Policing public protests 'costs more in digital age'

8 Feb 11
The Inspectorate of Constabulary has warned of the rising costs involved in policing public protests, urging forces to 'finesse' their tactics
By Lucy Phillips

9 February 2011

The Inspectorate of Constabulary has warned of the rising costs involved in policing public protests, urging forces to ‘finesse’ their tactics.

In a report published today, the inspectors assess the methods used by police to keep protests peaceful during the ‘digital age’ – when social media and mobile phones enable demonstrators to organise and change their plans quickly.

Policing public order calls on the police to remain ‘swiftly adaptable in real-time’ and consider how training could be accelerated to respond to the changing nature of protests and better deter those with criminal intent.

But it adds: ‘The inescapable fact is that adaptability and preparedness come at a cost – a significant cost potentially in these straitened times.’

The report evaluates progress made since the inspectorate’s 2009 reports on ‘adapting to protest and nurturing the British model of policing’. It found that spending on public order by some metropolitan forces increased by between £245,000 and £636,000 for 2009/10 to 2010/11. One force reported that its opportunity costs for policing student protests in November and December 2010 amounted to at least £100,000.

The inspectorate says: ‘Continuing to respond appropriately to the whole spectrum of protest will mean finessing existing police tactics, and for some events having more officers on duty than may have been the case in recent years, but it may also mean adapting tactics to handle the risks and costs. The police must prevail in these circumstances to keep the peace.’

Chief inspector of constabulary Sir Denis O’Connor commented: ‘The pattern of protests is evolving in terms of numbers, spread, disruption and, in some instances, violence.

‘Continuing to respond to the whole spectrum of protests is a particular challenge in austere times, when savings must be made to every police budget. The key to the police successfully adapting to the need for peaceful protest is to prevent the disorder from occurring in the first instance, where possible. Learning lessons faster and communicating better with officers on the ground, as well as with the public, will help the police minimise risk and maintain order on the streets.’

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