§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for each district of the Metropolitan police for the years 1981 and 1982, how many officers have been (a) dismissed, (b) forced to retire or (c) allowed to resign due to behaviour on duty of a racist nature;
467W(2) for each district of the Metropolitan police for the years 1981 and 1982, how many officers have been punished under the discipline regulations by (a) suspension, (b) demotion, (c) caution or (d) reprimand following behaviour on duty of a racist nature.
§ Mr. HurdRacist behaviour by police officers may constitute or be comprised in any of a number of offences under the discipline code. It would not be possible without disproportionate effort and cost to identify those disciplinary cases in which such behaviour played the primary or a significant part.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for each year since 1972, how many civil claims there have been against the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for (a) false imprisonment, (b) malicious prosecution, (c) assault, (d) trespass and (e) wrongful interference with goods; whether the claims were successful or not; where successful, whether they were settled in court or outside; and what was the size of the settlement in full.
§ Mr. HurdThe information readily available in respect of compensation claims, excluding claims for damage to vehicles, employers' or occupiers' liability, against the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is as follows:
Year Number of cases initiated Number of cases concluded Total amount paid £ 1976 52 7 7,521 1977 71 4 1,150 1978 105 12 50,945 1979 95 7 1,991 1980 86 11 9,035 1981 92 21 31,871 1982 104 24 77,824 It is not possible to distinguish payments made in respect of a particular cause of action because in a number of cases the payment covered more than one cause of action.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for each year since 1972, how many officers were (a) dismissed, (b) forced to retire, (c) allowed to resign, (d) suspended, (e) demoted, (f) cautioned and (g) reprimanded as a result of inquiries subsequent to a successful civil action brought against the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
§ Mr. HurdThis information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for E district Metropolitan police, for each year since 1972 (a) how many people have been stopped and searched by police in a public place, by age, sex and race, (b) how many of these people were subsequently charged with an offence disclosed by the stop and search, (c) how many persons were in the main categories of offences so charged and (d) how many people were convicted of such charges.
§ Mr. HurdWe understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information currently available to him for E District (Camden) is as given in the following table. The figures are based on information468W recorded in station registers for operational purposes and, as this form of recording is unsuitable for the preparation of statistical summaries the resultant figures may be subject to some error. Details of the age, sex and ethnic appearance of those stopped, and the offences with which those subsequently arrested were charged and the numbers convicted are not collected centrally on a regular basis and such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Persons and vehicles stopped and resultant arrests* E District Metropolitan Police Numbers Year Persons or vehicles stopped Resultant arrests* 1977 26,843 ֵ 1978 24,130 ֵ 1979 24,374 2,344 1980 24,635 1,862 1981 25,759 2,200 1982 32,065 2,632 * Persons proceeded against by means of a charge, referral to juvenile bureau, a caution or in some other way; arrests not followed by any action are not included. ֵ Not available.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for E District Metropolitan police, how many officers are currently under suspension pending inquiries into allegations of (a) assault, (b) corruption, (c) racist behaviour and (d) perjury.
§ Mr. HurdOne officer based in E District is currently suspended from duty following allegations of perjury. The investigation in this case has been completed, and the papers have been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for his consideration of the criminal aspects.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether officers in E District Metropolitan police have access to (a) plastic bullets and (b) CS gas; and what is the rank and position of the officer who is entitled to authorise their use.
§ Mr. HurdWe understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that baton rounds — "plastic bullet" — and CS equipment for dealing with serious public disorder in the Metropolitan Police district is stored centrally. In accordance with the guidelines on the use of this equipment which were summarised in a reply on 19 October, 1981—[Vol. 10, c.29–30]—the equipment is to be used only with the express authority of the Commissioner — or, in his absence, his deputy. CS equipment for use against armed, or violently insane, persons in buildings from which they cannot otherwise by dislodged, is also stored centrally and may be used only on the express authority of the Deputy Assistant Commissioner 'A' (Operations) or, in his absence, his senior officer.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for E District Metropolitan police, for 1982 how many men were charged with (a) buggery, (b) gross indecency and (c) soliciting or importuning for immoral purpose.
§ Mr. HurdWe understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that records available to him for 1982 show for E district (Camden) no men charged with 469W buggery and 13 men charged with indecency between males. Information on soliciting or importuning for immoral purpose is not separately available.