30 Jun 2022

Today, the Inquiry has published the draft list of issues it intends to use to direct and focus its investigation into other government bodies with a connection to undercover policing during the Tranche 1 era. The Tranche 1 era covers deployments by the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) between 1968 and 1982.

A consultation on the list is now open and will run until 4 PM on 22 July 2022. The Inquiry invites core participants to make submissions during this period.

This list builds on those that have already been published for the SDS that cover:

  • Module One (the deployment of undercover officers, their conduct and the impact of their activities on themselves and others);
  • Module Two (a)(managers and administrators within the SDS); and
  • Module Two (b) (senior managers higher in the chain of command as well as police personnel who handled intelligence provided by undercover police officers).

Currently, only a draft issues list has been published for Module Two (b).

The list published today includes issues directed at official bodies including the Home Office, Security Service and the Cabinet Office.

The Inquiry has previously published four issues lists and one draft issues list.

Issues lists still to be published include those covering the Module Two (a) and Module Two (b) investigations into the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) and the Inquiry’s Module Two (c) investigation into other government bodies with a connection to undercover policing for Tranches 2-5.

Separate issues lists for the Inquiry’s Module Two (c) investigations are being produced for each tranche due to the Inquiry’s recent decision to bring forward work on Tranche 6 – which covers management and oversight of undercover deployments by mid and senior rank officers, other agencies and government departments – due to the age and health of some potential witnesses. These management and oversight issues are now being investigated in the relevant tranche for the relevant period or policing unit.

Issues lists do not prevent the Inquiry from investigating any further areas of interest, provided that they fall within the Terms of Reference (PDF, 84.0KB).

Background

Special Demonstration Squad (SDS)

The SDS was a specialist unit that existed within the Metropolitan Police Service between 1968 and 2008.

Because of its relatively historic nature, many former SDS officers are now retired or deceased, and some were deployed against groups that no longer exist.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Further background to the Inquiry can be found on the ‘About’ page of the Inquiry website.

The Undercover Policing Inquiry is constituted under the Inquiries Act 2005

The Inquiry’s Terms of Reference were announced by the Home Secretary on 16 July 2015.

The Inquiry’s ‘FAQs’ page provides more information on the Inquiry more generally, as do its published update notes.

For further information, please contact the Inquiry’s communications team:

Email: [email protected]

Tel:     07585 908612