MPA Civil Liberties Panel report published: 'Post G20'

18/10
18 March 2010

The MPA Civil Liberties Panel report ‘Post G20’, investigating the Met’s current public order policing strategies and making recommendations for a way forward, is published today 18 March.

It will be presented to the full Authority for final ratification on Thursday 25 March.

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

"The impact on public confidence when public order policing goes wrong, even though those instances may be very rare, cannot be underestimated.  The Civil Liberties Panel acknowledges that the Met police thousands of public order events every year, most of which pass without incident. But there was significant criticism and a fundamental questioning of the Met’s approach to policing protest after the G20 demonstrations in central London in April 2009, followed by the tragic death of Ian Tomlinson.

“The Civil Liberties Panel, part of ‘Met Forward’ (the MPA’s mission statement for London’s police), therefore agreed that public order policing should be the  subject of its first scrutiny. The remit was to look specifically at how the Met is learning and changing as a result of reviews by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), rather than to duplicate their work.”

Key themes that emerged included the need for good teamwork, training and supervision, and the need to be aware of, and incorporate into training, the changing nature of protests and those who participate.  Measures to deter officers from behaving unprofessionally during protests are already in place with officers’ numerals being embroidered onto their uniforms so that they remain clearly identifiable at all times.

Another major theme is the need for clear communication between officers policing the event, and between officers, the public and media on the ground. The report concludes that the Met must strive for better engagement with the media, particularly given the rise of the ‘citizen journalist’, and ensure all officers on the ground are able to recognise the press card, its security measures and the status it gives journalists. The press play a major role in providing the transparency that is vital to ensure public trust in policing is maintained.

Senior Met officers and operational officers who work specifically in public order policing were consulted, as well as members of the public and press who have been present at public protests. A public consultation meeting was held in London’s Living Room at City Hall, and a survey about public order policing was posted on the MPA website to hear the views of as many Londoners’ as possible.

Victoria Borwick concluded:

"We would like to thank everyone who participated in this scrutiny and provided us with such valuable information.

“The Panel is pleased that the Met has recognised the argument for change and that this has been reflected in the way protests were policed later in 2009. Sir Paul Stephenson commissioned the HMIC report in response to public concerns following G20 and all their recommendations have been accepted, with many already in hand.  We will now monitor delivery of the Met’s action plan in response to the HMIC report, and the recommendations from the Panel’s report going forward.

“To maintain public confidence in the way protests are policed we have to find a balance between civil liberties and the need to maintain public safety and public order through proportionate policing.”

Notes to editors

1. Full report can be found on the full Authority agenda, report 8 at: www.mpa.gov.uk/committees/mpa/2010/100325/06

2. Members of the Civil Liberties Panel are Victoria Borwick (Chair), Valerie Brasse, Dee Doocey, Kirsten Hearn, Jenny Jones, Clive Lawton, Joanne McCartney and Richard Tracey

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

4. More information about Met Forward can be found at: www.mpa.gov.uk/publications/metforward

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