Terrorism and Allied Matters
Head: Cressida Dick, Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service
Rebecca Lawrence, Director of Strategy and Policy
The ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters (TAM) business area leads for the police service on counter-terrorism and related issues through, among other activities, the development of police service policy and strategy in respect of relevant counter terrorism, domestic extremism and other policing themes. As part of this role, the business area liaises with Government and other partners on behalf of the police service.
Unlike many other ACPO business areas, TAM includes a small number of chief police officers dedicated full-time to the business area's work and these colleagues represent the service and provide strategic direction and co-ordination in respect of particular policing themes. In addition, the TAM Vice Chairs have also assumed complementary roles as senior sponsors of policing themes that largely reflect the PROTECT, PREPARE, PURSUE and PREVENT strands of the Government's counter-terrorism strategy, 'CONTEST'.
Vice Chairs:
Chris Sims, Chief Constable, West Midlands Police
Sir Peter Fahy, Chief Constable, Greater Manchester
Sara Thornton, Chief Constable, Thames Valley Police
Over the past several years, ACPO (TAM) has overseen the development of the ACPO counter-terrorism network, a series of dedicated counter terrorism policing units that have been established across England and Wales and which work in concert with the (pre-existing) Counter Terrorism Command within the Metropolitan Police Service. These units are regionally based and resourced by 'lead' police forces. Their role includes the gathering of intelligence and evidence to help prevent, disrupt and prosecute terrorist activities. As a whole, the network has a wide range of experts including but not limited to skilled detectives, financial investigators, community contact teams, intelligence analysts, forensic specialists and high-tech investigators.
Professional practice produced by this business area
Find out more about PREVENT
Schedule 7 National Accountability Board
Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT) (as amended by the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001) enables an examining officer to stop, search and examine a person at a port or in a border area to determine whether they are someone who is or has been concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
The Schedule 7 National Accountability Board (NAB) first sat in March 2010 and was set up by John Donlon, the National Coordinator for Protect and Prepare. The role of the board is to act as a critical friend for Mr. Donlon on all operational matters linked to Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and its application at ports.
The members of the board are from a range of organisations and include the Young Muslims Advisory Group (YMAG), the Black Police Association (BPA), The National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP), the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), ACPO lead for Stop and Search, the NPIA Stop and Search Community Panel, Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), ACPO PREVENT Unit, Office for Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT) and the Mayor’s Office for Policing (MOPC).