The police service simply hasn’t kept pace with the fast-developing nature of online communications, and must ‘fill the information void with the truth’, said His Majesty’s Chief Inspectorate of Constabulary, in the second half of its reporting of the police response to the public disorder in July and August 2024, after the Southport murders.
According to the report, some police forces are still investigating crimes related to the disorder. “This reduces their capacity to investigate other crimes,” the inspectors said. The police should also improve their online communications to fill any information void or to challenge false narratives or fake news, the report said: “This is especially important when harmful or false content goes viral. The police service needs to better appreciate that fast-moving events require it to respond with an accurate counter-narrative ….”
Online content after the murders ‘served as a call to arms for large groups of disillusioned people’, the report said. The inspectors noted that under the Online Safety Act 2023, that Ofcom is beginning to regulate, online service providers must have systems in place to identify and remove illegal content: “They must also swiftly remove any illegal content they are alerted to, including illegal content related to the provocation of violence under section 4 of the Public Order Act 1986. This is included as a priority offence in the Online Safety Act.”
The report stated that police intelligence assessments didn’t correctly assess the risk to public safety from ‘a rising tide of disorder’; and ‘police lack specialist capacity and capability to deal with information and intelligence on serious disorder’. Inspectors said they were ‘concerned’ that the latest National Risk Register, published in January, ‘doesn’t adequately reflect the future risk of disorder at the national strategic level’. Police also need to learn the lessons from the widespread 2011 rioting and looting, the report said.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Andy Cooke said violent disorder spread quickly across many towns and cities, with forces across the country working hard to keep the public safe. He said: “And I am sure they will agree that in the face of extensive violence, officers displayed immense bravery. Investigations by most forces were carried out quickly, thoroughly and professionally, with some still investigating crimes in the wake of the disorder. The swift work of the criminal justice system in handing down significant sentences also undoubtedly had a deterrent effect.
“The causes of the disorder were complex. Predominantly, people who took part lived locally. But the events that led to the arrests of those involved included largely overt expressions of disaffection that took place online and on the streets of UK towns and cities. Irrespective of the causes, those involved cannot be excused for their actions.
“The police service needs to learn lessons from previous outbreaks of disorder; it should not be caught off-guard again. It needs to develop a more cohesive intelligence network that informs and supports the police response to simmering tension and unrest.
“I must reinforce the importance and value of neighbourhood policing. As officers establish positive relationships with communities, they develop a deeper understanding of people’s sentiments and feelings. But the emergence of virtual communities, who use social media and other online platforms as their main method of communication, has created additional challenges and demands for policing.
“Forces must be able to deal with the consequences of harmful information that spreads rapidly online. It’s vital that the legislation, regulation and enforcement of illegal online content improves to support this.
“I am disappointed that the police service has still not held a national debrief to learn lessons, over nine months after the disorder happened. Inaction detracts from the good work the police did during the disorder, and it harms the service’s reputation.
“The findings and recommendations from this review are only a starting point. I urge forces to learn from these events, and act now to strengthen their response to future instances of disorder and make sure the public are kept safe.”
Comments
Essex Chief Constable BJ Harrington, the national lead for operations, said: “The assertion that no debrief took place does not reflect the extensive review work that has been undertaken since the events last summer. In response to the disorder, policing conducted national debriefs covering both intelligence and crime, ensuring key insights were gathered and shared across forces. These debriefs, convened by the College of Policing and individual forces, allowed policing to review its approach, strengthen intelligence-sharing, and refine operational strategies.
“We welcome the Inspectorate’s recommendations and we’ll continue working with partners to refine and improve our response to fast-moving and unpredictable disorder. However, it is important to recognise the broader role of communications in operational success and ensure a more comprehensive approach to tackling misinformation.”
On tackling misinformation, Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the NPCC (National Police Chiefs Council) said that the issue extends far beyond law enforcement. He said: “No public sector organisation or body responsible for public safety is fully equipped to address the scale and complexity of the problem. Policing alone cannot be expected to lead or resolve this volatile challenge; it requires a coordinated, cross government approach. This reality must be acknowledged.
Background
Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary commissioned the inspectorate in September to carry out a rapid review into the policing response to the disorder, to identify lessons. A first report was published in December.
Photo by Mark Rowe; a Tamworth, Staffordshire hotel attacked by anti-immigrant rioters last summer.
