-Caveat Lector- July 1 2001 BRITAIN New police unit will spy on would-be killers http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2001/07/01/stinwenws01028.html? David Leppard AN elite team of detectives and psychiatrists is being set up by police to target would-be killers and stop them before they commit murder. Officers on the homicide intelligence unit, the first of its kind in the world, will use sophisticated bugging and surveillance equipment to monitor suspects even if they have not yet committed a crime. The list of would-be killers will be compiled by analysing prison and probation service records, information from mental health agencies and social security and hospital records. The move by Scotland Yard has, however, outraged senior lawyers who say it is impracticable and open to abuse. Owen Davies QC, a leading criminal barrister, said: "It's a pretty silly idea, because of all crimes murder is the most difficult to predict. This sounds like a public relations move to reassure the public that they have nothing to fear." The new unit is to be headed by Detective Superintendent Barry Webb, who is respon-sible for investigating "cold cases" of unsolved murders including that of Suzy Lamplugh, the estate agent presumed murdered after she went missing 15 years ago. He denied that the new approach infringed civil liberties. "We want to start looking at preventing murders like that of Jill Dando, Rachel Nickell and Suzy Lamplugh," he said. "We need to target would-be killers in a coherent and structured way. If the unit prevents just one murder it will have paid for itself for 12 months." Each year there are more than 600 murders in Britain, with London accounting last year for 189, or just less than one third. The unit is part of a strategic move by Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan police commissioner, to reduce the number of murders in London. If it is successful, other forces are likely to establish similar units. One of its key jobs will be to collect intelligence about dangerous stalkers. The unit will seek out information on incidents from local police and carry out a more detailed "threat assessment" to see if they should be targeted. The setting up of the unit follows a series of high-profile murders which, experts say, could have been prevented if more active measures had been taken in advance. Earlier this year Michael Sharp was found guilty of murdering his estranged wife. He had burst into her home and stabbed her to death as she was enjoying a meal with a male friend. Sharp had been on police bail at the time, following an eight-month stalking campaign during which he had threatened to kill her. Criminologists believe that one woman in five can expect to be stalked at some time in her life and most will know their stalkers. The latest figures show that 5,800 stalking cases were successfully prosecuted in 1998 in England and Wales. As well as targeting stalkers and serial rapists, the new team will look at ways of reducing domestic murders. After compiling a list of possible killers, psychologists will draw up a profile to establish whether their pattern of behaviour makes them "a real danger". An A-list of those judged to be the most likely to commit murder will then be targeted by teams using telephone taps and other electronic eavesdropping equipment. Senior officers acknowledge that the new unit will be controversial but claim that it reflects the aggressive attitude to fighting crime that is being advocated by David Blunkett, the home secretary. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
