Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

Regional police to join forces to conduct surveillance

26 Jul 2011, 5:19 pm

Regional police forces are banding together to carry out surveillance operations till-now carried out by the soon to be disbanded Serious Orgasnised Crime Agency (SOCA), The Guardian newspaper has reported.

Five forces in the East Midlands have outlined a technical collaboration on surveillance which they claim will save them £133,000 a year overall.

"It is expected that further savings will be identified as part of the project implementation, particularly in relation to greater efficiencies to be had within fleet, officer training procurement and capital acquisitions," said a paper outlining the plans (4-page / 53KB PDF).

The five forces are seeking to set up the East Midlands Technical Surveillance Unit. The forces' paper claims that the establishment of the unit will not only save money but will also offer the opportunity for surveillance skills to be built up, which they claim will increase the likelihood of success.

The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit was established in 2001 but ceased operation when SOCA was established in 2006. Critics of the change said that it left victims of computing crime too reliant on local forces with insufficient expertise to deal with complex, technical crimes.

The Guardian reported that sources had told it that seven other units similar to that in the East Midlands are being established.

Law enforcement agencies are allowed to conduct telecoms interception to carry out covert surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) and their activities are regulated by the Interception of Communications Commissioner.

Parliament's Home Affairs Committee said last week that the Information Commissioner's Office should have a greater role in giving advice and support on UK surveillance laws, both to those carrying out the activities and those who have been victims of it.

"Although the Information Commissioner’s Office provides some advice, there is no formal mechanism for either those who know they are in danger of breaking the law or those whose communications may be or have been intercepted to obtain information and advice," the Home Affairs Committee said in its Unauthorised Tapping into or Hacking of Mobile Communications report (68-page /391KB PDF).