right to demand that agencies who had ignored a problem must take action. So we are now working with a number of local authorities to test the community trigger on the ground and pilots will begin by the summer. NCA But I don't just want crime to be better tackled locally. I also want us to get a much better grip on crime nationally. The growth of international travel and the revolution in communications technology, that has benefited us all, has also been exploited by criminals. Their networks and activities have changed and evolved, but our response has not kept pace. Law enforcement officers currently believe organised crime costs the UK between £20 and £40 billion per year and involves over 39,000 individuals, operating as part of over 7,000 gangs – though the true numbers may be even higher. The drug dealing on street corners; the muggings by addicts; the gang violence that is used to protect a drugs market. All these crimes happening in local communities are fundamentally driven by organised crime. And as well as growing, the threat from organised crime is also changing. Increasingly, the biggest criminal losses do not come from the burglar who breaks into houses to steal TVs or DVD players, but from the cyber criminal who raids bank accounts directly. A child can now be at greater risk sat in their bedroom on their computer than they are outside the school gates. And given the nature of the criminal threat, it is now no longer possible to keep communities safe through good local policing alone. Highly visible neighbourhood policing is vital, but it won't deal with cyber crime. Arresting drug dealers is important, but it won't stop the flow of drugs from overseas. That's why we need a powerful new crime fighting force that works across different police forces and agencies, defending our borders, coordinating action on economic crime, protecting children and vulnerable people, and active in cyber space. That body will be the national crime agency With Keith Bristow – who is here today – at its head, the NCA will have the remit to work across geographical and organisational boundaries. I see the NCA as having three important characteristics: • It must have a positive effect on the safety of local communities by joining up the law enforcement response from the local to the national and the international. People will be safer and feel safer. • It must act as the controlling hand, by owning the coordinated intelligence picture; working with law enforcement to decide on the highest priority criminal targets; agreeing the action necessary to tackle them; and having the power to ensure that action is taken. • It must bring its own contribution to the fight against serious, organised and complex crime – that means having its own intelligence gathering and investigative capacity; sophisticated technical skills; and a presence internationally, at the border and in cyber space. So the NCA will make all neighbourhoods safer, it will be at the heart of a joined up law enforcement response, and it will lead the fight against the most dangerous criminals and their gangs. That is how the NCA will help cut crime and help lock up serious criminals – and that is a real prize. Becoming fully operational from 2013, the benefits of the NCA are already being felt. The economic crime coordination board, which brings together agencies to build the economic crime command in the NCA, is already up and running. Last week saw a multi agency operation targeting money mule accounts - front bank accounts used for money laundering. It involved 9 agencies and saw 13 arrests, with prevention and disruption activity now underway. As it ramps up the NCA will continue to help cut crime. And that will help every local community in the country. Developing Police Professionalism As well as developing police structures we also need to develop police professionals. That means helping the police at all levels - from the constables who form the bedrock of British policing through to their senior leaders – helping them to be the best they can be. Over the past 30 years, police officers and staff have increasingly come to see themselves as part of a profession – a specialist and expert group of crime fighters. And so it's only right that they should have their own professional body to help further increase that professionalism. So we are working with the police service to establish a police professional body, which will be up and running by the end of the year. The professional body will represent all ranks, staff and officers. It will set standards; safeguard police ethics and integrity; design, accredit and deliver police training; develop police leadership; and advise on recruitment, career progression and professional development. Crucially, the police professional body must not be an organisation that serves only senior officers and it must not only listen to the top brass. I want to see the professional body drawing on the views, skills and expertise of all officers and staff, and in particular those working on the frontline. By acting in the interests of the entire police service, by setting standards, improving training and talking for the service, the police professional body can help equip the police with the skills they need to tackle the future. Conclusion From the graffiti and litter that blights a local area; to the binge drinking and drug dealing that makes people frightened to step outside; right up to the criminal gangs who flaunt their illegal wealth and cheat the exchequer out of millions – our police reforms will help fight them all. We'll ensure the police tackle local priorities, by giving power to elected police and crime commissioners. We'll help lock up the drug lords by creating a national crime agency. We'll let police officers get back on the frontline by freeing them from paperwork. We'll give officers incentives to acquire specialist skills and serve the public. And we'll improve the way they're led. Our reforms are ambitious, comprehensive and they are happening right now. They will transform the police service so it is fit to face the future and fit to fight crime. Thank you. 30 January 2012: HOME OFFICE: POLICE REFORM IS WORKING The government’s radical programme will leave us with a police force that is answerable to the public and transformed in its ability to fight crime, the Home Secretary said today. The Home Secretary told an audience at the Institute of Civil Engineers that police reforms will not just save money but equip the police to face the future. She said: 'When people talk about public service reform it's often through the prism of cuts. With the deficit we have, that's understandable, but it's just not what our police reforms are about. 'Of course, the need to make savings makes reform more urgent than ever. But the aim of our police reforms is not just to save money, it's to equip the police to face the future and make them more effective at fighting crime.' Fair system of pay A full independent review of police and pay conditions was carried out by Tom Winsor last year. This has been considered by the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal and today, the government agreed to implement its recommendations in full. The Home Secretary said it would create a system of police pay that is fair to the public and officers and save around £150 million per year. Savings The government is leaving no stone unturned to make the police more efficient. A police information and communications technology company is being created to help police forces improve their systems and save money. Police forces are also being helped to come together to use their collective buying power in procuring goods and services from uniforms to patrol cars. The government's police procurement programme has already realised savings of £34 million – projected to rise to around £70 million by the end of the financial year. Police are being freed to get on with fighting crime through measures that will cut police bureaucracy and save up to 3.3 million police hours per year. Empowering the public Empowering the public is the theme that runs through the government's whole police reform programme and, from November, the public will be able to vote for Police and Crime Commissioners. Commissioners will bring democratic accountability to the police when they are elected. The link between police and public is being strengthened with the introduction of a single non-emergency 101 number http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/police/101-police-non-emergency/ to replace other numbers used by forces around the country and our crime mapping website police.uk. As well as local offending, crime on a national level will be tackled by a powerful new organisation that works across force boundaries - the National Crime Agency http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/nca/ . The government is working with the police to develop a Police Professional Body, which will be the authoritative voice on policing issues. It will draw on the views, skills and expertise of all officers and staff, in particular those working on the frontline. Read the full speech http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/speeches/home-sec-police-reform 30 January 2012: PSAEW: HOME SECRETARY'S SPEECH ON POLICE REFORM – LONDON 30 JANUARY 2012 Home Secretary's Speech on Police Reform – London 30 January 2012 Speaking at the close of the Home Secretary's speech in London this morning President of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales, Derek Barnett said: "At the outset of the Arbitration process we called for the Home Secretary to honour the decision of the Independent Arbitration Tribunal. I am therefore pleased that the announcement this morning that the Home Secretary has accepted the findings of the PAT and will implement them in full will draw a line under what has been a protracted and difficult period for police officers. I also welcome the Home Secretary's focus on Anti Social Behaviour which recognises that the definition of crime should include this kind of behaviour that blights so many communities. The Government has announced a wide ranging set of police reforms and we will work with Government and our staff to continue to protect our communities". UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes Click below to see a copy of the Home Secretary's Statement Home Secretary Statement 30 January 2012 http://www.policesupers.com/uploads/news/Home%20Secretary%20Statement%2030%20Jan%2012.pdf 30 January 2012: ACPO RESPONSE TO HOME SECRETARY'S DECISION TO ACCEPT THE RULING OF THE POLICE ARBITRATION PANEL Overall, the decisions strike a balance between the need to achieve savings given the national economic situation and the financial pressures facing individual police officers ACPO lead on workforce development Chief Constable Peter Fahy said: “The Home Secretary has today made her decision to accept the ruling of the Police Arbitration Panel. Overall, the decisions strike a balance between the need to achieve savings given the national economic situation and the financial pressures facing individual police officers. “The two-year pay freeze combined with a two-year increment freeze, the removal of various bonus payments and the increase in pension contributions will have a significant impact on many staff. It is right that those working unsocial hours should receive an additional payment. "Over time ACPO would like to see a greater emphasis on recognising the considerable expertise of our staff in the pay system and a lesser importance on time served. “We will hopefully be able to address some of these issues in the next stage of the Winsor report.” UKPolicing.info Notes: UKPolicing.info Notes For more information contact ACPO Press Office Association of Chief Police Officers e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk The ACPO press office can be contacted via 020 7084 8946/47/48 (office hours) or via 07803 903686 (out of office hours). The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally-led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, co-ordinates the strategic policing response. ACPO’s 329 members consist of 242 chief police officers from the home forces of assistant chief constable rank (commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) and above, plus 66 senior police staff members from the 44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Non home forces such as British Transport Police have 21 chief police officer members and there are three members from the Service Police. 30 January 2012: IPCC HAS FOUND THAT THE INITIAL ESSEX POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF LEE BALKWELL WAS ‘SERIOUSLY FLAWED'. On 18 July 2002 Lee Balkwell was found dead at a farm in Upminster, Essex with his head and shoulders wedged between the drum and chassis of a cement mixer. His father Les Balkwell made more than 130 complaints about Essex Police's investigation into the death and the subsequent handling of his concerns. The IPCC investigated 92 of Les Balkwell's complaints and found 11 of them substantiated, eight partially substantiated and the remainder unsubstantiated. The findings from the investigation have been published today http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/en/Pages/investigation_reports.aspx . IPCC Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne said: "We have found that Mr. Balkwell's belief that the original investigation into Lee Balkwell's death was inadequate was well founded. In our view it was seriously flawed. From the outset it was mired in assumption that what had happened to Lee Balkwell was a tragic industrial accident. Officers failed to secure potential evidence, failed to interview potential witnesses and failed to treat the death with an open mind. Reviews and further investigative work have been undertaken, but the all important first hours of this investigation, where vital evidence must be preserved had been lost. The failure of the investigation at that early stage has left evidential gaps which may never be filled. "The investigation has found that many of the substantive and serious allegations have been upheld. It is these key failures that have led to the raft of follow-up complaints, the speculation and the complete breakdown in communication between Mr. Balkwell and Essex Police. Of the remaining complaints some are partially substantiated and some unsubstantiated. "Whilst our investigation has provided evidence of poor police work, we have found no evidence to support any allegations of corruption or a conspiracy theory. However in the light of Essex Police's prolonged failure to fully address his concerns, it is perhaps understandable how and why Mr. Balkwell reached such conclusions himself. "Since the death of his son, Mr. Balkwell, with the full support of his family, has dedicated much of his life to his campaign to find the truth about what happened. I am deeply impressed by both Mr. Balkwell's passion and commitment - which few could have sustained – and deeply saddened that he has had to go to such lengths to get his valid demands properly addressed. I would like to pay tribute to his endurance and tenacity, but I am also very aware of the cost to him and his family. "This situation should never have been allowed to develop to this stage and an inevitable consequence has been that it has prolonged his agony and made it impossible for him to even begin to come to terms with his loss. Tragically Mr. Balkwell may never get the answers to all of his questions, but I very much hope that the IPCC investigation, together with the ongoing criminal investigation being undertaken by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, will provide at least some of the answers Mr. Balkwell is seeking. It is a testament to his dedication that finally the full circumstances surrounding the death of Lee Balkwell are being examined. " The findings from the IPCC's independent investigation can be found on the IPCC investigations report page http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/en/Pages/investigation_reports.aspx 28 January 2012: IPCC SUPERVISED INVESTIGATION IN OPERATION ELVEDEN LEADS TO FOUR ARRESTS The Independent Complaints Commission is supervising a Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) investigation into alleged corruption. This follows a referral made to the IPCC on 18 January and has this morning (28 January 2012) resulted in four arrests, made by MPS officers in London and Essex. This supervised investigation is part of the wider MPS investigation, Operation Elveden, referred by the MPS in July 2011, which is being supervised by the IPCC. Following the referral on 18 January the IPCC carefully considered the materials provided by the MPS and met with officers from Operation Elveden and with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). It was following these discussions that the IPCC made the decision to continue a supervisory role in this aspect of Operation Elveden – at this time. This means that a senior investigator and his team will provide independent oversight to the MPS team, not only as part of today's operation, but on an ongoing basis. Should any further Operation Elveden referrals be received by the IPCC, each will be considered in the same way, on a case-by-case basis. IPCC deputy Chair Deborah Glass said: "I have been personally supervising the Operation Elveden investigation since it was referred in July 2011. An IPCC senior investigator regularly reviews the investigation and lines of enquiry. "It will be clear from today's events that this investigation is following the evidence. I am satisfied with the strenuous efforts being made by this investigation to identify police officers who may have taken corrupt payments and I believe the results will speak for themselves. "By supervising this important development in Operation Elveden, the IPCC is providing crucial independent oversight in what is a complex criminal enquiry – not just in to allegations of corruption against police officers, but allegations involving members of the media. "I have considered the IPCC's role and whether to use our powers more directly and in this particular instance, given the interlocking nature of the investigation and arrests which do not just involve police officers, I believe the priority is not around whose powers should be used, but for an effective investigation that brings wrongdoers to justice. "While we continue to provide a supervisory role across Operation Elveden, I will consider each referral on its own merit and we will investigate independently if appropriate.”	Your browser does not support inline frames Your browser does not support inline frames

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