Metropolitan Police Authority: Civil Liberties Panel questions senior Met public order officers

59/09
18 September 2009

The MPA Civil Liberties Panel met on 17 September to question three senior Met officers, with responsibility for public order policing, about the tactics used in recent events, and specifically G20.   Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, Commander Bob Broadhurst and Chief Superintendent Ian Thomas, were asked to explain why they had used certain tactics such as ‘kettling’, and how the Met intends to ensure lessons learnt and public expectations are fed into future public order planning.

Victoria Borwick, MPA member and chair of the panel said:

“Londoners are very concerned about events and media images that resulted from the G20 policing.  It is essential that lessons learnt from this and other recent protests are embedded quickly into the whole organisation as the way forward needs to rebuild trust between police and public.

“The Panel examined how public order policing is planned and how quickly those plans are able to adapt to rapidly changing situations.  We discussed the importance of communications – between officers, from the senior officer in overall control to the PCs on the front line, as well as with the organisers before and protestors during an event. The contentious issue of police officer identification through their number badges, and consequent discipline if officers neglected this responsibility, was also looked at.

“We intend to gather as many Londoners’ views as possible and on the 5 November we will be holding a special meeting in London’s ‘Living Room’ at City Hall. We will be inviting people from all sides of the issue- protestors, police, business groups and people caught up in protests as they go about their daily business - to ask them what they want from their police service during a public order event.”

If you are interested in attending the event on 5 November 2009, or wish to submit a question, details will be on the MPA website by the beginning of October.

The Civil Liberties panel was established in the MPA’s strategic plan Met Forward, which sets out the MPA’s vision for the policing of London over the coming years.

Notes to Editors

1. Members of the panel:

• Victoria Borwick (Chair)
• Valerie Brasse
• Dee Doocey
• Kirsten Hearn
• Jenny Jones
• Clive Lawton
• Joanne McCartney
• Richard Tracey

2. Further information about the Civil Liberties Panel can be found at: www.mpa.gov.uk/clp

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