UK Police given 'green light' to have sex with activists!

[Deleted]

Undercover police cleared 'to have sex with activists'.


Mark Kennedy: Had sex with many women while infiltrating a ring of environmental activists

Undercover police officers routinely adopted a tactic of "promiscuity" with the blessing of senior commanders, according to a former agent who worked in a secretive unit of the Metropolitan police for four years.

The former undercover policeman claims that sexual relationships with activists were sanctioned for both men and women officers infiltrating anarchist, leftwing and environmental groups.

Sex was a tool to help officers blend in, the officer claimed, and was widely used as a technique to glean intelligence. His comments contradict claims last week from the Association of Chief Police Officers that operatives were absolutely forbidden to sleep with activists.

The one stipulation, according to the officer from the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), a secret unit formed to prevent violent disorder on the streets of London, was that falling in love was considered highly unprofessional because it might compromise an investigation. He said undercover officers, particularly those infiltrating environmental and leftwing groups, viewed having sex with a large number of partners "as part of the job".

"Everybody knew it was a very promiscuous lifestyle," said the former officer, who first revealed his life as an undercover agent to the Observer last year. "You cannot not be promiscuous in those groups. Otherwise you'll stand out straightaway."

The claims follow the unmasking of undercover PC Mark Kennedy, who had sexual relationships with several women during the seven years he spent infiltrating a ring of environmental activists. Another two covert officers have been named in the past fortnight who also had sex with the protesters they were sent to spy on, fuelling allegations that senior officers had authorised sleeping around as a legitimate means of gathering intelligence.

However Jon Murphy, Acpo's spokesman on serious and organised crime, said last week that undercover officers were not permitted "under any circumstances" to sleep with protesters.

He added: "It is grossly unprofessional. It is a diversion from what they are there to do."

Mounting anger among women protesters will see female activists converge on Scotland Yard tomorrow to demand that the Met disclose the true extent of undercover policing. The demonstration is also, according to organisers, designed to express "solidarity with all the women who have been exploited by men they thought they could trust".

Climate campaigner Sophie Stephens, 27, who knew Kennedy, said there was fury among women who felt violated by the state: "We know women have been abused by men posing as policemen and it's becoming clear this was state-sanctioned. These women did not know they were forming a relationship with policemen. It's appalling – and now we want the full details of the undercover officers to be made public."

The protest will be followed on Tuesday by the appearance before the Commons home affairs select committee of the acting Met commissioner, Tim Godwin, and Commander Bob Broadhurst, who is responsible for public order in the capital. Both will be asked to explain why Scotland Yard gave false information over the use of covert operatives during the London G20 protests in 2009. The issue of sexual activity by operatives is also likely to be brought up.

The former SDS officer claims a lack of guidelines meant sex was an ideal way to maintain cover. He admitted sleeping with at least two of his female targets as a way of obtaining intelligence.

"When you are on an undercover unit you were not given a set of instructions saying you could or couldn't do the following. They didn't say to you that you couldn't go out and drink because technically you're a police officer, that you shouldn't go out and get involved in violent confrontations, you shouldn't take recreational drugs.

"As regards being with women in very, very, very promiscuous groups such as the eco-wing, environmental movement, leftwing, or the Animal Liberation Front – it's an extremely promiscuous lifestyle and you cannot not be promiscuous in there.

"Among fellow undercover officers, there is not really any kudos in the fact that you are shagging other people while deployed. Basically it's just regarded as part of the job. It'd be highly unlikely that you were not [having sex].

"When you are using the tool of sex to maintain your cover or maybe to glean more intelligence – because they certainly talk a lot more, pillow talk – you would be ready to move on if you felt an attachment growing.

"The best way of stopping any liaison getting too heavy was to shag somebody else. It's amazing how women don't like you going to bed with someone else," said the officer, whose undercover deployment infiltrating anti-racist groups lasted from 1993 to 1997. Two years later the SDS became the National Public Order Intelligence Unit, the secretive organisation that employed Kennedy and whose activities are the subject of three investigations.

The officer added that undercover police were strictly encouraged not to form a bond with women they were sleeping with and said that he knew Jim Boyling, the undercover officer who married an activist he was supposed to be spying upon.

Boyling, a specialist operations detective constable with the Met, was suspended on Friday pending an investigation into his professional conduct.

The former SDS officer, who has now left the Met, said one stipulation by senior commanders was that undercover officers should be married, so that they had something to return to. He said the move was introduced when a spy never returned after five years undercover.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/ja...-sex-activists

[Activi-T]

A bit of a misleading title considering it's against the police ethical standards guidelines. You've pretty much took what a guy who left the police to become an actual activist said and applied it to every police officer in the UK.

With sensationalist headlines like this one you could work for the Dailymail.

[Jackmoves]

a guy who left the police to become an actual activist said and applied it to every police officer in the UK.

Smart guy,.
Getting lots of poon -------------------------> being a police officer

lol

[Chaochamp]

A bit of a misleading title considering it's against the police ethical standards guidelines. You've pretty much took what a guy who left the police to become an actual activist said and applied it to every police officer in the UK.

With sensationalist headlines like this one you could work for the Dailymail.

Question, are you American? Because if you are, you should be used to this kind of thing by now

[Activi-T]

Question, are you American? Because if you are, you should be used to this kind of thing by now

No I'm not American. I'm from the UK. A place where, generally, sensationalist headlines are kept in the gutter press.

[Murghoul]

I don't know why but the first person that the picture reminded me of was Chris Metzen. I guess he kind of looks like him.

[Deleted]

I don't know why, but I just shriveled up in disgust when I heard it was the British police.

[Chaochamp]

No I'm not American. I'm from the UK. A place where, generally, sensationalist headlines are kept in the gutter press.

I was just asking because everyone generalizes America from small examples such as this one. Interesting to see it from another PoV though.

[Deleted]

I don't know why, but I just shriveled up in disgust when I heard it was the British police.

This news article is just hot air in my opinion, which is coming from a Police Studies student.

Should be renamed 'British Police whilst undercover are given more freedom to investigate'.

This is such a minor matter that I agree, it's not even news worthy. If the Police inside the UK were say, being more violent than necessary down at the local nick, which as happened and still happens, then it would be more news worthy. All that this 'green light' is clarifying that it's not illegal for British Police officers to get 'down and dirty' so it is, in order to investigate these groups which for all we know, may be a potential threat.

A lot goes on behind the scenes in the protection in the UK, good and bad, and I feel the act of doing this is a necessary 'sin'. The best way to unmask threats is to get as close as possible to the suspects. If Police did not do these sort of things, then it would be much harder to Police things which are as they are, very difficult to Police.

For all the non-brits/UK-clued people who may wonder where these sort of headlines come from, I'll suggest you take a look at The Sun tabloid and Daily Mail, as somebody else pointed out earlier, the gutter press.

[Rotted]

looks boss...


Srsly, they are undercover, they must be able to do lots of things

indeed, but the problem is emotion, while the above mentioned had sex with plenty of women under cover, there are men and women who work undercover that link love to sex, not only does that put a long time investigation under threat but it can lead to having a mole in the force, this is why they shouldnt be allowed to have sex undercover, but again some instances probably call for it

[Badpaladin]

Just a reminder to stay on topic.

[Martyn 470]

Always wanted to be a Police Officer, now imma be an UNDERCOVER OFFICER, get it, under cover? :3


In all seriousness, I suppose superiors of undercover Police Officers always knew its a vital part of undercover work, you cant really not have sex these days, its become the norm to do so, to say "no, im not having sex", is percieved as wierd, which in turn, may affect the whole undercover operation.

[Ynna]

I feel kind of iffy about this. It might be a step too far. It doesn't exactly violate any laws or rights, but I feel like it should.

[Revrant]

How is it all this effort is put into dogging environmental activists yet we don't have anyone infiltrating PMCs and banks/corporations?

[BatteredRose]

Goes with the territory, I suppose. Gotta get the job done? No pun intended.

[Stanton Biston]

How is it all this effort is put into dogging environmental activists yet we don't have anyone infiltrating PMCs and banks/corporations?

Infiltrating a rag tag bunch of horn dog activists doesn't require nearly the panache that infiltrating a big corp does.

My question to you is, what makes you think we don't?

It's like people think there aren't active spies working for FIS in the US. Or that we don't have CIA actively working stateside running CI against the FIS agents.

Or that France is a little lost puppy dog that would be speaking German if it wasn't for the US.

If it makes it to the news, chances are it's history already.

[Velorian]

This only goes to show you, the only trust-worthy news source in the UK is the Daily Prophet.

[skrump]

Sleeping with the enemy to gain their trust is a awesome tactic that should not be looked down upon.
Also you got to remember in the case the Op posted it was done for surveillance reasons, not in the hopes of making an arrest.

Not to mention it is a nice perk for the officers themselves, and if the officers should actually change sides it is most likely because they have come to agree with the activists which really says something about what they are fighting against.

[WarpKnight]

I don't see how sex is a step too far. In general, deceiving a person in order to gain their trust and gain information is pretty shady. Sex is just something that comes with the role.

[PizzaSHARK]

Always wanted to be a Police Officer, now imma be an UNDERCOVER OFFICER, get it, under cover? :3

She could be hiding contraband in those pants! Better have her take em off so I can investigate!

Man, this kind of subject is just too much fun.