Reform call on police demo tactics (From Daily Echo)

Reform call on police demo tactics

11:54am Wednesday 25th November 2009

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Controversial tactics for tackling highly-charged demonstrations could erode the wider public's support for police, a report has warned.

A police watchdog said apparently unfair and aggressive moves may help officers keep order at protests, but they risk damaging confidence in the service.

Denis O'Connor, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said it is time to reassert the founding principles of British policing.

He said "premature" displays of "formidable" officers in specialist uniform give the impression of a "hardening of the character of British policing".

Mr O'Connor called for officers to tackle even the most inflammatory events using the minimum of force while remaining approachable, impartial and accountable.

In the second part of his review of public order policing - ordered in the wake of angry clashes between protesters and police in the City of London during the G20 meeting of world leaders in April - Mr O'Connor focussed on how police should adapt to modern protests.

Mr O'Connor said the principles of traditional policing are better suited to handling highly-charged modern protests than any other tactics used overseas. He said: "British police risk losing the battle for the public's consent if they win public order through tactics that appear to be unfair, aggressive or inconsistent. This harms not just the reputation of the officers concerned but the police service as a whole."

Mr O'Connor said police operations around the G20 protests revealed there are inconsistencies in training, standards and leadership. And he criticised the lack of clear standards on the use of force and the inappropriate use of stop and search powers and intrusive surveillance photography.

The inspector said the current tactics manual is five years out of date and recommended forces agree common standards for uniform and training. Mr O'Connor said police chiefs should adopt a fundamental set of principles on the use of force to run as a "golden thread" through all their work.

He said: "The world is changing and policing needs to change with it. Public order policing needs to evolve as we move towards the London Olympics in 2012 and beyond. This will protect the rights of protesters and the wider public as well as protecting the integrity of the British policing model."

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