EN74

This article is part of the Undercover Research Portal at Powerbase - investigating corporate and police spying on activists

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Part of a series on National Public Order Intelligence Unit
'EN47'
Alias:	unknown
Deployment:	2000s
Role:	undercover

EN74 is the cipher given to a former undercover officer of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit who was deployed in the 2000s against unknown targets. Sir John Mitting, chair of the Undercover Policing Inquiry, has ruled that the Inquiry will restrict the officers real and cover name in the Inquiry.

• For the EN cipher system see EN officers page.

As a police officer

Served in various undercover deployments both for NPOIU and in serious and organised crime operations. Some of these undercover operations involved targeting groups from which there would be substantial risk of physical harm.

They maintained that they have been assured of confidentiality in connection with undercover work and also stated:

When I volunteered and applied to become an undercover officer, it was on the understanding that my true identity would always be protected. I was assured, when I started the role, that there were policies in place to ensure the protection of my identity and, by extension, my safety. I understood that, in all deployments that I undertook, I would be acting pursuant to a lawful authority to gain intelligence and evidence of criminality. It was made clear to me that, at all times during undercover deployments, I would be using a cover identity. I was also assured that, in any court proceedings that flowed from the deployments I had been involved in, I would be afforded anonymity. These promises were reiterated to me throughout my career. 10.It was because there were policies and assurances in place to guarantee the protection of my true identity that I decided to apply for, accept and continue in an undercover role. Had I not received or been confident of these assurances regarding my safety, I would never have agreed to take on an undercover role.

My role as an undercover officer, involved very dangerous roles. I regularly deployed against and infiltrated those involved in serious criminality.

Members of criminal groups will have trusted me, revealed secrets to me and opened their homes to me. They will not, I know, take kindly to finding out that I was an undercover officer and that the trust they placed in me was misplaced and may have led to criminal justice proceedings and significant custodial sentences being passed on members of their families or associates. These groups are not afraid of using violence to target those who have displeased them. They also would be keen to target me as an undercover officer, as they resent law enforcement and the way law enforcement officers have and will continue to impede their criminal activity.

In the Undercover Policing Inquiry

• 2 May 2018: Mitting minded to restrict real and cover names, writing:

EN74 was an undercover police officer and was deployed by the [NPOIU] in the 2000s. Other duties gave rise to a real risk to life and limb which, to an extent which cannot be precisely quantified, remains. Publication of the real or cover name would increase those risks. The risks are contingent, not immediate, and so engage Article 8 of the European Convention, not Articles 2 and 3. Publication of the cover name of EN74 might lead to identification of the real name, in which case the risks would materialise. It is not necessary to fulfil the terms of reference of the Inquiry to run those risks.

• 21 May 2018: application to restrict real and cover names made by National Crime Agency.

• 9 July 2018: Inquiry releases open / gisted versions of the restriction order application, personal witness statement, a second personal witness statement and risk assessment for the officer and Mitting directed that any submissions in response to these applications were to be made by 20 July 2018.

• 30 October 2018: Mitting rules to restrict both real and cover names, writing:

As the open 'Minded to' note states, the risk which I had in mind was to life and limb.