INTERNET LAW BOOK REVIEWS
BOOK REVIEWS PROVIDED BY - Rob Jerrard LLB LLM (London)
NEW POLICE BOOKSHOP(Books for Police Officers)
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National
Drug Recognition Training and Field Impairment Testing
Author:
Stephen G Collier
ISBN:
1903639131
Publishers:
The New Police Bookshop
Price
£7.95
Publication
Date: 2004
Foreword
Impairment
testing by police officers on drivers is not something which is completely
new. The ‘wilderness years' of sobriety
testing for driving impairment began in 1967 with the introduction of the
breath test through the Road Safety Act.
Since that time police officers have become reliant upon the result of
the roadside breath screening device.
The sobriety test for drunkenness was part of the police armoury for
dealing with intoxication well before the 1967 Act.
Today
however our attention needs to be turned to the growing problem of driving
under the influence of drugs. The
difficulty the Police Service faces is that we have no electronic device
similar to the breathalyser to detect impairment to drive, so we are left with
the only alternative of roadside impairment testing. Although there are many devices which will tell the officer that
a drug is present in the body, there are none, currently, that tell us if a
person is impaired. This type of device
may not be too far away from a technological point of view, but many years away
from operational use.
As
a result of successful trials of ‘Field
Impairment Testing', a battery of tests were launched on the Police Service in
August 2000 and to date almost two thirds of forces nationwide have trained
‘Drug Recognition Officers' (DROs).
The
aim of this Aide Memoire is to provide details of pertinent information
required by a police officer when dealing with a driver who the officer
suspects of driving under the influence of drugs. The subject would have provided a negative specimen of breath,
and officer still suspects impairment.
In
July 2003, the Railways and Transport Safety Act received Royal Assent.
Although the bulk of this Act makes regulations about the safety of railways,
Section 107 and Schedule 7 of the Act make major changes to Section 6 Road
Traffic Act 1988. This involves the
mandatory co-operation by drivers suspected of driving while impaired through
drugs. A precis of this new legislation
can be read at the end of this guide.
Stephen
G Collier Northampton March 2004
Review
This
Aide Memoire is a booklet of just 22 pages, however it is full of well
presented and very useful information.
Since
1967, Police Officers have been able to use a breathalyser as a roadside test
to determine whether a driver was impaired through alcohol, (confirmed by a
second test at a Police Station).
Today
however, an increasing number of people are driving whilst under the influence
of drugs. The difficulty that the Police Service faces is that there are no
devices similar to the breathalyser to detect impairment to drive through the
use of drugs, or other illegal substances.
As
a result of successful trials of ‘Field Impairment Testing’, a battery of tests
were launched on the Police Service in August 2000, and to date almost two
thirds of forces nationwide have trained ‘Drug Recognition Officers’ (DROs).
The
booklet states that "The aim of this Aide Memoire is to provide details of
pertinent information required by a police officer when dealing with a driver
who the officer suspects of driving under the influence of drugs. The subject
would have provided a negative specimen of breath, and the officer still
suspects impairment".
The
booklet identifies the relevant legislation, amended legislation, powers to
administer impairment tests, codes of practice as laid down by the various
statutes, the
different
offences, and powers of arrest. It also defines what ‘impairment’ is, the role
of the doctor, the evidence required under the various sections of the relevant
legislation and the points to prove.
The
booklet then describes in detail the various impairment tests that can be
carried out at the roadside, also the procedures, considerations and
observations for each test.
It
also gives very useful pneumonics for each test. Influence recognition signs are then given for cannabis, opiates,
stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, inhalants and various other substances.
This
is a well presented booklet which gives all the relevant information that may
be required about this subject. It will I am sure, be a ‘must’ in any uniformed
police officers library, and rightly so.
Andy
Day 2006.
Policing
Paedophiles on the Internet
Author:
Edited by Allyson MacVean & Peter Spindler
ISBN:
1903639123
Publishers:
The New Police Bookshop
Price
£12.50 RRP UK
Publication
Date: 2003
Policing
Paedophiles on the Internet
Preface
Of
all the wider policing tasks for the twenty-first century, nothing could be
more important than the protection of children. Nothing is more complex for policing than the criminal potential
of cheap computers and worldwide communication. Truly the task for the public police is `policing by
communication' within that wider policing context. The papers and proceedings produced here are a seminal
contribution to these activities.
The
work of a small, but rapidly expanding, informed group of police officers,
investigators, intelligence officers, academics, technologists, civilian
analysts, prosecutors, and other sworn and non-sworn collaborators has made
remarkable inroads into a transnational organised crime within a short time of
its appearance. They are, as the
dedication to this book records, ‘adventurers’ and this is truly a Pandora's
box. Rarely has intelligence, academia
and police operations had such a meeting of minds. That meeting is recorded here in 13 useful essays which provide
case studies for thinking about wider policing in the twenty-first century.
Alan
Wright, in his book Policing: An Introduction to Concepts and Practice (Willan
Publishing 2002), offers four modes of policing practice - peace keeping, crime
investigation, risk management and community justice - all of which can
illuminate the issues raised in this volume.
His is a work of important strategic analysis, to which this volume
provides a tactical operational application and focus, while providing
strategic illustrations to his thesis. Alan further identifies communication
as one of the core skills of anyone involved in wider policing but most
especially those involved in operational activity.
There
is a problem here, as ‘Alice’, an intelligence officer, pointed out to us (she
would not thank me for identifying her but my admiration is not diminished by
her anonymity): how do we communicate outside the secure confines of
operational necessity to generate new solutions with academics and
technologists (a ‘television repair man’ as one cyberspace warrior priest
described himself) without the risk of the criminals getting to hear? Criminals, incidentally, who have shown
themselves as adept at developing the next facet of their own security after
each setback? This is a familiar
problem for community justice in a democracy, not least because of the
requirements of disclosure and the lawyer's role. What has been struck here is a balance, a risk management
balance, but one which requires watching ever vigilantly.
Allyson
MacVean, Terry Grange, Peter Spindler and Carole Howlett have shown remarkable
leadership in the formal sense, communicating strategically at ACPO and
government level. The others writing
here are also leaders; Joe Sullivan and Judy Wheaton showing considerable
courage, with Peter Robbins and Roger Darlington widening the policing
leadership activity and intelligence work into open source, using the Internet
for the protection of democracy. The
lawyers have shown enormous energy and creativity, their industry in making the
justice part of the model and the democratic process work in the face of an
appalling series of crimes is praiseworthy.
Carmen Dowd, not for the first time, has provided a model prosecuting
process of value to other investigative processes and crimes; Peter- Sommer has
shown, not just the ethical, but also the practical importance of
defending. Nadim Bashir illustrates the
relevance of Alan Wright's community justice focus.
Finally,
despite my transition to academia, the crime investigation and risk management
modes of Wright's model, the operational detectives and analysts are closest to
my heart. The role of many forces, the National Crime Squad, National Criminal
Intelligence Service, and individuals, is of course fundamental. As symbols of all those who never get named,
those who meet at 4am for the briefings, and chink bad coffee and tea from
Styrofoam cups late at night but never get thanked, Peter Spindler is worthy of
his second mention in this short preface, the hunters Terry Jones, the
energetic Darren Brookes driving the intelligence-led agenda, and the
innovative Martin Jebb, all have contributed to peacekeeping, justice and
community safety using `policing by communication'. Finally for ‘Alice’ herself as a symbol of all that can be
achieved in crime investigation and risk management, thank you all.
Professor
John Grieve
April
2003
Foreword
Child
protection is a priority for all of us.
Recent events, for example, Lord Laming's inquiry report, large police
operations against paedophiles using the Internet, and the joint Chief
Inspectors' report Safeguarding the Children all highlight the need for us to
review the effectiveness of what we are doing.
The
Internet has opened up a whole new world of information and communication, and
has brought great benefits. But, as we know, it has also provided opportunities
for paedophiles to network and, by sharing images and fantasies, to seek to
normalise their own behaviour. It also
offers the chance to meet children in an environment in which some do not
perceive the potential danger and where parental supervision has yet to develop
to the same levels as in the ‘off-line’ world.
However,
it also provides potential new opportunities for law enforcement to identify,
prosecute and disrupt paedophiles. The
pace of market exploitation of new technologies will continue to
increase. Paedophiles have consistently
shown themselves to be `early adopters' of new technologies, and we need to
show that we can adapt to and manage the changes in risk these technologies
make possible, for example the next generations of mobile phones and peer2peer
networking. In doing this, our objective will remain the same: protecting
children from those who would harm them.
We must keep sight of this and ensure that it remains a policing
priority, and is not allowed to become marginalised as simply a specialist or a
technical role.
By
its very nature, child abuse on the Internet is an area where the knowledge
available to inform decisions by policy-makers and practitioners has been
limited. This book is an important
contribution to developing our understanding.
It will also help encourage informed public debate based on an awareness
of the risks.
This
book is also timely, as recent police operations have shown that the Internet
is no hiding place for paedophiles and that United Kingdom police forces have
not only the commitment to tackle paedophile activity, but also the managerial
and technological ability to do so. I
commend it to all those who are working hard to tackle child abuse on the
Internet.
Hilary
Berm MP
Chair:
Home Office Task Force for Child Abuse on the Internet
Introduction
Paedophiles
have been with us always. A sexual interest in children, whether fantasised or
acted out in reality, is neither new nor any less criminal by virtue of new
technologies. The Internet has opened up the possibility for people with like
interests to correspond immediately with each other, person-to-person or in
groups, around the world. It provides
access to the wise, the unwise and the vulnerable. It allows anonymity and the
ability to present a false image. You
can be a child or a teenager, no matter your age. You can seek out information
from the trusting or naive, directly or indirectly, and use that information
for good or ill. Using digital camera technology
and the Internet you may see a close relative or friend enjoying a winter's
evening in Times Square, New York, instantaneously; or you may direct, equally
instantaneously, the actions of an adult sexually abusing a child. The Internet, to that extent, has no
conscience. In the absence of a sense of what is right and wrong legally and
morally, the Internet may be used to pursue legitimate interests; to engage in
mildly inappropriate activity, or the most serious of sexual assaults.
Voyeurism
- watching others engaged in consensual or non-consensual sexual activity - has
been made possible from vast distances.
Viewing pornographic material of all types is freely available, at a
cost. Anything appears possible, with the virtue - if that is the appropriate
word - of anonymity or the possibility of finding like-minded people with whom
perceptions may be reinforced that nothing inappropriate or wrong is taking
place.
Realisation
of the use to which those interested in pornography and child pornography - or
to use the proper term child sexual abuse - were making of the Internet crept
upon the police services of the United Kingdom during the 1990s. Individual forces noted the technology and
the use to which it was being put and some reacted. They reacted in slightly
different ways. The national police
organisations, the National Crime Squad (NCS) and National Criminal
Intelligence Service (NCIS), reacted also.
Initially, their efforts were separate and occasionally disjointed. The
breadth and depth of the subject area and its worldwide nature made that early
incoherent approach inevitable. However, the speed with which like-minded
people - in this case police investigators, child protection officers, and
information technology and internet experts - recognised the issues, the need
to combine and to produce a coherent and legally-sustainable reaction, has
been more impressive than the speed with which those criminally-inclined sought
to profit from the Internet.
As
other chapters in this book show - from initial realisation of the scale and
complexity of the issues, to single force and then multi-force organised
response - the reaction of the working detectives, child protection officers
and information technology experts can only be applauded. The take-up of the strategic issues and the
engagement of governments, policy makers and the Internet Service Providers
(ISPs) has been equally impressive. The
efforts of contributors to this book - from Terry Jones' pioneering work,
through to Carole Howlett in the development of the co-ordination of police
activity, and that of other agencies, leading to the creation of a national
structure to combat child abuse on the Internet, and to provide coherent
national tasking of activity and the development of regional centres of
excellence - are examples of high quality policing at the operational and
strategic levels.
The
engagement of Internet Service Providers and the development of the Internet
Watch Foundation demonstrate the ability of determined people to engage in
partnerships to frustrate criminality and develop better child protection in a
completely new environment. The
willingness of a new industry to combine and produce independent oversight, as
the Internet Service Providers have done, is also to be applauded. We are still in the exploration and
understanding stage, as police and prosecution services, in discovering what
the criminal can do with the Internet and, specifically, those who sexually
abuse children or seek to watch that abuse and how we and the industry can
respond. Operation Ore is a recent and
stunning example of how widespread the issue is. Managing the response to Ore and to similar sites will be a test
of our strategic and operational capabilities.
This
book, built from the first conference of its kind held at the John Grieve
Centre for Policing and Community Safety, is a new beginning. From the early chapters where an
understanding of the sexual predator and the child pornographers is sought, through
developing policing strategies set out by Peter Spindler, Terry Jones and
Darren Brookes, and the national responses such as VISOR and the Internet Watch
Foundation, the papers set out a developing and rapidly coherent approach by
the police service due to the foresight and determination of the people who
contributed, and many others.
The
complexities of gathering and presenting evidence and the use of legal powers
to constrain those convicted are presented from the perspective of the
prosecutor and developing law. Finally,
the way forward is presented by Carole Howlett.
The
police response locally, regionally, nationally and internationally is
developing rapidly. The United Kingdom Government has responded as
rapidly. The journey has, however, only
really just begun. Police forces will have to commit more resources and
strategic thinking, the government likewise, and the industry must be even
more watchful if our combined efforts are to succeed. It is to the credit of those who have contributed to this book,
and others unnamed, that we have moved this far and this quickly. This issue is not, however, going to go away
and those who follow their lead will have much to do to develop and improve
upon what has been done so far. This
book is a beginning, but a very impressive beginning.
Terence
Grange
Chief
Constable, Dyfed-Powys Police Association of Chief Police Officers
Review
It is first of all important
to state the John Grieve Centre was established as an international policing
centre of excellence. The centre
provides courses at an undergraduate and post-graduate level and has world-wide
influence.
As the title states the book is dedicated towards dealing
with paedophiles who use the Internet. The book consists of five parts. The first part deals with paedophiles on the
Internet and understanding the type of individuals who act as predators on the
Internet. It also covers some of the images and the risk on the Internet to
children. In the first section also
there is a mother speaking about the victims of such an unsavoury practice as
paedophilia on the Internet.
Part 2 concerns itself with
investigating paedophiles and policing strategies and how best to combat child
abuse on the Internet.
Part 3 is concerned with law
enforcement and this is followed by Part 4 – the legal process indicating cases
for prosecution and the evidence required in the case of Internet paedophilia.
The book is dedicated to the protection of children.
As one who has himself been
involved in preventing paedophiles from gaining access to children by
supporting Thames Valley Police and acting as a consultant in developing a
video to be used in schools, I found this book especially valuable and it
should be read by police officers, especially those working with the tracking
down of paedophile transgressors whether
on the Internet or elsewhere. Paedophiles
are known to network and share images and fantasies. While not all those who view paedophile images are themselves
acting paedophiles many indeed are. The
book shows how the police are becoming much more sophisticated in being able to
understand and deal with technological factors used to discover paedophiles
using the Internet.
Terence Grange, Chief
Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, provides an excellent introduction to the
book. The structure of the book is also
well laid out providing an executive overview with summaries for each part and
chapters at the beginning of the book.
The book emphasises that paedophiles often groom their victims while
using the Internet but as yet it appears that most paedophile activities appear
within families. It is for this reason that a national strategy has been
developed in Great Britain with the object of protecting children.
The contributors to this
book are all experts in certain aspects of law, or child abuse, or specifically
child abuse over the Internet.
Beginning with Nadim Bashir who is a Barrister of law and who has also
worked with the police, we have a number of illustrious police contributors the
Chief Constable, Dyfed-Powys Police, Terence Grange. There is also an excellent chapter from Anthony Beech, Reader of
Criminological Psychology at the University of Birmingham and his colleague Joe
Sullivan, and by Professor John Grieve, Chair of the John Grieve Centre for
Policing. Each of the contributors
provides something which is within their area of competence and contributes to
making this book, despite its smallness in size, a comprehensive and focused
work dealing with policing paedophiles on the Internet.
The focus of the book is on
crime prevention in the area of child sexual abuse but also dealing with those
who can be discovered through the Internet and are using the Internet for the
purpose of grooming potential victims.
It is a book that is likely
to be of value not only to police officers but also to solicitors and
barristers working in the area of criminality with paedophile allegations.
Dr L F Lowenstein
Investigative Interviewing
Investigative Interviewing explained has been written to develop police officers' core interviewing skills, explaining why and how they can be used to best effect.
It examines in detail the structure and considerations of both witness and suspect interviews, giving a practical interpretation of the relevant legislation.
Price £12.50.
The Authors
Brian Ord and Gary Shaw have 50 years' experience between them with Northumbria Police and the vast majority' of this has been devoted to crime investigation.
They have dealt with every category of crime, and have substantial experience of dealing with murder, armed robbery; terrorism, and a wide variety of serious sexual offences. During 1991 they were jointly involved in a long-term investigation that rid the North East of England of professional ram-raider gangs.
Brian Ord was one of the pioneers of tape recording police interviews with suspects and the development of police officers' skills in investigative interviewing. He rose to the rank of detective superintendent and retired from the police service in 1994. He continues his involvement in training courses in investigative interviewing and the investigation of offences for commercial organisations.
Gary' Shaw is a former member of the national investigative interviewing project team at Bramshill and continues to be actively involved in this field, contributing to seminars and training courses. He is now detective inspector in a major crime investigation unit.
Their motivation in producing this book arises from their recognition of a need for a practical guide in investigative interviewing for all police officers, whether patrol constables, detectives or senior officers managing the investigation of serious crime.
Forewords
"In recent times, the emphasis of modern policing has been to prevent crimes before they occur. Significant success has been achieved by police and their partners in this aim, with crime figures falling nationally
One of the techniques that has been particularly successful is our intelligence led approach which focuses on the criminal. Interviewing skills have never been more crucial in this worthy enterprise.
Such skills have to be displayed by officers thousands of times each day the length and breadth of the country; as they carry out their investigations. Indeed, interviewing people,whether they are suspects, victims or witnesses, is a crucial and integral part of policing.
The importance of investigative interviewing has been recognised over recent years as being vital to the effective investigation of crime. This book provides the reader with an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand guide to investigative interviewing. It is a practical and comprehensive guide with helpful examples which will assist officers in developing and honing their investigative skills. I commend it to you."
John Stevens
Deputy Commissioner Metropolitan Police
(Formerly Chief Constable of Northumbria)
November 1998
"Investigating crime has never been more demanding. With the Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984 and its Codes of Practice, the tape recording of interviews - and the forensic examination in court of every activity by the police, from the commission of the crime to the trial - professionalism is absolutely essential. A critical part of any investigation is the interview, both with witnesses and with the suspect, whether under arrest or not.
I have spent 35 years as a police officer - many as an investigator - and as a former graduate of the the FBI Academy in Quantico, I know only too well the pitfalls and problems involved in learning the craft of interviewing. This practical guide to investigative interviewing provides an easy to-read, hands-on-journey through the whole process. Having been a member of the Home Office working group on investigative interviewing which developed the current practice, I fully understand the importance and difficulties of the training of such a complex subject. The authors bring to this book decades of experience in crime investigation and the text is set out in an eminently readable format. I regret that such a guide was not available in my early years as a detective and I have little doubt that the sensible advice it contains will endure.
In my professional judgement this work is required reading for all police officers, or any other person tasked with the responsibility of investigation. A legal minefield has been made safer I wish the book well."
Brian Mackenzie
House of Lords
London
November 1998
"I would wish to be associated with the comments of both Brian MacKenzie and John Stevens and would add that I would describe this as a super little book and well worth the money, it is very easy to read and packed with valuable advice - I am particularly impressed with the index and part 3 which sets out guides to simplyfy legislation. It is small and will fit the pocket and, what's more will not break the Bank at the offer price of £9.50."
Rob Jerrard
Crime Patrol
Crime Patrol, to recognise &
Arrest criminals.
An Operational Guide to Proactive patrolling.
Crime Patrol has been written to develop police officers'
skills and knowledge to tackle patrol more effectively, explaining the motivation and techniques required to intercept criminals and arrest them.
It deals in detail with the core skills of observation, field interviewing and searching vehicles - examining various criminal pursuits in detail so officers may further their knowledge of common crime.
price £12.50.
No society can tolerate the burden of a high crime rate, criminal activity is a 'luxury' which no
Nation can afford. To tackle this problem the nation's police service will rely mainly on the endeavours of the front-line officer,
YOU.
'Crime Patrol explains the motivation and skill required to intercept criminals and arrest them'
Police officers can develop their observation, field interviewing and searching techniques and increase their knowledge of various crimes'
Improved performance at arresting criminals will shorten criminal's careers and enhance the
quality of life of decent citizens'.
The Author
Since joining the Cheshire Constabulary' in 1984, Inspector Mike McBride has served in a range of uniformed and plain clothes teams.
His commitment to officer safety has been recognised at force, regional and national level. Inspector McBride is the author of Street Survival Skills (first edition) published by Police Review Publishing.
Having delivered management training Inspector McBride appreciates the vital role which effective leadership has to play in motivating officers to achieve police objectives, especially in combating crime
REVIEW
I have a small green book called "Thieves on Wheels" by David Powis. It is dated 1971; the cover is very tatty and held together by adhesive tape. This book covered "some notes on the law and techniques of thief taking". I joined the City of London Police in 1968 and found this book very informative - I recognised the value of standing up front in Uniform and, the ability to look for the obvious, e.g., when you came around that corner, were they putting that scaffold up? Or taking it down? It could have been either.
Times have moved on, but the basics remain, "Crime Patrol" is the 1998 equivalent of "thief takers" and because it is 1998 contains much more with photos, graphics and, appendixes which provide all an officer needs on the street.
An Excellent publication.
I would highly recommend it to all, particularly those new in service, or those older who may be a bit rusty.
Rob Jerrard
THE CHILD PROTECTION INVESTIGATOR’S
COMPANION - 2nd Edition August 2001
The Child Protection Investigator's
Companion
Preface to the first edition
This book is for the broad range of
practitioners involved in the initial investigation of child protection cases.
The Child Protection Investigator's Companion is intended to provide
investigators from any agency involved in child protection work with readily
accessible information in respect of their responsibilities, powers and duties
during the initial phase of a child protection inquiry.
It also provides a great deal of guidance
in respect of the criminal offences that may be encountered during the course
of such investigation and is up to date as far as the Criminal Justice and
Public Order Act 1994, although the reader will need to take account of the
rolling introduction of the various parts of this Act.
This book may, therefore, be read as an
introduction to initial child protection investigations and then kept as a
source book by practitioners for easy reference when the need arises during
such inquiries.
Kevin Smith, 1994
Preface to the second edition
Since the publication of the first edition
to The Child Protection Investigator's Companion, a great deal has changed in
respect of the legislation concerned with child protection, notably in terms of
sexual offences and sex offenders. This new edition takes account of these
changes.
Kevin Smith, March 1999
Preface to the revised second edition
Since the publication of the second
edition, there have been major developments relating to human rights in the
enactments of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA). Police officers now have a duty
to positively uphold and protect the human rights of citizens. Specifically,
officers have a dun, to take measures to protect life, including a dun- to put
in place effective criminal law provisions to deter the commission of offences
against the person backed up by law enforcement machinery for the prevention,
suppression and sanctioning of breaches for such provisions. Consequently,
there is a greater emphasis on the prevention and protection role and
responsibility of police officers; this is especially so in relation to child
victims. Child Protection has therefore assumed an even higher importance in
the police response to prevent and detect crime. This revised edition takes
account of the changes and is also updated in respect of the Youth Justice and
Criminal Evidence Act 1999, the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000
and the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000.
The author
Kevin Smith worked for some years on a
Child Protection Team in South London up until 1995. During this time he
investigated a number of instance of child abuse and was involved in the joint
training of police officers and social workers.
Since leaving child protection, he has
worked in more general investigative training.
Kevin Smith has a first class honours
degree in psychology, a masters degree in education and a PhD in social
psychology.
Contributor on human rights
Alan Becklev has served for 29 years in the
police service, and is a serving police officer in West Mercia Constabulary
with the rank of Chief Inspector.
Since 1998, he has been a part time member
of the ACPO committee on human rights and policing.
Alan Beckley has had many articles on policing
and legal subjects published, has written several books on operational policing
and human rights and is the Managing Editor of two police journals, Police
Research e- Management and Policing Ethics and Human, Rights.
The Human Factor - Maximising the use of Police Informants
The Human Factor
HE WHO SUPS WITH THE DEVIL SHOULD HAVE
A LONG SPOON
The Human Factor is the first 'How to'
book written for officers using informants in local policing. In stripping away
the mystery from the relevant psychology, the author enables officers to use
many of the tensions in the informant equation to their advantage.
The Human Factor can be read as both an
entry level guide for the beginner or a more detailed handbook for the curious
expert. It guides the officer away from danger and towards a greater awareness,
aiming to enhance efficiency, righteousness, humanity, sincerity and integrity.
The Human Factor is intended to increase
sustainable results and is an authoritative manual in interpersonal
skill-building in its own right.
Forewords
The world of informant handling has
always attracted interest and no more so than now. In these times of increasing
accountability the formal codes and guidance on informant handling have, quite
properly, become more detailed and stringent. At the same time there is room
for the human factor that underpins informant success, or failure, to be
analysed and this book does just that. It focuses on the interpersonal skills
useful in the recruiting and managing of police informants in a way that other
text books and manuals do not.
Different scenarios are explored
together with useful indications and exercises for how the reader night
approach the deeper issues and -,what might follow from doing so. The essence
is suggestion, not instruction and it aims to help the reader become more
skilful, rather than overwhelm with theory: The techniques can be applied to
different circumstances and are derived from practical social psychology, used
successfully in the world of business, education and personal growth.
The Human factor is a synthesis of six
years study of the psychology of human relations. It was prompted by the need
felt by the author, as an operational police officer, for added understanding
of how to approach people who provide information in the fight against crime.
With his knowledge of the world of policing and his study of social psychology,
the author writes on important interpersonal issues surrounding informant use.
The book is aimed to appeal to a wide
range of policing interests in different countries. The Human Factor is not
legally specific because different laws and policies exist within different
agencies and readers must become familiar with their own specific, informant
policy and practice. Great care has been taken to stress the correct ethical stance.
Ethics, integrity and the recognition of human rights have been at the
forefront of the author's mind and reminders properly appear at intervals
throughout the text.
The book is intended as an entry level
guide for those beginning to see the potential of using informants and the
"criminal expertise" that is available if informants are used
ethically and wisely. The Human Factor is a useful tool for those involved in
handling informants in local policing and different aspects of it will appeal
to everyone, regardless of service and experience.
Nigel Burgess QPM, BA
Chief Constable, Cheshire Constabulary
May 2000
The Human Factor: Maximising the use of
Police Informants
Forewords (continued)
The Human Factor is indeed an amazing
combination, almost encyclopaedic in its coverage of the major contributing
characteristics that form the human factor in all of us.
The breadth and spread of human wisdom
and processes covered and combined by Tim Roberts produces a wonderful
synthesis of the everyday common and shared experiences of the police officer
on the beat with the wider philosophical, humanitarian and spiritual needs of
society.
Tim Roberts is indeed a shining and
living example of combining the practical necessities of life with a caring
and sensitive heart, surely a rare achievement for any of us, especially for
someone who is daily facing the criminal and often violent element of our
society.
A marvellous contribution to our further
understanding.
Leonard A Daniels Director
The Learning Foundation
May 2000
NLP is currently considered to be the
cutting edge communication technology. There are now hundreds of NLP books but
few as useful and practical as this one. Tim has taken the key concepts of NLP,
plus lots of other schools of psychology and communication, and applied them to
the very specific context of handling informants. He has done a great job
synthesising such a huge amount of information. These is so much information
here which -will be of immediate practical use. The end result will be incredibly
useful for all police officers - and for many others too.
Peter McNab
INLPTA Master Trainer
The Police Witness - A Guide to Presenting Evidence in Court
Order is heaven's first law Alexander Pope
Before operating mouth, first engage brain
Notice on the police room in an East End Magistrates' Court
There are few more important functions for
an individual in society than participating in the administration of justice.
It is only within the context of law and order that other civilised activity
can take place and the police officer, whose duty it is to combat crime and
public vice and to maintain the peace, plays a crucial role. It is no exaggeration
to say, although some of their fiercer critics might not agree, that the Police
Force is the ultimate line of defence between order and chaos and between
civilisation and barbarism.
The improvement of human society is a
lamentably slow process - an unending battle between influences for good and
for evil. The police officer, in being committed to the promotion of the former
and the defeat of the latter is fulfilling a role of deep moral significance.
It is precisely because that role upholds the authority of the law that the
police are the guardians of individual liberty. The police officers' uniform is
the badge and emblem of liberty under the law. His or her office is the heart,
bone and marrow of civilisation and the human progress which takes place within
it. This great responsibility must be discharged with integrity and efficiency.
The aim of this book is to help police
officers perform their duty while acting as a witness in court. During the
course of a career comprising 18 years at the Bar and 27 years as a Stipendiary
Magistrate, I have had many opportunities to observe police officers in court
and to follow and assess their evidence. I shall draw upon this experience and
give examples of effective and ineffective practice in court which will help
the police officer become a more confident and convincing witness. (This book
does not comment on police duties prior to proceedings in court.)
There are two fundamental reasons why this
aspect of police duties should be accorded great importance.
1 The
administration of justice is so vital a task that all who take part in it
should do so efficiently and well.
2 From
the point of view of the police themselves, the result of a case depends very
greatly upon the impression which witnesses make on the court.
Even in comparatively minor charges a
considerable amount of work goes into the preparation of a case both on the
part of the police and the Crown Prosecution Service. It can be frustrating and
disheartening if a well prepared prosecution fails due to an indifferent
presentation of the case in court. When this occurs there may well be a
temptation for the police to attribute the result of the case to other factors
such as the guile of defending counsel; the skilful lying of the defendant or
his or her witnesses; the gullibility of the bench or jury, or perhaps even the
unfairness of the English trial process as seen from the point of view of the
prosecution.
While these complaints may have some degree
of justification it is sometimes the case that the poor showing of officers in
the witness box, particularly under cross-examination, is equally to blame.
This is no general criticism - officers frequently give their evidence very
well. Yet sometimes police witnesses, particularly the younger and less experienced
police witnesses tend to be hesitant, reticent and of poor audibility. Trainee
police officers now receive instruction in presenting evidence it court. Ample
time should always be devoted to this all-important topic and with this in mind
I offer what I hope will be useful guidance to my readers in the police
service.
Throughout this book I have referred to
police officers, magistrates advocates and the accused in the male form. This
is purely for ease and is not intended in any way to belittle or neglect the
role of women in society and particularly in the valuable contribution they
have made to the police force.
KNOWN TO POLICE
101+
things about the law, police and crime that you never knew you needed to know
Foreword
This book is the result of a number of
pub conversations and lunches in the course of which I realised that I, or my
drinking companion. did not quite know what we were talking about. I would say
something about the Glasgow Police Killings. only to realise that the chief
constable on the other side of the vodka and tonic had never heard of them. The
solicitor had finished his starter when he made a fleeting reference to
Frederick Seddon: I'd heard of him but knew nothing about him. I saw the look
of puzzlement that came over a young constable's face when her older colleague
spoke of his Scargill Kitchen. Perhaps this selective and subjective collection
of topics would be better entitled `Should Be Known To The Police' but that
would imply a need to know and you certainly do not need to know any of the
facts, issues. or opinions. that have been here cobbled together: entertaining
they may be: essential. they're not.
Much of the cobbling would have been
impossible without the help and advice of James Morton the leading UK authority
on crime and criminals. and without the benefit of his research for his series
of books on gangsters. corruption, murder, supergrasses, and sex crime. Where I
have relied exclusively on one book for a particular entry. the title is shown
following the entry, otherwise the sources - sometimes contradictory - have
been the works listed in the bibliography. the British Newspaper Library. and
the Internet.
Brian Hilliard, May 2001
Brian Hilliard retired from the
Metropolitan Police in the rank of Inspector in 1979. He joined the staff of
the independent weekly, Police Review, which he edited from 1985 to 1995.
This is his sixth book.
Nickers: a Gentleman's Guide to Police
Duty, was published by Police Review in 1982
A Duffer's Guide To Motoring Law was published by the AA in 1984.
The Flying Squad was written with Neil
Darbyshire and published by Headline in 1993. Believe No One, the biography of
Detective Superintendent Roy Herridge was published by Little Brown in 1993.
West Country Coroner was published by
Countryside Books in 1999