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

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Home Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev w65 there are those who have a similar talent for handling serious public disorder. It is essential that such individuals are identified and given appropriate training. 25. Police commanders must have the knowledge, operational experience and confidence to recognise how and when, outbreaks of large-scale public disorder should be confronted and dispersed. This requires leadership skills combined with, trust in the professionalism and capabilities of the police officers who will confront the disorderly mob. A very high standard of operational discipline, at every level is essential. Police public order commanders must have the character and personality to lead and inspire the police officers attempting to restore order. The Committee may wish to take further evidence on the state of police public order training at all levels. Notes and References 1. House of Commons Home Affairs Committee (2009). Policing of the G20 Protests. Eighth Report of Session 2008–09. London: The Stationary Office. 2. Joint Committee on Human Rights (2009). “Demonstrating Respect for Rights?” Follow-up. 22nd Report of Session 2008–09. London: The Stationary Office. 3. Metropolitan Police Authority—Civil Liberties Panel (2009). “Responding to G20”. 4. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary (2009). “Adapting to Protest: Nurturing the British Model of Policing.” London: HMIC. 5. Ibid. 6. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (2011). “Policing Public Order: An overview and review of progress against the recommendations of Adapting to Protest and Nurturing the British Model of Policing.” London: HMIC. 7. National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) (2010). “Manual of Guidance on Keeping The Peace” Wyboston, Bedfordshire: NPIA. 8. See particularly Scarman, The Rt Hon The Lord (1982). “The Brixton Disorders 10–12 April 1981”. Cmnd. 8427. London: Her Majesty’s Stationary Office; and Pike, Michael S (1985). “The Principles of Policing.” Basingstoke: MacMillan Press. 9. Pike, op. cit. 7, refers to this as the Principle of Sense and Sensitivity. See pages 92 to 109. 10. Ibid, pp. 155 et seq. 11. Adlam, R & Villiers, P (Editors) (2002). “Police Leadership in the Twenty-first Century: Philosophy, Doctrine and Developments.” Winchester: Waterside Press. 12. HMCIC, op. cit. 4, Annex C, p.73. 13. Ibid., pp. 11 & 41. 14. NPIA, op. cit. 7, p.11. 15. Ibid. 16. HMIC, op. cit. 6, p. 11. 17. Ibid, p. 13. 18. Ibid, p.117. 19. Ibid, p. 67. 20. House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, op. cit., p.16, para. 47. 21. Ibid, p.15, paras. 40 & 42. 22. Ibid, p.14, para. 39. 23. Ibid, Ev. p.24 Q.239; Ev. p.28, Q.270; and Ev. p.47, Q.373. 24. HMCIC, op. cit. 5, pp. 6 & 98. 25. House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, op. cit., Ev. p.32, Q.292. 26. Newman, Sir Kenneth. Civil Disorder—Planning and Strategy: A paper containing an abbreviated version of a talk given to the Association of Chief Police Officers at The Police Staff College, Bramshill, on 22 March 1982. Unpublished. 27. Smith, A H T (1984). “Public Order Law 1974–1983: Developments and Proposals.”, Criminal Law Review, p. 644.
Ev w66 Home Affairs Committee: Evidence 28. HMCIC, op. cit. 5, p. 14. 9 September 2011 Written evidence submitted by the Derby West Indian Community Association The initial reaction to the disturbances in the inner cities across England, triggered by the killing of Mark Duggan has been dominated by commentators and politicians espousing the predictable views linking the disturbances to wanton criminality on the one hand or the disturbances being seen as a reasoned response to the coalition government’s “scorched earth for the poor” policies on the other. Also, there has been an evocation of a “moral panic” through the framing of young people as socially problematic. Of significance, is also the lack of attention to voices of young people and their relationship with the wider society in which they belong. We write as a coalition of Black organisations within the city of Derby, which exemplify the historical local Black community’s concern with the welfare of young black people. This engagement involves building social and emotional support, resilience and access to a wider source of help, with the central purpose of reducing the risks of social exclusion amongst young black people. Derby experienced few, if any, disturbances during the period of social unrest across England. Within this there is a need to acknowledge that this situation may have been partly linked to the important role played by organisations such as ours in tackling some of the deep seated problems in communities that the riots/social unrests have highlighted. Integral to our work, is to give a voice and a sense of purpose for young people/ young adults in our community. In our submission we wish to draw attention to the plight of young black people in England today and the need for their situation to be considered in attempts to identify measures to address recent events and associated policy-making and service delivery. Ultimately, our purpose is to ensure that central government, local government and the third sector (ie community/voluntary organisations) work in partnership to align activity to maximise the advantage of local communities to deliver on their missions to create public good via their work with young people, much more fully and lastingly. Contextualising Inequality and Social Exclusion in the Lives of Young Black People The social unrest has focused attention on social mobility and inequality. Social mobility strategy is a central plank of the coalition government’s policy. One of the many postings on the Social Media concerning the reasons for the social unrests, referred to the African proverb: “If the young are not initiated into the village they will burn it down just to feel its warmth.” In contextualising the lives of young black people in England the statistics suggests that there is a distinctive lack of “warmth” from the wider society if you are young and black. Indeed, a recent study conducted by the Public Policy Research (IPPR, 2009) 63 stated that 48% of black people aged 16 to 24 reported that they were out of work, compared with 20% of white people of the same age. Further, the study revealed that not only had the absolute level of unemployment risen for young people, as a group, but as a group they suffered the sharpest level of joblessness: black unemployment has jumped 13% since 2008, compared with 8% among white people and 6% among Asians. Research evidence suggests that despite underperformance in education among young black people, they are more likely to stay in full-time education beyond the age 16 compared to white young people. Indeed, Wright et al (2010) in “Black Youth Matters: Transitions from School to Success” (2010), 64 raises the issue of how some individuals overcome their negative school experiences and “succeed” (regarding educational success and/or success in the labour market). However, against a background of the withdrawal of the Education Maintenance Allowance for participating in full-time education beyond 16, and the possible barrier of the increased university tuition fees, there is the potential of further reducing young black people’s opportunities and adding to a sense of marginalisation and not having a stake in society. Further, Wright et al (2005) in a study funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation 65 reported that localised community programmes such as ours ie those offered by black community organisations, the churches etc play a pivotal role in ameliorating the effects of social exclusion of young black people. Paradoxically, the sustainability of many of these organisations is threatened by the reining in of public spending. 63 Institute for Public Policy Research (2009). Black Youth Unemployment, IPPR 64 Wright, C; Standen, P; Patel, T. “Black Youth Matters—Transitions from School to Success” (2010), Routledge, New York. 65 Wright, C, Standen, P, John, G G. German and Patel, T (2005). “School exclusion and transition into Adulthood in African- Caribbean communities” Joseph Rowntree Foundation
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