Police Authority "Trust and Confidence" Meeting Backfires

I was baffled and bemused by the police authority meeting I attended on 4th August 2010. I'm not sure what the police authority were hoping to achieve, other than ticking the box to say they had "listened" to the views of local people.  They will no doubt use it as proof of their commitment to "engagement" with local communities about policing in the west midlands. Having ticked that box they will presumably carry on with whatever undemocratic and unaccountable processes they intend to pursue, since they don't appear to have even thought about the views and concerns of local people in the past and still show no signs of doing so even now. 


The stated purpose of the West Midlands Police Authority's public meeting was to hear people's views on 'Trust and Confidence in Policing' and how this might be improved. It was prompted by the public outcry over the attempted implementation of an unlawful mass surveillance scheme that targets two predominantly Muslim neighbourhoods of the city. 


Here is the police authority press release about that meeting on 4th August: 
http://www.west-midlands-pa.gov.uk/viewpr.asp?id=76&category=pressreleases


Bishop Derek Webley, Chair of the West Midlands Police Authority said he wanted to hear about how trust and confidence had been damaged by the spy camera fiasco but qualified that by saying the meeting was not about whether the cameras should stay or go.

“This is not a consultation but it is a chance to find out how about how the trust and confidence in the police have been affected. We could have done things differently. I’m not afraid to say that.”


Considering the purpose of the exercise was to "listen" to people's comments, Webley simply did far too much talking and not enough listening. Members of the public were frustrated with Webley's long-winded monologues and lack of contrition. He came across as a man who likes the sound of his own voice. He could happily talk all night yet say nothing of any meaningful consequence. Webley is a waffler and not the right person to conduct a "listening" exercise. He didn't even appear to have admit that mistakes had been made and at one point even disputed that an apology had been given over the fiasco. He showed a distinct lack of humility and was unapologetic throughout, repeatedly defending the actions of both the police and the police authority. In short, he got people's backs up and prompted people to spell things out to him in a very clear and direct manner. 

"You don't deserve our trust and confidence!" shouted one woman. "You're turning the country into a police state," shouted another man even louder. "You've got more cameras than Communist China!" he yelled, before walking out in disgust. Almost every audience member who spoke called emphatically for the cameras to be taken down. The message was loud and clear, but fearing this was falling on deaf ears and the meeting was a pointless exercise, the audience began chanting: "TAKE THEM DOWN!" 

Webley even questioned the meaning of one of the founding principles of the police force, set out by Robert Peel when he established the police force in 1829. "Policiing by consent does not mean 'with permission'", he explained, implying that the scheme could go ahead even if it is rejected and vehemently opposed by the two large communities it affects. What arrogance!

The meeting was reported on the BBC national TV news two days later: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10889773

The meeting was also filmed in full by 'We Are Change Birmingham' and has been made available to watch on YouTube in 5 parts:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/user/WeAreChangeBrum?blend=2&ob=1#p/u/15/atbl9CSc56A

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/user/WeAreChangeBrum?blend=2&ob=1#p/u/14/4sEFMS16KaI

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/user/WeAreChangeBrum?blend=2&ob=1#p/u/13/e0ipfWuL4hg

Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/user/WeAreChangeBrum?blend=2&ob=1#p/u/12/8X1qZ02j2AQ

Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/user/WeAreChangeBrum?blend=2&ob=1#p/u/23/Q-xBVwBD6SY

The Birmingham Mail also reported on how tempers flared at meeting:
http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2010/08/05/tempers-flare-at-meeting-over-birmingham-spy-cameras-97319-27001917/


There is also a report with the damning headline, "Birmingham CCTV system leaves police trust in tatters" on the BBC's national news website, here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10888985


The news reports prompted debate on the issue on BBC Radio WM and Radio 5 Live, who's Nicky Campbell held a phone-in discussion on CCTV camera surveillance. The programme is no longer available on the BBC'c iPlayer application, but comment and analysis of the points raised can be found on the website of national campaign group No CCTV, courtesy of the group's founder, Charles Farrier:
http://www.no-cctv.org.uk/blog/lively_radio_debate_shows_its_not_as_simple_as_cctv_cameras_or_crime.htm


Corinna Ferguson, a lawyer from human rights and civil liberties advocacy group, Liberty, was on BBC Breakfast TV all morning, explaining why the camera scheme is ill-conceived, unjust, unlawful and potentially counter productive. Sadly this was not made available on iPlayer, so there is no link to post. There is however, an article on the Guardian website, where Corinna explains the issue. "Why is Birmingham's CCTV scheme 'unlawful'?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/jul/06/birmingham-cctv-unlawful-liberty


In my view, the meeting did more harm than good. It did nothing to help restore the trust and confidence in the police among the communities targeted. It merely heightened the sense that our police are arrogant and unaccountable and consider themselves above the law. Far from performing the function of local police 'watchdog' the police authority is nothing more than a fig leaf to cover the feudal powers of the Chief Constable, whose bidding they appear to serve unquestioningly. Shame on you!


This tawdry episode shows quite clearly that our police authorities have failed in their remit; they do not hold the police to account nor do they exercise any form of scrutiny or oversight. The police authority is a 'toothless tiger': nothing more than a tame pet of the Chief Constable. Instead of holding our police chiefs to account, the police authority loyally and willingly do their bidding.  If ever there was an argument for elected police commissioners, this is it. Come in, West Midlands Police Authority, your time is up!