Resources
Info & Resource Sites:
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Collar Numbers
A collar number, also known as a shoulder number, Force Identification Number (FIN) or occasionally as Force Number (although this can also refer to an ID number of a force itself) identifies uniformed officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSO), and some police staff in UK police forces. Although now displayed on epaulettes (i.e. on the shoulder), it is still commonly referred to as a collar number.
In smaller forces it is simply a one to four digit number, but in larger forces a one- and two-letter code (also known as a Division Call Sign) is usually added to indicate the officer’s base area or unit.
freeB.E.A.G.L.E.S. legal resource centre for UK political campaigners
freeB.E.A.G.L.E.S. is a non-profit collective run by campaigners for campaigners. The articles provided are equally applicable to human rights, animal rights and environmental activists.
Freedom of Information Act 2000
How to Copwatch and protect yourself
Useful tips from the Animal Rights Copwatch website.
Independent Police Complaints Commission
The IPCC’s job is to make sure that complaints against the police are dealt with effectively.
They claim to set standards for the way the police handle complaints and, when something has gone wrong, help the police learn lessons and improve the way they work.
Information Commissioner’s Office
The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent authority set up to promote access to official information and to protect personal information.
If you’re filmed by the police at a demo or protest you have the right to obtain a copy of the photographs/footage they took. This is probably the best place to make your initial application.
Police Information Guide
An introduction to how the police are structured, especially for ‘public order’ situations; the command hierarchy; common tactics and police methodology.
UK Photographers’ Rights Guide
This is intended to provide a short UK guide to the main legal restrictions on the right to take photographs and the right to publish photographs that have been taken.
The guide was written by Linda Macpherson LL.B, Dip.L.P., LL.M, who is a lecturer in law at Heriot Watt University, with particular experience in Information Technology Law, Intellectual Property Law and Media Law.
The guide is a 2 page PDF, it will print out front and back of an A4 page allowing you to make leaflets to hand out. The guide is intended as an overview of the current legal situation in the UK for photographers, it is not a definitive bible of UK law.
Media Sites:
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According to my understanding, the fitwatch approach is intended to serve two primary purposes:
a) to protect lawful campaigners/protesters from unwarranted harassment by the police FIT in whatever manner is appropriate/possible/legal;
b) to expose to public scrutiny the harassment that police FIT perpetrate upon lawful campaigners/protesters.
In pursuit of the latter it seems the most viable approach is to document (by photo, video, or whatever other medium is available at the time) the identity/activities of the police FIT and then promptly render such documentation a matter of public record by publishing to various media outlets.
To this end the Web is an invaluable tool and, in addition to the sites listed on the Links page, the following media sites may also be used:
Flickr
(For photographs)
YouTube
(For video clips)
Social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Newsvine may also offer potential worth exploring.
Be aware though that as from 16 February 2008, under Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008…
A person commits an offence who—
- (a) elicits or attempts to elicit information about an individual who is or has been—
- (i) a member of Her Majesty’s forces,
- (ii) a member of any of the intelligence services, or
- (iii) a constable,
which is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, or
- (b) publishes or communicates any such information.
Anyone found guilty of such an offence is liable, on conviction on indictment, to go to prison for up to ten years, or to be fined, or both.
Or, on summary conviction, prison for up to 12 months and/or a fine (England, Scotland, Wales); or up to six months and/or a fine if in Northern Ireland.
(See www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2008/ukpga_20080028_en_9)
Given the highly ambiguous (one might almost say catch-all) wording of this new law, and the cops’ fondness for using the anti-terror laws against ordinary protesters etc clearly one needs to be extremely careful about communicating (which also includes publishing on the Web) information (which includes photographs) which is “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.
Of course, how one’s supposed to know what information is “likely to be useful” to a terrorist is another matter entirely!
So, despite the fact that its a badly-worded law (deliberately so, we wonder?) it is law, so be warned!
Tips:
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Compulsorily deleted photographs… “If the police make you delete pics from your SD memory card don’t take any more pics on that card. Use another card instead.You can then restore the deleted pics using Softperfect file recovery which is free.”
(Tip courtesy of an Indymedia contributor)
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If you know of any additional resources/info/media sites that could usefully be listed here please let us know!
