The 'Ghost Squad': Undercover Policing in London, 1945-49

TY - CHAP

T1 - The 'Ghost Squad': Undercover Policing in London, 1945-49

AU - Roodhouse, Mark

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - Prior to 1945, civil servants’ and senior police officers’ distaste for criminals, their concern about corruption and their fear of alienating the public led to a hypocritical approach to undercover policing. Policy-makers and administrators recognised the importance of undercover policing, but refused to condone such methods. The post-war shortage of police officers, an increasing workload, a perceived post-war crime wave and the problems of policing consensual or serious crime prompted the London Metropolitan Police and the Home Office to put aside their qualms about undercover policing and set up a small unit to gather intelligence on the activities of professional criminals. Although the Special Duties Squad or ‘Ghost Squad’ was a temporary unit, it marked an important step towards the official recognition of criminal intelligence. The Ghost Squad was a success. Not only did the squad help to catch a large number of professional criminals, but it also improved supervision of undercover policing. Although the Ghost Squad was disbanded in 1949, its efficacy and the high level of public support for its activities did much to allay official concerns about undercover policing. The Ghost Squad paved the way for the formation of permanent professional criminal intelligence units in the 1960s and public acceptance of intelligence-led policing.

AB - Prior to 1945, civil servants’ and senior police officers’ distaste for criminals, their concern about corruption and their fear of alienating the public led to a hypocritical approach to undercover policing. Policy-makers and administrators recognised the importance of undercover policing, but refused to condone such methods. The post-war shortage of police officers, an increasing workload, a perceived post-war crime wave and the problems of policing consensual or serious crime prompted the London Metropolitan Police and the Home Office to put aside their qualms about undercover policing and set up a small unit to gather intelligence on the activities of professional criminals. Although the Special Duties Squad or ‘Ghost Squad’ was a temporary unit, it marked an important step towards the official recognition of criminal intelligence. The Ghost Squad was a success. Not only did the squad help to catch a large number of professional criminals, but it also improved supervision of undercover policing. Although the Ghost Squad was disbanded in 1949, its efficacy and the high level of public support for its activities did much to allay official concerns about undercover policing. The Ghost Squad paved the way for the formation of permanent professional criminal intelligence units in the 1960s and public acceptance of intelligence-led policing.

M3 - Chapter

SN - 1 903427 20 7

SP - 171

EP - 191

BT - Conflict and Legality

A2 - Oram, Gerard

PB - Francis Boutle Publishers

CY - London

ER -