Policing Large Scale Disorder: Lessons from the disturbances of ...

Ev w26 Home Affairs Committee: Evidence
12. Cambridgeshire Constabulary is of the opinion that our officers are well trained in public order. We use
Common Minimum Standards as our tactic type. We train with our regional colleagues and the training has
been observed by the Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and has received praise, particularly
through its use of members of the public, including young people, as role players.
13. We are of the opinion that present legal powers are sufficient.
14. The Constabulary did have extremely limited resources throughout the period both in staffing and
equipment terms.
15. Anecdotally, we do not believe that our officers were not operationally affected by the age demographic
of “rioters”.
16. We believe that Riot Damages Act 1886 is unhelpful and that the legislation should be re-visited.
17. We recommend that the presumptions around large scale public disorder are considered by the committee.
18. The Constabulary does not consider any of the evidence submitted to be sensitive.
19. The Constabulary does not wish any of its officers or staff to provide oral evidence.
20. Cambridgeshire Constabulary acknowledges that this submission will become the property of the Home
Office Committee and that no public use may be made of it without permission.
Response
1. Police relations with communities where violence took place before the riots including similarities with
and differences from previous public disorder events:
1.1 Cambridgeshire has had two recent large scale demonstrations involving the English Defence
League (EDL). Similarities with the recent incidents may be that unresolved issues within the
community became the catalyst, the trigger point, for violent incidents seen around the country.
Underlying issues and unresolved grievances with sections of the community towards the EDL
within Peterborough may have contributed to a recent violent assault within the city. Such
catalysts provide the trigger points for violent incidents which then take on a “life of their own”.
1.2 Our policing response to the EDL demonstrations included a significant communications and
engagement plan. Social media provided active and valuable channels throughout the policing
operations. As a result the county suffered no significant disorder.
1.3 During the recent incidents Peterborough formed a Multi Agency Communications Group
(MACG). The group contained a representative from the Youth Parliament.
2. The role of social media in spreading disorder and in the response to it:
2.1 Cambridgeshire Constabulary made extensive use of social media during the recent
countrywide events.
2.2 A significant amount of information that was posted by the public on Twitter about disorder
within Cambridgeshire and we used this information to respond to reports of incidents. For
example, the constabulary investigated a report posted on Twitter of a fire being lit in
Peterborough and that this may be related to the large scale disorder. When officers visited the
scene they discovered that the report of smoke was in fact steam from the Nene Valley Railway.
2.3 We used Twitter, our force website and e-cops (an e-mail subscriber service) to keep the public
up to date about our current county situation. Our objectives also included dispelling rumours
and requesting information to identify individuals involved in our single incident of disorder.
2.4 From 8–14 August the force tweeted 80 times and responded to 69 @mentions or joined with
other Twitter conversations relevant to national tensions and their local impact.
2.5 The constabulary’s Twitter following increased more than three-fold from 1,200 to 4,000 during
this period and most new followers continue to follow our feed extending its value as a tool to
regularly communicate with the public online.
2.6 Nine images of individuals connected with a single public order incident in Cambridge received
more than 21,000 hits. They were extensively re-tweeted including two images re-tweeted by
over 100 users. Eight of the 14 arrests resulted from Twitter.
2.7 The force received a significant number of messages of support and thanks from the Twitter
community which were posted internally and played a role in boosting the morale of officers
and staff.
2.8 There was a 200% increase in traffic, from 6,600 to 13,300, to the force website during this
period. 60% of those visiting our site were new.
2.9 The constabulary recognises the advantages and disadvantages of social media. Our Corporate
Communications Department is an integral part of policing operations and the use of social
media is a legitimate operational front line tactic. The speed and span of communications
through social media can “outstrip” the ability of police to respond in a traditional way. Our