Difference between revisions of "Gordon Irving"
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| − | + | A leaked email revealed Vericola's information was destined for Gordon Irving, revealed ''The Guardian''. Gordon Irving, security director of [[Scottish Power]], joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] where he was head of special branch. <ref name="Rob Evans"> 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> | |
Privately, senior officers claim there are "without question" more corporate spies embedded in the protest movement than police officers. Among their number are former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters, relays ''the Guardian''.<ref name="Rob Evans"/> The same article goes on to relate | Privately, senior officers claim there are "without question" more corporate spies embedded in the protest movement than police officers. Among their number are former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters, relays ''the Guardian''.<ref name="Rob Evans"/> The same article goes on to relate | ||
Revision as of 00:25, 15 February 2011
Gordon Irving is the Director Group Security for Scottish Power PLC, which is now part of Iberdrola.[1] "Gordon Irving, ScottishPower’s Security Director, has close links and a very good working relationship with the police, having been in the force himself".[2]
Contents
Hiring spies to infiltrate campaigns
An email leaked to The Guardian revealed that Gordon Irving was among two clients of Vericola who sent spies into the environmental movement's meetings
- One was Gordon Irving, security director of Scottish Power who joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in Strathclyde police where he was head of special branch. The other was Alan Somerville, then a director of coal producer Scottish Resources Group. Telling a colleague to forward information about activists in Scotland to the two companies, Todd wrote: "Send … to usual suspects."[3]
Revolving door between undercover policing and the private spying business
Career
Prior to joining Scottish Power in 2001 Gordon had spent 30 years in Strathclyde Police (Scotland) where he attained the rank of Chief Superintendent. He was Head of Special Branch and latterly a Police Commander in Glasgow where he had responsibility for 800 police officers and support staff.[1]In addition to his security role at Scottish power, Gordon is responsible for Business Continuity Management and Crisis Management across the whole group. Since 2001 Gordon has developed and implemented a strategy, framework and policy clearly embedding security and business continuity into each of the business areas within ScottishPower.[1]
Police counter-terrorism
Gordon has extensive experience in Counter Terrorism and during his time in Special Branch was involved and led many operations against the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) and Loyalist Paramilitary Groups. Additionally, he has extensive experience with the Middle Eastern threat. His experience in Counter Terrorism included involvement in the United Kingdom Counter Terrorism (CT) programme when he would act as umpire at CT exercises throughout the United Kingdom. During his police experience, Gordon was also a senior investigating officer and headed several murder enquiries.[1]
Hiring private security firms for infiltration
A leaked email revealed Vericola's information was destined for Gordon Irving, revealed The Guardian. Gordon Irving, security director of Scottish Power, joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in Strathclyde Police where he was head of special branch. [3]
Privately, senior officers claim there are "without question" more corporate spies embedded in the protest movement than police officers. Among their number are former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters, relays the Guardian.[3] The same article goes on to relate
- The company best-known for monitoring protest groups is Global Open, founded a decade ago by Rod Leeming, a former special branch officer who in the late 1990s ran the Animal Rights National Index (ARNI), a clandestine Metropolitan police unit monitoring activists.Global Open claims to have more than 90 clients and maintains "a discreet watch" on protest groups that could damage a firm's reputation. It is understood to have offered to employ several ex-police officers, including the undercover police officer Mark Kennedy, who said he was hired by Rod Leeming as a private investigator last year. Leeming previously claimed never to have met or employed Kennedy.[3]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Human Factors In Security An Inaugural Conference accessed 02/02/11
- ↑ Scottish Power Website Corporate Responsability, accessed 02/01/11
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Paul Lewis and Rob Evans Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranksThe Guardian, 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Rob Evans" defined multiple times with different content
