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Communities Defeat Terrorism Lessons about working together. Dick Fedorcio Director of Public Affairs Metropolitan Police Service. Date Arial 14pt. Body copy Arial 20/32pt. MPS / National resources. CONTEST National Policing Plan ACPO (TAM) Strategic Plan. International Operations.
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Communities Defeat TerrorismLessons about working together Dick Fedorcio Director of Public Affairs Metropolitan Police Service Date Arial 14pt
MPS / National resources • CONTEST • National Policing Plan • ACPO (TAM) Strategic Plan International Operations International Liaison National CT strategy • Counter-Terrorism Command (CTC) • National specialist CT units National specialist capability Enhanced national capability (located in regions) • Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) Common regional capability • Counter Terrorism Intelligence units (CTIU) Force / BCU capability • Special Branch • Force response • BCU activity
Recent Threat Level History • 1 August 2006 introduced asSevere • 10 August 2006 raised toCritical (Op Overt) • 13 August 2006 lowered toSevere • 30 June 2007 raided toCritical (Op Seagram) • 4 July 2007 lowered toSevere • 20 July 2009 lowered toSubstantial • 22 January 2010 raised toSevere
Threat Levels • Low - an attack is unlikely • Moderate - an attack is possible, but not likely • Substantial - an attack is a strong possibility • Severe - an attack is highly likely • Critical - an attack is expected imminently
The digital trend... Body copy Arial 20/32pt • 1,000 megabytes = 1 gigabyte • 1,000 gigabytes = 1 terabyte • 1,000 terabytes = 1 petabyte
Hi-tech challenges • 2010 1Tb £60 10 years • 1994 340Mb £600 6 hours
Since 11 September 2001…. 1,661 terrorism arrests across the UK including: Alva, Clackmannanshire, Birmingham, Bristol, Crawley, Dewsbury, Exeter, Gloucester, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Norfolk……. 230 people have been convicted of terrorism related offences
Forest Gate • June 2006 • Major counter terrorism op • ‘Credible Intelligence’ • Raid in Landsdown Road, Forest Gate • Chemical explosive device • ‘250 officers involved’
Friday 2 June 2006 • Suspect shot • Search of house begins • Initial statement released at 07.00 • Extensive media interest • Mobile phone images being sent to the media from local residents. • Briefing with stakeholders takes place • Leaflet prepared for residents • ‘IPCC investigation limits what we can say’ • Pooled media interview with Peter Clarke 13.00 • ‘Not Prepared to Discuss’
Weekend Press • Media vacuum • Speculation • Community impact
Monday 5 June 2006 • Daily Mail – ‘Police won’t find a thing’ • Guardian – ‘More questions than answers’ • Daily Star – ‘Cover up fury’ • Peter McKay, Daily Mail…. ‘Scotland Yard might have another disaster on its hands…police more concerned with media management than proper investigation.’
Community Impact • Community briefings/meetings • BOCU commander meets with community leaders • Community Together bulletins • Media interviews with local people • Protests and demonstrations • Running commentary from legal team
Urgent Review • Reviewed statement/strategy • ‘250 officers’ • What about the ‘what ifs’ ? • Lack of police presence • ‘IPCC investigation limits what we can say’ • No rebuttal • Misinformation quickly became fact • Extensive criticism from ethnic minority media • Head of News, Chief Press Officer, Senior Press Officer SO all on holiday !
And then….. • Brothers released without charge • Nothing found in-house • Loss of community confidence • Demands for an apology • Brothers press conference • MPS apologises to local community two weeks later
New Counter Terrorism Strategy = OpCI • Operation } • Community } • Investigation } Borough Commander Head of Anti-Terrorist Branch
Under the Spotlight • MPA Scrutiny of MPS media handling • Evidence from Met officers, journalists and community reps • ‘Reluctance of the MPS to engage with media and to share information created an information vacuum, subsequently filled with rumour….’ • ‘Neither MPS or IPCC were willing to comment on fevered speculation…. • ‘Over use of not prepared to discuss’ • ‘MPS needs to be aggressive and quick to challenge incorrect information.’ • Nine Recommendations
Learning from our Mistakes • New Counter Terrorism Media Strategy • Protocol between MPS/IPCC • Enhanced Media Monitoring facilities • Communities Press Team