National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit - Revision history

Tilly Gifford: /* From NETCU to private security firm */

2011-03-11T13:08:09Z

From NETCU to private security firm

Tilly Gifford: /* Databases */

2011-01-31T10:45:48Z

Databases

Tilly Gifford: /* Databases */

2011-01-31T10:43:57Z

Databases

Tilly Gifford: /* People */

2011-01-25T15:24:15Z

People

Tilly Gifford: /* Affiliations */

2011-01-25T15:22:43Z

Affiliations

Tilly Gifford: /* databases */

2011-01-25T15:20:15Z

databases

Tilly Gifford at 15:18, 25 January 2011

2011-01-25T15:18:34Z

Tilly Gifford at 13:11, 25 January 2011

2011-01-25T13:11:28Z

Tilly Gifford: /* Funding and finances */

2011-01-25T12:08:28Z

Funding and finances

Tilly Gifford: /* Role */

2011-01-25T12:05:15Z

Role

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:08, 11 March 2011
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	:Police and politicians will not give up such tried and tested tactics easily. It remains to be seen whether they will simply become even more secretive, or whether some more rigourous oversight of intelligence-gathering and undercover operatives in protest movements be put in place.<ref name="Corporate Watch"/>		:Police and politicians will not give up such tried and tested tactics easily. It remains to be seen whether they will simply become even more secretive, or whether some more rigourous oversight of intelligence-gathering and undercover operatives in protest movements be put in place.<ref name="Corporate Watch"/>

−	~~===From NETCU to private security firm===~~
−	Leeming, a Special Branch officer, appears to have risen to the head of [[NPOIU]], but left the force in 2001 to form [[Global Open]] Ltd, a private security firm openly marketing itself as a resource for companies affected by protest. The revolving door between police specialising in protest movements and these companies is another story waiting to be told.<ref name="Corporate Watch"/>
−	~~An article by ''The Guardian'', dealing with the undercover police officer [[Mark Kennedy]] reveals information about the private security sector.~~
−	:Until Leeming left the police in 2001, he admits he regularly infiltrated undercover operatives into protest groups in his role as head of the Animal Rights National index. But he insists Global Open does not infiltrate activist groups. He told ''The Guardian'' the company only advises firms on security. However, Global Open appears to have access to well-sourced intelligence.<ref name="Evans">Rob Evans, Amelia Hill, Paul Lewis and Patrick Kingsley [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/12/mark-kennedy-policeman-corporate-spy Mark Kennedy: secret policeman's sideline as corporate spy] ''The Guardian'', 13/01/11, accessed 17/ 01/11</ref>

		+	==Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry==
		+	Questions have been raised regarding the ethics of "former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters".<ref name="Evans2">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks] ''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref> See the Powerbase overview of [[Private security industry and the police: revolving door\|the revolving door between the private security industry and the police]].

	==The future of NETCU==		==The future of NETCU==

@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 ::Police in England and Wales collect intelligence on individuals and then feed it to the NPOIU which, [[Anton Setchell|Setchell]] said, "can read across" all the forces' intelligence and deliver back to them "coherent" assessments.<ref>Rob Evans, Paul Lewis and Matthew Taylor, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/25/police-surveillance-protest-domestic-extremism How police rebranded lawful protest as 'domestic extremism'], guardian.co.uk, 25 October 2009.</ref>
 ===The future of NETCU: restructuring===
 An article By Corporate Watch outlines the reasons for a re-organisation
 :which will see the units brought back under the aegis of the Metropolitan Police due to be completed by the summer. [[Setchell]] and [[Pearl]] were both effectively sacked, with Det. Chief Supt. [[Adrian Tudway]] taking over from the former as National Domestic Extremism Co-ordinator. Comments from Pearl in the Telegraph<ref>Jason Lewis [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8131131/Did-police-cutbacks-allow-extremists-to-hijack-student-demonstrations.htmlfrom Did police cutbacks allow extremists to hijack student demonstrations?] ''The telegraph'', 14/11/10, accessed 22/01/11</ref> November 2010 indicate that this was also in part due to a desire to cut costs.<ref name="Corporate Watch"/>

@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 :“… generally used to describe the activity, individuals or campaign groups that carry out criminal acts of direct action in furtherance of a campaign. These people and activities usually seek to prevent something from happening or to change legislation or domestic policy, but attempt to do so outside of the normal democratic process.” <ref>NETCU website [http://www.netcu.org.uk/de/default.jsp What is domestic extremism?] accessed 21/01/11</ref>
 ===Databases===
-Groups such as NETCU and the [[NPOIU]] build up profiles of protests (allegedly images of 1822 separate individuals) in order to identify and focus on people they believe are 'ring-leaders', with the belief that dealing with them will solve the 'problem'.
+Groups such as NETCU and the [[NPOIU]] build up profiles of protests (allegedly images of 1822 separate individuals) in order to identify and focus on people they believe are 'ring-leaders', with the belief that dealing with them will solve the 'problem'.Assistant Commissioner Anthony Speed states that
-:Experience shows that the same people are involved in demonstrations - whether it's disruption of building works and motorways, runways, live animals for export, or people 'reclaiming' the streets. It tends to be the same people who support them and travel around the country. It's about keeping a database on them - identifying the main individuals.”
+:Experience shows that the same people are involved in demonstrations - whether it's disruption of building works and motorways, runways, live animals for export, or people 'reclaiming' the streets. It tends to be the same people who support them and travel around the country. It's about keeping a database on them - identifying the main individuals.”<ref>Tash (Alan Lodge)  [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A771996 On Being Watched - for having concerns for the planet] BBC website, 21/01/02, accessed 21/01/11</ref>
-Assistant Commissioner Anthony Speed.<ref>Tash (Alan Lodge)  [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A771996 On Being Watched - for having concerns for the planet] BBC website, 21/01/02, accessed 21/01/11</ref>
 ''The Guardian'' has described the [[NPOIU]] as "essentially a giant database of protest groups and protesters in the country."<ref>Rob Evans, Paul Lewis and Matthew Taylor, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/25/police-surveillance-protest-domestic-extremism How police rebranded lawful protest as 'domestic extremism'], guardian.co.uk, 25 October 2009.</ref>
 ::Housed at a secret location in London, its purpose is "to gather, assess, analyse and disseminate intelligence and information relating to criminal activities in the United Kingdom where there is a threat of crime or to public order which arises from domestic extremism or protest activity".
 ::Police in England and Wales collect intelligence on individuals and then feed it to the NPOIU which, [[Anton Setchell|Setchell]] said, "can read across" all the forces' intelligence and deliver back to them "coherent" assessments.<ref>Rob Evans, Paul Lewis and Matthew Taylor, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/25/police-surveillance-protest-domestic-extremism How police rebranded lawful protest as 'domestic extremism'], guardian.co.uk, 25 October 2009.</ref>
-===the future of NETCU: restructuring===
 An article By Corporate Watch outlines the reasons for a re-organisation
 :which will see the units brought back under the aegis of the Metropolitan Police due to be completed by the summer. [[Setchell]] and [[Pearl]] were both effectively sacked, with Det. Chief Supt. [[Adrian Tudway]] taking over from the former as National Domestic Extremism Co-ordinator. Comments from Pearl in the Telegraph<ref>Jason Lewis [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8131131/Did-police-cutbacks-allow-extremists-to-hijack-student-demonstrations.htmlfrom Did police cutbacks allow extremists to hijack student demonstrations?] ''The telegraph'', 14/11/10, accessed 22/01/11</ref> November 2010 indicate that this was also in part due to a desire to cut costs.<ref name="Corporate Watch"/>

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 ==People==
 *Superintendent [[Steve Pearl]] - head
 ==Affiliations==

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 *[[ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters Committee]]
 *[[National Co-ordinator for Domestic Extremism]]
 ==Contact details, Resources, Notes==

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 ''The Guardian'' raised such allegations with Steve Pearl in October 2009:
 ::Pearl denied the unit was engaged in mission creep but admitted that environmental protesters had now been brought "more on their radar" as they had been "shutting down airports, and shutting down coal-fired power stations, more recently stopping coal trains, hijacking coal trains and ships in the river Medway."<ref>Rob Evans, Paul Lewis and Matthew Taylor, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/25/police-surveillance-protest-domestic-extremism How police rebranded lawful protest as 'domestic extremism'], guardian.co.uk, 25 October 2009.</ref>
 ==The future of NETCU==

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:11, 25 January 2011
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−	The [[National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit]] (NETCU) is one of a number of national police intelligence units set up under the aegis of the [[Association of Chief Police Officers]].	+	The [[National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit]] (NETCU) is one of a number of national police intelligence units set up under the aegis of the [[Association of Chief Police Officers]]. The National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit is one of the three "domestic extremism" units working under the direction of Detective Chief Superintendent [[Adrian Tudway]]. [[NETCU]], [[NPOIU]] (of which the [[CIU]] is a section) and [[NDET]] are the three units answering to [[ACPO]]. As the "national co-ordinator for domestic extremism" he commands about 100 staff and has a budget of about £9m a year.<ref name="Hirsch"> Rob Evans, Matthew Taylor, Afua Hirsch and Paul Lewis [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/13/mark-kennedy-undercover-police-acpo?intcmp=239 Rein in undercover police units, says former DPP] ''The Guardian'', 13/01/11, accessed 24/01/11</ref>

	NETCU is headed by Superintendent [[Steve Pearl]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1548609/Animal-rights-extremists-target-farmers.html Animal rights extremists target farmers], by Jasper Copping, telegraph.co.uk, 14 April 2007.</ref> The unit is based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, a centre of animal rights activism because of the presence of research firm [[Huntingdon Life Sciences]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1530219/Half-of-animal-rights-extremists-are-in-jail.html Half of animal rights extremists are in jail], by Andrew Alderson, telegraph.co.uk, 30 Sep 2006.</ref>		NETCU is headed by Superintendent [[Steve Pearl]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1548609/Animal-rights-extremists-target-farmers.html Animal rights extremists target farmers], by Jasper Copping, telegraph.co.uk, 14 April 2007.</ref> The unit is based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, a centre of animal rights activism because of the presence of research firm [[Huntingdon Life Sciences]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1530219/Half-of-animal-rights-extremists-are-in-jail.html Half of animal rights extremists are in jail], by Andrew Alderson, telegraph.co.uk, 30 Sep 2006.</ref>

@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
 ==Funding and finances==
-Netcu is funded by the Home Office.<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/news/PRDisplay.asp?PR_GUID={A19DE824-55E1-47D1-8C6B-7BD288DBE25A} LEADING ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST SENTENCED], ACPO press release, 25 February 2005.</ref>
+Netcu is funded by the Home Office.<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/news/PRDisplay.asp?PR_GUID={A19DE824-55E1-47D1-8C6B-7BD288DBE25A} LEADING ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST SENTENCED], ACPO press release, 25 February 2005.</ref> It is one of three  "domestic extremism" units working under the direction of Detective Chief Superintendent [[Adrian Tudway]]. Tudway, the "national co-ordinator for domestic extremism", commands about 100 staff and has a budget of about £9m a year.<ref name="Hirsch"> Rob Evans, Matthew Taylor, Afua Hirsch and Paul Lewis
 ==People==

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 ==Role==
 [[ACPO]] describes NETCU's role as follows:
 ::Its main focus is to promote a joined up, consistent and effective response to local police forces dealing with single-issue extremism of any character - including animal rights extremism. NETCU also provides a central support and liaison service to animal research and related industries.<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/news/PRDisplay.asp?PR_GUID={A19DE824-55E1-47D1-8C6B-7BD288DBE25A} LEADING ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST SENTENCED], ACPO press release, 25 February 2005.</ref>
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 ::Netcu's job is to give "security advice, risk assessments and information that can minimise disruption and keep their employees safe". Its head, Superintendent [[Steve Pearl]], says his 16-strong unit works with police forces across the country, keeps detailed files on protest groups, rather than individuals, and liaises with thousands of companies in aviation, energy, research, farming and retail.<ref>Rob Evans, Paul Lewis and Matthew Taylor, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/25/police-surveillance-protest-domestic-extremism How police rebranded lawful protest as 'domestic extremism'], guardian.co.uk, 25 October 2009.</ref>
 ==Structure==