Specialist Crime Directorate management information

Report: 6
Date: 13 December 2007
By: the AC Specialist Crime on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report gives a summary of Specialist Crime Directorate’s performance against their key objectives from 1 April 2007 to 31 October 2007.

A. Recommendation

That members note the report.

B. Supporting information

1. This report provides management information on Specialist Crime Directorate’s (SCD) performance against its objectives for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 October 2007 inclusive. The Performance Directorate has reconciled the data and, wherever appropriate, should match the information contained in the corporate submission.

2. The report reflects on performance against the Directorate’s key objectives and core performance indicators. It comments on the performance data provided and any difficulties in achieving the agreed targets.

3. A summary of the key points for members are as follows:

Gun Enabled Crime

See Table 1 - Appendix 3

4. There has been an increase of 140 or 7.1% in gun-enabled crime offences recorded in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). There were 2,111 offences compared with 1,971 for the same period last financial year. SCD had responsibility for the investigation of 501 or almost 24 % of offences committed in this crime category. Southwark is the borough with most gun enabled crime offences in this reporting period with 182 recorded (Southwark also last year with 175 offences). Kingston-upon-Thames borough had the least reported with nine offences (Sutton last year with 12 offences). Eleven priority boroughs account for 56% of reported offences. Twelve boroughs have seen a decrease in the number of offences when compared with last year.

5. The performance year to date has significantly improved since the start of the financial year. At one stage, the MPS was recording a 23% increase. The improvement reflects concerted effort both centrally, and particularly in key gun crime boroughs, to reduce the increase on last year’s figures.

6. Last year there was a weekly average of just under 65 gun enabled crime offences. Currently the weekly average is 68. If this rate continues the end of year forecast is likely to be around 3,541 offences. A projected increase of 166 or 5%. To achieve the 5% reduction target the remaining weekly average should not exceed 52 offences.

7. The overall MPS gun enabled crime sanction detection rate is 19.2%. The target is 25%. There have been 406 detections. The detection rate is up when compared with the last financial year (17.1%). SCD has detected 136 or 27% of the offences they investigated.

8. The above graph illustrates that compared with last year there has been an increase in gun enabled crime offences albeit a reduction when compared against the two previous years.

9. The Gun Crime Tactical Delivery Unit with additional officers has changed into a pan-MPS Gangs and Guns Delivery Unit (GGDU). This will contribute to improved co-ordination across the organisation to enhance our understanding of key issues and trends and our response to intelligence at NIM level one. The GGDU will work closely with the Gun Crime Desk in the MIB, other relevant SCD Units and key boroughs to facilitate the flow of intelligence between units and increase the scope for a co-ordinated MPS approach.

10. The eleven priority boroughs are now displaying a FYTD increase of 5% (1,111 to 1,166 offences). Boroughs that are currently sustaining higher levels of gun-enabled crime offending are Southwark, Greenwich (which has seen a significant rise in recent weeks), Newham, Waltham Forest, Lewisham and Brent. Lambeth has seen a recent emergence of gun-related incidents resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.

11. Each of these boroughs has produced an action plan specifically for GEC including reassurance, intelligence, prevention and enforcement options and general improvement activity. These plans have been integrated with the MPS Delivery Plan for gun-enabled crime and the national ACPO strategy to ensure compatibility and minimise gaps.

12. Greenwich has not previously been labelled as a priority borough for gun crime but, as a member of the five borough alliance (formerly the Five Borough Gangs Project incorporating Lambeth, Croydon, Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich) is fully integrated into the gun crime response. Analysis of gun enabled crime offences on Greenwich borough has been carried out and proposed plans to deal with the emerging issues.

13. Following the success of recent Neon operations (funded by the Government’s Tackling Gangs Action Programme) in bringing down figures during September, further such operations are planned over the coming weeks. Trident in conjunction with Central Operations and Territorial Policing are planning further activities throughout the Christmas and New Year period. The activity will include Neon operations North and South linked in with a number of other tactical options. This will be presented to Corporate Tasking in November. Trident will link this in with the Operation Alliance strategy

14. Operation Alliance brings together a range of resources from Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) business units and the five local authorities in the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Croydon, Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich. The operation is aimed at reducing serious violence, including that involving gangs. Further aims of the operation are:

• Sustainable reductions in gang-related violence;
• The removal of criminal gangs or a significant reduction in their impact upon serious violence;
• A community, voluntary and statutory partnership of organisations and individuals that operates to prevent further youth involvement in gang-related violence.

SCD is central to these discussions and fully contributing to this initiative, with Serious and Organised crime OCU taking the lead in targeting NIM level 2/3 criminals.

15. There were 311 commercial robbery offences with firearms investigated by Serious and Organised Crime OCU. Of these 101 were detected, providing a sanction detection rate of 32.5%. This compares with a detection rate of 28.3% (315 offences/89 detections) for same period last year. Offences have decreased by 4 or 1.2% and detections increased by 12 or 13%. The borough with the highest number of offences is Croydon with 34 (last year Lambeth with 30). Eleven boroughs account for 55% of offences.

16. With commercial robbery crimes, cash-in-transit attacks made up 38% of all offences, although the majority of these are not gun-enabled. The month of October 2007 witnessed the highest monthly total for commercial robbery (43) for at least three years. Around 56% of these incidents were GEC offences.

17. The increasing trend in betting offices identified in previous submissions will be addressed at Corporate Tasking in November with a request for resources.

18. There were 144 Trident offences during this reporting period. This is a decrease of 7 or 4.6% on last year. Fatal shootings have increased by 6: from 9 to 15. There is currently an overall sanction detection rate of 18.8%, 27 offences having been detected. This is slightly down from last year’s figure of 20.5%. The borough with the highest number of reported offences is Lambeth with 24 (last year Southwark 30). Eleven boroughs have not had a Trident related shooting this financial year. The priority boroughs account for 78% of all reported Trident offences.

19. Trident was recording an increase in the number of offences in the early part of this financial year. There was a 22% increase in the first two months. However, reductions against the previous year for the next quarter reduced the increase to 4% by August. In September 2006, there was a peak month for Trident activity with a total of two murders and 29 shootings. Much of the activity at that time was in the South London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. To combat this Trident ran a pro-active operation focusing on the main criminal networks responsible. Subsequently many of the main nominals were arrested and incarcerated. This year the same month saw a reduction of 11 offences over the previous year, the result of which is reflected in the current decrease. A series of Neon Operations were run throughout September, which has probably contributed to a reduction in the number of incidents. Also, with a number of the prominent south London Trident gang members currently in custody, there has been reduced criminal activity in the area.

20. There were 52 Trafalgar related offences. Of these, eight have been detected, providing a detection rate of 15.4%. This compares with a detection rate of 27.3% (44 offences/12 detections) for same period last year. Offences have increased by eight or 18% and detections decreased by four or 33%. The borough with the highest number of offences is Haringey with six (last year Lambeth seven). There are 14 boroughs that have not had a Trafalgar related shooting this financial year.

21. For Trident and Trafalgar offences this financial year compared with same reporting period of last year detailed by borough, please refer to Appendix 1.

22. The present Home Office counting rules for gun enabled crime include tear gas canisters (CS, Mace and Pepper) and electronic stun guns. Between April and September 2007, there were 1,810 gun enabled crime offences. Of these 284 or 15.6% involved sprays and stun guns. The majority were used in cases of violence against the person, almost 65%. The next largest crime category is personal or street robbery where there were 83 or 29% of offences. CS sprays were used in the commission of 202 or 70% of offences.

23. There has been a 93% increase in the number of offences committed by tear gas and stun guns when compared to the same reporting period for 2006/07 financial year. That year’s reporting period they only accounted for 8.8% of the proportion of gun enabled crime offences.

24. Colleagues from the Performance Directorate are involved in discussions with the Home Office. The definition of gun crime is likely to be addressed as part of determining measures suitable for Assessment of Policing and Community Safety framework.

Criminal Networks

See Table 2 - Appendix 3

25. There have been 163 confirmed disruptions of criminal networks financial year-to-date. To achieve the end of year target, an average of nineteen claims need to be approved each month, or just over four per week. Currently we are averaging over five. It now only requires an average of three approvals in the remaining weeks. There are a number of outstanding claims yet to be processed standard panel sessions are to be supplemented with visits to units based in Central Operations and Specialist Operations.

26. Disruptions were recorded against networks involved in offences such as money laundering, class A drug supply, forged documentation, people trafficking and armed robberies.

27. An overview of how the criminal networks disruption panel is improving the process is contained in Appendix 2.

28. The value of assets identified by court order for seizure currently stands at £14.7m. To achieve the end of year target a monthly average of £2.9m needs to be seized. There are a number of high value seizures in the judicial system at the moment, when processed this should bring us back on target.

29. The number of cases where assets were restrained or seized is 821. This is a current weekly average of 26. Originally to achieve the target around 19 cases were needed this is now revised to only nine per week for the rest of the financial year. This measure indicates the level of activity in applying the Proceeds of Crime Act legislation.

Child Abuse

See table 3 - Appendix 3

30. Of the 4,794 offences investigated involving intra-familial abuse by the Child Abuse Investigation Command (CAIC), 1,200 were detected. This provides a sanction detection rate of 25%, which is 3.6 percentage points increase on last year (4,185 offences /895 detections). Two years ago, the detection rate was around 14%. The number of offences being reported has increased by 609, a rise of 14.5%. The borough with the highest number of offences is Lewisham with 292 (Haringey last year with 261). Hackney has the highest sanction detection rate with 40.1% (167 offences/67 detections); Sutton has the lowest with 12.1% (91 offences/11 detections).

31. Some points about Sutton’s low sanction detection rate. It is quite proper practice for some allegations of crime to be dealt with as single agency investigations (e.g. social services will deal). Officers will no longer be engaged and thus the crime will not be recorded as solved. Approximately 25% of CAIT allegations may have this outcome.

32. This is likely to be a factor for all CAITs, including the Sutton team. A great deal of our charges follow advice received from the Crown Prosecution Service. This involves the preparation of full case files. They usually take a minimum of eight weeks to reach a decision. There are a number of cases that are still awaiting a decision. Furthermore, there is currently no dedicated surgery for Sutton CAIT, which compounds the delay already mentioned (CPS are currently addressing this situation). A number of our CAIC offences will result in a 'no crime.’ However, if the classification is not confirmed within the reporting month, the crime is only reconciled at the end of the financial year and will continue to appear in the reported figures. This seems to be the case for some offences credited to the Sutton team.

33. There has been a significant reduction in the number of child rape offences. There were 185 offences and of these 81 or 43.8% have been detected. This compares with last year’s figure of 252 offences, a decrease of 67 or 26.5%. There were also 93 detections providing a 36.9% sanction detection rate.

Homicide

See table 4 - Appendix 3

34. The overall homicide detection rate for reporting period is 81%, this compares with the detection rate of 77.9% for last year. There were 104 homicide offences with 85 detections. Of these there were 11 pre-financial year detections providing an in-year detection rate of 71%. All the detections financial year-to-date are the sanction type.

35. There were an equal number of homicides compared with same reporting period last financial year.

36. The boroughs with the highest number of homicide offences are Lewisham and Newham with 15 (last year Southwark with 20). They account for 29% of the MPS total. Four boroughs account for 50% of homicides.

37. Trident Major Investigation Teams have had 15 homicide offences to investigate: 10 have been detected, a 66.7% detection rate. There were three pre-financial year detections. That provides an in-year detection rate of 46.6%. There are six more offences and seven more detections when compared with last year.

38. Child Abuse Investigation Command’s Major Investigations Teams have investigated nine homicide offences. Five have been detected this financial year offering a 55.5% detection rate; one of these was detected pre-financial year giving an in-year detection rate of 44.4%. There were six more offences and one more detection when compared with last‘s year reporting period.

Operational successes

39. A selection of significant operational successes is highlighted below. They all have tended to involve working in collaboration with either other MPS Units or external agencies.

40. A violent robber was recently sentenced to life imprisonment after a series of armed robberies across east London in which thousands of pounds were stolen. In addition, he received five years for possession of a loaded firearm. Three further defendants, including his girlfriend, received various sentences for their part in the offences. The gang were responsible for at least eight armed robberies and stolen cars to the value of £70k were recovered. The large-scale investigation was led by the Flying Squad.

41. Officers from Operation Maxim, which targets organised immigration crime, arrested two men in connection with the exchange of false identity documents and the discovery of a passport factory. The arrests followed a covert operation as police watched the men in a car parked on the street. They were arrested during what officers believed to be the trade of identity documents. Inside the car police recovered identity documents and bio-data details (the information from that contains the photo and personal details). Searches at an address revealed a functioning passport factory that had a variety of passport covers, driving licences and other identity documents. Detectives believe the factory has been operating for at least three months and that thousands of pounds were being made each week from the illegal trade. In the searches, £2k in cash was seized. The men were arrested for conspiracy to manufacture identity documents and are currently in custody.

42. Forensic Services continues to utilise new technology in the pursuit of identifying offenders. The use of a new multi-spectral imaging system was employed in a case of a rape/attempted murder in Orpington. The victim’s handbag was stolen by the suspect and later found abandoned. The resulting painstaking examination in the Fingerprint Laboratory of the handbag contents resulted in over 400 finger marks. One of the last marks developed yielded a match to the arrested suspect. This vital finger mark link with the victim presented a problem to the MPS Sexual Offences Fingerprint Team due to the background interference. The mark was developed on a highly decorated loyalty card. The mark was sent to the Specialist Lighting Unit within Forensic Services. Employing the new multi-spectral equipment the background was eliminated allowing an identification to be confirmed. This identification was given in evidence in July this year and contributed to the successful conviction of the suspect who was sentenced to life imprisonment.

43. The MPS’s Paedophile Unit and Child Abuse Investigation Teams have arrested five men who were part of global child sex offender network. The suspects were arrested for possession, manufacturing and distribution of indecent images of children. As part of the Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) Centre’s Operation Koala, 46 suspects were arrested in the UK in operations involving 22 police forces around the country with more arrests expected in the near future. The five men between the ages of 23 and 61-years-old were arrested separately and have been bailed to return at a later date. Police also seized property from an address in Greenwich, which is currently under analysis. Operation Koala was initiated in 2006 and involved the sexual abuse of children from a modelling website based in Italy. ‘Customers’ from all over the world were able to order tailor-made videos depicting child abuse. The investigation began when a video - made in Belgium - was discovered in Australia. A Belgian perpetrator and two victims were identified. Consequently, the sole producer of the material, a 42-year-old Italian national, was arrested. He was running a website on which he sold over 150 self-made, sexually explicit videos of young girls. The business had been running for eighteen months and generated considerable profits from around 2,500 customers worldwide. The abusive material was mainly produced in the man’s private studio. Some material was filmed in Belgium and the Netherlands. ‘Customers’ of this website were able to order tailor made videos and some even travelled to the studio in order to watch and record the abuse, making their own private videos. Shortly after the Italian child sex offender was arrested in Bologna, the Italian authorities forwarded all digitalised material, including ‘customer’ details to Europol and Eurojust. From here, the material was disseminated to the countries in which customers were identified. In June 2007, the material was passed to CEOP, which holds UK responsibility for receiving intelligence and information from overseas on child sexual abuse crimes. CEOP’s Intelligence Faculty analysed and developed the material and passed details of individual suspects to their local police forces that, in turn, initiated their own investigations. Operational activity in relation to these investigations became part of the MPS’s Operation Safety Net.

44. Five men who kidnapped and systematically abused two men over an £11k drug debt have been found guilty at Crown Court, following an investigation by SCD’s Kidnap Team. The two victims, both in their 20s, had been given drugs to sell, but because of the poor quality both men were unable to sell them and repay. Over a period of weeks, both men were threatened. The first victim was at a house party when he noticed the men waiting outside. He spoke with them and as a result of feeling threatened got into a car. They drove him to a flat where they continually assaulted him. The group forced the first victim to call the second victim to lure him out of hiding, at which point the second victim was found, bundled into a car and driven back to the flat. During the ordeal, both men were subjected to violence that was extreme and degrading in its nature, involving a number of weapons. The first victim was released back to his family for a second time to get the money. Once released he alerted police. Subsequently armed officers stopped a car containing the suspects and the second victim. Two men were arrested and the victim was taken to hospital. Items recovered during searches included blood stained clothing, a belt used to assault the first victim as well as a gun and ammunition.

45. Three men were each jailed for 18 years having been found guilty of conspiracy to import cocaine and a fourth a 14-year sentence for the same offence. The criminal network was arrested following an intelligence led operation by officers from the MPS's Projects Team. One suspect was seen leaving the country in his lorry via the Channel Tunnel then returning the next day on a ferry. He then met with another in a service station where they exchanged a package. He took the package and drove to the Channel Tunnel. This was later confirmed as containing cash. After completing what they believed to be a comprehensive anti-surveillance check, a call was made to arrange a rendezvous and make the exchange. Approximately 50 kilos of cocaine, which has a street value of £8m, was found in 50 individual packages. After testing the cocaine, it was found to have a 70% purity level.

46. Officers from the MPS's Wildlife Crime Unit have seized a shipment of a live endangered species at an address in east London. Working with police in Redbridge borough, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the National Wildlife Crime Unit, an address in Barkingside was searched and eleven live arowana fish were seized. A man was also arrested at the address on suspicion of keeping an endangered species for the purpose of selling. The fish are worth up to £2k each and are much sought-after for aquariums and by keepers of exotic fish. In parts of the Far East, they are considered to bring good fortune. The raid at the home address of a dealer, who specializes in selling exotic species for fish collectors, followed the receipt of information they had been imported from Singapore. The fish seized are about 18 inches long, but can grow considerably larger depending on the exact species. The trade is international in its nature.

47. The following are examples of developmental initiatives and recognition:

48. The Met Intelligence Bureau (MIB) was created on 2 April 2007 and remains in an implementation phase until April 2008. The unit has brought together assets from a number of Business Groups and provides a corporate service.

49. Key strands of activity are as follows:

• Corporate tasking now comes under the line management of MIB and the unit provides a Tactical Assessment to the meeting. This informs and drives the allocation of corporate assets.
• MIB produces specific problem profiles for presentation at Corporate Tasking. The Lambeth problem profile is a good example of this, and has led to a cross Business Group Plan to deliver sustainable control on violent crime in the borough.
• The MIB completed the MPS Strategic Intelligence Assessment (SIA). This document has been a key contributor to the MPS Corporate Strategic Assessment (CSA). In addition, the SIA has allowed the MPS to agree crime control strategy priorities. Each of these has an identified ACPO lead and is supported by a priority team within the MIB.
• The Telecoms Intelligence Unit (TIU) continues to develop and agreed investment in staff will allow this team to operate on a 24/7 basis in support of life at risk operations.
• The Impact Nominal Index (INI) was developed in response to the Bichard report on the Soham murders and seeks to enhance information sharing between police forces. The MIB has now received approval to create an INI Bureau that will ensure an effective service for other Police Forces that require information on nominals.
  We have progressed a long way in six months and are on track to deliver against our implementation plan and the identified organisational benefits.

50. The Flying Squad are asking police officers to think SmartWater when they make arrests, after Group4Securicor introduced the liquid to their cash boxes. The crime-fighting tool means that when robbers open a cash box, they and the notes will be covered in a liquid that is unique to that box. The Flying Squad has been working with the cash delivery industry for over a year to look at ways the number of robberies can be reduced. Previously boxes only deployed red dye, which stains the notes and means they cannot be handed over. The draw back has been that the dye could not link individuals to specific offences. Now each box has its own 'DNA'. Offenders can quickly be linked to specific robberies. SmartWater has been in existence for over a decade. It has previously been offered to members of the public to mark their property, or deployed in 'showers' to mark offenders. However, this is the first time it has appeared in cash boxes. A quick scan of the offenders or their property with an ultra violet lamp identifies those who have been in contact with the substance. If deployed the liquid will remain 'visible' for up to five months.

Abbreviations and Acronyms:

CAIC

Child Abuse Investigation Command

Child Abuse Investigation Command

Child Abuse Investigation Team

CRIS

Crime Reporting Information System

CPS

Crown Prosecution Service

FYTD

Financial year-to-date

GEC

Gun enabled crime

GGDU

Gangs and Guns Delivery Unit

INI

Impact Nominal Index

MiB

Met Intelligence Bureau

MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

MPS

Metropolitan Police Service

NIM

National Intelligence Model

OCU

Operational Command Unit

SCD

Specialist Crime Directorate

SIA

Strategic Intelligence Assessment

TP

Territorial Policing

UK

United Kingdom

C. Race and equality impact

There are no explicit equalities items addressed. The activities that form this report and the data content are arrived at with a regard to delivering Specialist Crime policing services tailored to the needs of individuals and communities. The contents of this performance report should fully comply with equal opportunities policies and associated MPA/MPS Diversity issues.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial implications as all of the data featured in this report is already produced regularly by the MPS.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Raymond Marshall, Specialist Crime Directorate, Performance Improvement Unit, MPS

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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