After facing accusations of Sussex Police 'Protest Liaison Officers' being used for Intelligence gathering by Police watch dogs on twitter, I went to Sussex Police & got their side of the story direct from them.
The twitter feed that prompted my interest and subsequent interview with Sussex Police 'Protest Liaison Officers' is transcribed below. I was interested to hear what they had to say in answer to the allegations of intelligence gathering & making unannounced visits alleged protestors.
@copwatcher
Brighton's "Protest Liaison Officers", busy with unannounced visits to activists' homes, are on Twitter: @SusPolPLO
@SusPolPLO
@alantshearer @copwatcher Wanting to facilitate protests through engagement, need to speak to people somehow in order to do this.
@SusPolPLO
@SusPolPLO @alantshearer @copwatcher With the groups that engage with me I arrange how best to contact them.
@SusPolPLO
@SusPolPLO @alantshearer @copwatcher I proactively seek to speak to all groups, visits are part of my attempts to engage.
@SusPolPLO
@alantshearer @copwatcher No I have never been involved in preventative arrests, that is NOT the role of a PLO.
@policemonitor
@alantshearer @SusPolPLO Would also be interested in written policy of Sussex police on role of PLO - could Netpol have a copy too?
@policemonitor
@alantshearer @SusPolPLO would also like to know how/where info from 'dialogue and communication' is recorded, retained and who has access.
@copwatcher
@alantshearer sorry have been away from Twitter. Didn't mean to imply pre-emptive arrests, just unannounced visits.
After some digging I managed to get an interview with the PLO team who gave an explanation of how the team worked and they refute the Intelligence gathering claim. I am still in negotiations with the other people from the twitter feed to get interviews and more evidence from them.
@copwatcher
Brighton's "Protest Liaison Officers", busy with unannounced visits to activists' homes, are on Twitter: @SusPolPLO
@SusPolPLO
@alantshearer @copwatcher Wanting to facilitate protests through engagement, need to speak to people somehow in order to do this.
@SusPolPLO
@SusPolPLO @alantshearer @copwatcher With the groups that engage with me I arrange how best to contact them.
@SusPolPLO
@SusPolPLO @alantshearer @copwatcher I proactively seek to speak to all groups, visits are part of my attempts to engage.
@SusPolPLO
@alantshearer @copwatcher No I have never been involved in preventative arrests, that is NOT the role of a PLO.
@policemonitor
@alantshearer @SusPolPLO Would also be interested in written policy of Sussex police on role of PLO - could Netpol have a copy too?
@policemonitor
@alantshearer @SusPolPLO would also like to know how/where info from 'dialogue and communication' is recorded, retained and who has access.
@copwatcher
@alantshearer sorry have been away from Twitter. Didn't mean to imply pre-emptive arrests, just unannounced visits.
After some digging I managed to get an interview with the PLO team who gave an explanation of how the team worked and they refute the Intelligence gathering claim. I am still in negotiations with the other people from the twitter feed to get interviews and more evidence from them.
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