Undercover all-clear is questioned
An environmental campaigner targeted by undercover officers says the revelations about the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency should lead to a wider investigation into covert operations.
Tilly Gifford is backing renewed calls for an inquiry into undercover policing after it emerged a senior officer involved in a previous review – which found “no evidence of systemic failings” – was also a senior officer at the SCDEA at the time of mismanagement being exposed at an undercover unit.
After retiring from the police, Stephen Whitelock, who was head of intelligence at the SCDEA in 2011, later became a lead investigator at Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Scotland, the body that carries out reviews of undercover policing. Ms Gifford, who says officers tried to recruit her as an informant while she fought an airport expansion in 2009, said: “The fact that the officer who gave undercover police in Scotland a clean bill of health was in a senior position at the time should encourage the government to regard the HMICS report as void. A new and fully independent Scottish inquiry should be called.” Mr Whitelock “supported” the review, which was led by Derek Penman, who was then HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland.
His report said: “I have drawn on the experience and expertise of a number of people during the process including staff from within HMICS and also outwith who are independent of policing in Scotland.”
A note which corresponds with this paragraph in the report mentions Mr Whitelock by name. It states: “HMCICS personally led this strategic review supported by Stephen Whitelock, Lead Inspector.”
The HM Inspectorate of Constabulary Scotland report was published on February 7, 2017, the day after Mr Whitelock gave evidence in the Mrs K case.