THE MURDER of Blair Peach by a member of the Special Patrol Group on 23. April led to a huge wave of protest the labour There have been many calls for the SPG to be disbanded, including a motion the Association Cinematograph, Television & Allied Technicians which is debated at this week's TUC Congress.
The Kesearch recently published the first national survey in brilall. stated: "The development of the SPG an anti-crime unit para-military one has led to one very obvious contradiction, namely, that having been trained and used in its used in anti-crime unit:
Anti-Terrorist The survey is based on the annual reports of the Chief Constables for 1978 (published during covers all police forces in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. It shows that 24 out of the 52 police forces in the UK SPG-type units, 15 of which were. formed after 1972.
The first SPGs were formed in 1965 (in London and Hertfordshire).
centrally-controlled • units to go in to support local police divisions in crime prevention drives: All SPG-type units continue to be used in this role in local communities.
However, from 1972, the role of SPGs (especially in urban areas) was extended to include their use pubile anti-terroristsituations. This involves, as the annual reports show, specialist training in riot control and firearms. training.
role, argues, resulted from the decision in 1972 (after the confrontation between the police and Saltley in Birmingham) not to create a 'third force' (a para-military force) to stand between the Many countries have a 'third force' movement.
OI terrorism.
due to Bulletin to 1979) and Northern now have