View source for Association of Chief Police Officers (Terrorism and Allied Matters)

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The [[Association of Chief Police Officers (Terrorism and Allied Matters)]] (ACPO TAM) is the business area of [[ACPO]] which deals with terrorism, extremism and associated issues.<ref>[http://www.nactso.gov.uk/glossary.php Glossary], National Counter Terrorism Security Office, accessed 12 February 2009.</ref>

==Role==
ACPO describes ACPO TAM as a "committee of senior police officers responsible for setting the strategic direction of police counter-terrorism activity."<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/pressrelease.asp?PR_GUID={1081E90F-8E06-493D-AEAC-E97460BA3703} ACPO PROPOSES RADICAL CHANGE TO COUNTER-TERRORISM STRUCTURE], Press Release, Association of Chief Police Officers, 29 September 2006.</ref>

2004 Special Branch guidelines describe ACPO TAM's role as follows:
::The Association of Chief Police Officers ([[ACPO]]/[[ACPOS]]) brings together police officers with senior officials from the Home Office, Ministry of Defence and intelligence agencies within a forum known as ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters (TAM). This body is responsible for the development of national strategy and policy in relation to Special Branches, advising ministers and responding to consultation on issues of legislation and guidance. It is also responsible for the preparedness of the police service to investigate and respond to terrorist activity. Members of ACPO (TAM) represent the police service in a number of Government fora and provide a central point of strategic co-ordination for the police service.<ref>[http://www.statewatch.org/news/2004/mar/special-branch.pdf Guidelines on Special Branch Work in the United Kingdom], March 2004, via Statewatch.</ref>

Unusually for an [[ACPO]] committee it includes representation from Scotland.<ref>[http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmdfence/518/2050702.htm Minutes of Evidence], Select Committee on Defence, House of Commons, 7 May 2002.</ref>

Assistant Commissioner [[David Veness]] described ACPO TAM's relationship with other agencies in evidence to the Commons in 2002:
::As a matter of routine we are integrated with all of the government departments that have a key interest in counter-terrorism, so primarily the [[Home Office]], [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]], [[Ministry of Defence]], increasingly with the [[Civil Contingencies Secretariat]] and indeed others, and also all of the agencies—the [[Security Service]], the [[Secret Intelligence Service]] and others. The connections are routine. The method by which that is achieved hour by hour is by linkage through the Special Branches.<ref>[http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmdfence/518/2050702.htm Minutes of Evidence], Select Committee on Defence, House of Commons, 7 May 2002.</ref>

==History==
In 2003, following the HMIC Thematic Inspection "A Need to Know", the [[National Co-Ordinator Ports Policing]] (NCPP) moved under the Governance of ACPO (TAM).<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldselect/ldeucom/60/7101002.htm Memorandum by National Co-ordinator Ports Policing], Minutes of Evidence, Select Committee on European Union, House of Lords, 4 September 2007.</ref>

In September 2006, the committee appointed a director to manage its day-to-day business, along with a [[National Co-ordinator for Community Engagement]] and a [[National Co-ordinator of Special Branch]].<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/pressrelease.asp?PR_GUID={1081E90F-8E06-493D-AEAC-E97460BA3703} ACPO PROPOSES RADICAL CHANGE TO COUNTER-TERRORISM STRUCTURE], Press Release, Association of Chief Police Officers, 29 September 2006.</ref>

In December 2006, Assistant Chief Constable Margaret Wood was named as the first ACPO Terrorism Programme Director. Wood was to play a major role in the creation of [[Counter Terrorism Units]] and [[Regional Intelligence Cells]] at key locations across England and Wales.<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/pressrelease.asp?PR_GUID={FFF20C18-3C95-4709-BE66-DC99881189A8} APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST ACPO TERRORISM PROGRAMME DIRECTOR], Press Release, Association of Chief Police Officers, 7 December 2006.</ref>

===Pre-charge detention===
In July 2005, the then chairman of ACPO TAM, [[Ken Jones]] called for a number of changes to terror laws, including the extension of the limit on pre-charge detention from 14 days to three months.<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/news/PRDisplay.asp?PR_GUID={423FD3C2-2791-403A-B5D0-8FC6B5476B0B} CHIEF POLICE OFFICERS RECOMMEND CHANGES TO COUNTER THE TERRORIST THREAT], Press Release, Association of Chief Police Officers, 21 July 2005.</ref>

0n 28 March 2008, ACPO TAM chair [[Robert Quick]] wrote to Home Secretary [[Jacqui Smith]] arguing in the following terms:
::a pragmatic inference can confidently be drawn from statistical and empirical evidence arising from recent investigations that circumstances could arise in the future which render existing pre-charge detention limits inadequate to ensure a full and expeditious investigation of detained persons<ref>[http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.com/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080401/debtext/80401-0008.htm Hansard debates], House of Commons, 1 April 2008.</ref>

Smith cited this letter in a commons debate on extending pre-charge detention to 42 days. She was challenged by Shadow Home Secretary [[Dominic Grieve]], who claimed other members of the ACPO TAM committee opposed the extension.<ref>[http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.com/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080401/debtext/80401-0009.htm Hansard debates], House of Commons, 1 April 2008.</ref>

==Funding and Finance==
The ACPO (TAM) Finance and Workforce Planning Board oversees the allocation of Home Office counter terrorism funding to the police service.<ref>[http://www.bawp.org/assets/file/ACPO%20Wood.pdf MARGARET WOOD, DEPUTY CHIEF CONSTABLE, ACPO TERRORISM AND ALLIED MATTERS], British Association for Women in Policing, accessed 12 February 2009.</ref>

==People==
*[[John Yates]] - Chairman until July 2011
*Sir [[Paul Scott-Lee]] - Vice Chair
*Sir [[Norman Bettison]] - Vice Chair
*[[Peter Fahy]] - Vice Chair
*[[Sara Thornton]] - Vice Chair
*[[Margaret Wood]] - ACPO Terrorism Programme Director
===Past chairs===
*[[Ken Jones]]
*[[Andy Hayman]]
*[[Peter Clarke (Police officer)|Peter Clarke]]
*[[Robert Quick]]

==Affiliations== 
*[[Association of Chief Police Officers]]
===Subsidiaries===
*[[National Co-ordinator for Domestic Extremism]]
*[[National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit]]
*[[National Public Order Intelligence Unit]]
*[[Confidential Intelligence Unit]]
*[[National Co-ordinator Ports Policing]]

==External Resources==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/birmingham/10337961.stm Plastic bags to be put over Birmingham 'terror cameras'], BBC News, 17 June 2010.

==Notes==
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[[Category:UK Police Intelligence]]