National Domestic Extremism Team
Encyclopedia
The National Domestic Extremism Team (NDET) is a UK police
unit set up to provide a dedicated response to tackling domestic extremism. This team co-ordinates operations and investigations nationally, working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service
which has set up a complementary network of prosecutors with specialist expertise in domestic extremism.
The Unit is led by an officer of the rank of Detective Chief Inspector., currently Andy Robbins. on secondment from Kent Police.
reported in 2009 that there was no official or legal definition of domestic extremism. However, they say that a "vague stab" at a working definition by senior officers is that domestic extremists are individuals or groups "that carry out criminal acts of direct action in furtherance of a campaign. These people and activities usually seek to prevent something from happening or to change legislation or domestic policy, but attempt to do so outside of the normal democratic process." The same article quotes activists criticising this definition as too loose, worded to give "police the licence to carry out widespread surveillance of whole organisations that are a legitimate part of the democratic process."
The Independent
described the definition as "a label for radical environmental activism – a sort of terrorism
-lite." It quoted David Howarth
, a former Liberal Democrats
MP and law professor, who opposed what he saw as "an astonishing conflation of legitimate protest with terrorism".
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
unit set up to provide a dedicated response to tackling domestic extremism. This team co-ordinates operations and investigations nationally, working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
which has set up a complementary network of prosecutors with specialist expertise in domestic extremism.
The Unit is led by an officer of the rank of Detective Chief Inspector., currently Andy Robbins. on secondment from Kent Police.
Definition of domestic extremism
The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reported in 2009 that there was no official or legal definition of domestic extremism. However, they say that a "vague stab" at a working definition by senior officers is that domestic extremists are individuals or groups "that carry out criminal acts of direct action in furtherance of a campaign. These people and activities usually seek to prevent something from happening or to change legislation or domestic policy, but attempt to do so outside of the normal democratic process." The same article quotes activists criticising this definition as too loose, worded to give "police the licence to carry out widespread surveillance of whole organisations that are a legitimate part of the democratic process."
The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
described the definition as "a label for radical environmental activism – a sort of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
-lite." It quoted David Howarth
David Howarth
David Ross Howarth is a British Liberal Democrat politician who was Member of Parliament for Cambridge from 2005 to 2010.- Education and academic career :...
, a former Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
MP and law professor, who opposed what he saw as "an astonishing conflation of legitimate protest with terrorism".
Takeover by the Metropolitan Police
In November 2010 it was announced that the three ACPO units commanded by the National Coordinator for Domestic Extremism would be rebranded as the National Domestic Extremism Unit and brought under the control of the Metropolitan Police by Summer 2011.See also
- National Coordinator for Domestic Extremism
- National Domestic Extremism UnitNational Domestic Extremism UnitThe National Domestic Extremism Unit is part of the United Kingdom's police force, designed to tackle "domestic extremism".-See also:*National Coordinator for Domestic Extremism*National Public Order Intelligence Unit...
- National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination UnitNational Extremism Tactical Co-ordination UnitThe National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit is a British police organization funded by, and reporting to, the Association of Chief Police Officers that coordinates police action against groups in the United Kingdom it describes as extremist. As of April 2007, it was headed by...
- National Public Order Intelligence UnitNational Public Order Intelligence UnitThe National Public Order Intelligence Unit is a United Kingdom police intelligence unit set up in 1999 to track green activists and public demonstrations.-History:...