Can Cyber Intelligence Help Policing Defeat Terrorism?

In the wake of Paris attacks we need community officers to give people confidence, but budget cuts put this at risk.

A survey suggests over half of young people are likely to tell police of concerns about radicalisation. 

The UK government response to the recent atrocities in Paris focused largely on intelligence: more staff for the intelligence agencies and better access to good cyber intelligence. Without this, we are not in a fair fight – and Paris reminds us that this is the dirtiest of fights.

But cyber intelligence is not the only type of intelligence. In the fight against all types of terrorism, we know that the long-term answer lies in families and in communities – and therefore, in neighborhood policing. This is what can defeat terrorism; cyber intelligence often only helps us find it.

We are seeing increasing numbers of referrals from the public about extremism. In the first quarter of this year, the Prevent programme, which seeks to provide a path away from extremism of all forms, had 1,265 referrals from public bodies outside of policing. A further 150 came from family, friends, community members and faith leaders. The CT Internet Referral Unit, where people report extremist internet content, has seen public referrals go up 400% year-on-year. In 2015, calls to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline, the anonymous system for the public to report concerns, went up by a quarter.

A national survey this year of almost 15,000 young people found more than half would be likely to tell a police officer of their concerns about radicalisation. This is more than any other public official, including teachers, doctors or youth workers – only parents were more likely to be told.
A neighborhood officer who knows, and has a relationship with, a community is vital for a long-term, sustainable approach to defeating terrorism. He or she is what gives those communities the confidence to come to us about something as frightening as extremism.

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Policing expects a further budget cut of between 25% and 40% after the chancellor sets out his spending review. Numbers like these will present extraordinary challenges to chief constables; police leaders will have to make incredibly difficult choices.

We know that neighborhood policing has been in steady decline for several years. In our financial climate, this can only continue. I do not believe the police service is scaremongering by pointing this out. Even the independent Inspectorate of Constabulary has highlighted the risk.

The gradual withdrawal of police from our neighborhoods and communities will, I believe, result in the loss of trust, confidence and relationships that often provide the best intelligence to prevent crime and terrorism. These were hard won in the first place and remain extremely sensitive to the mistakes we can, on occasions, make. If we lose them, we do so at our peril.
Guardian: http://bit.ly/21cmQnE

Police Superintendents Association: http://www.policesupers.com/