§ 36. Mr. G. Straussasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been 237 called to the dissatisfaction caused by the fact that spying on the inferior ranks is now an established part of the official policy of the London police and that this has given rise to distrust and suspicion; and whether he can make any statement on the subject?
§ Sir S. HoareIf the suggestion in the question is that junior police officers are subject, without any cause, to a system of secret surveillance, I can assure the hon. Member that there is not the slightest foundation for it. There are, however, from time to time in a force of the size of the Metropolitan Police isolated cases of officers who fall under suspicion of committing grave offences which can only be detected by observation by other police officers. Where such cases occur it is obviously essential, in the interests of the public, the force and the officers concerned, that they should be investigated thoroughly, but I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that it is only in exceptional circumstances that it is necessary to arrange for the employment of police officers to keep observation on one another.