Sponsored by
South Yorkshire Police spied on 500 people
POLICE officers in South Yorkshire spied on over 500 people last year, according to figures disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act.
Statistics released by the county's police force showed that authority to carry out covert surveillance work was granted under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 547 times between April 2008 and March 2009.
Permission needs to be granted for all such operations to avoid abuses of position.
Figures are reported to the Home Secretary annually and monitored every 28 days, to ensure they are necessary.
Surveillance techniques used include observing, following, eavesdropping, filming or recording.
A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "Covert surveillance is just one of many tactics used by South Yorkshire Police to fight crime.
"All surveillance activity is authorised under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
"One or more suspects can be nominated as the subject of covert surveillance based on current and developing intelligence about them. Covert surveillance is regulated by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners, which inspects all SYP records each year and reports directly to the Home Secretary.
"The level of authority needed to approve such activity depends on the anticipated degree of intrusion."
Got a view? Add your comment below.
READ MORE
">Subscribe to The Star
Main news index
Your letters
Features
South Yorkshire's environmental news
Kids Zone
More business news
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Latest sport.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -4 C to -1 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
