Undercover police operations probed for public inquiry Force gathering evidence stretching back five decades after national scandal in other cases
WEST Midlands Police has three staff members working full time on gathering evidence about the actions of officers involved in undercover policing operations since 1968.
The force said it had already spent £151,000 on a “very intensive piece of work” that would provide evidence to the Pitchford Public Inquiry, which launched last July.
Chief Constable David Thompson told the Strategic Police and Crime Board that a detective constable, a Holmes investigator and a civilian investigator have been engaged in “extensive research” on behalf of the force.
Lord Justice Pitchford opened his inquiry after five years of revelations about the roles played by undercover officers – mostly from the Metropolitan Police Service – who had targeted left wing, environmental and family justice campaigns.
The three-year inquiry is due to report back on all aspects on undercover work, including its justification and oversight and will also look at tactics used like sexual relationships, stolen identities, and ‘neither confirm nor deny’ statements.
Chief Constable Thompson also told the Crime Board that another £394,000 had been spent, predominantly on legal advice, following a civil claim from relatives of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
Mr Thompson said: “Our legal team did some work for the inquests and there was also work by our professional standards department to assist that but no staff or officers are involved on a full time basis.
“The costs so far amount £394,000.
“That predominantly relates to to legal costs of the civil claim against the force.”
Hundreds of relatives issued a writ at the High Court against both South Yorkshire and West Midlands Police last year amounting to £19 million.
South Yorkshire Police was in charge of planning and operational duties on the day of the disaster and West Midlands Police was brought in to carry out the original investigation into the conduct of officers.
The force is also setting aside £1 million to fund legal advice during the resumed Birmingham pub bombing inquests 42 years after the blasts killed 21 people.”