National Public Order Intelligence Unit (historical overview)

The National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) was founded in 1999 by the Association of Chief Police Officers. It was intended to replicate the work of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) on a national basis. It absorbed the Animal Rights National Index as well as the Northern Intelligence Unit and Southern Intelligence Units which monitored travellers and the free party scene and deployed 22 undercovers. It was shut down in 2011 in the wake of the exposure of one of those undercovers EN12 Mark Kennedy 'Mark Stone'. EN12 Mark Kennedy 'Mark Stone' EN12 Mark Kennedy ('Mark Stone') was an NPOIU undercover officer who operated from 2001 to 2009. Although based in Nottingham for most of his deployment, he infiltrated groups across the UK and Europe. He was exposed as a police officer in October 2010 by activists. His undisclosed involvement in an action against Ratcliffe Power Station led to a trial collapsing. He had several sexual relationships, some long-term. His exposure led to several other undercover officers being exposed and the wider 'spycops' issue becoming public.

Initially, it was closely associated with the SDS, sharing resources and drawing on its former personnel, such as undercover HN2 Andrew Coles ‘Andy Davey’, HN2 Andrew Coles 'Andy Davey' HN2 Andy Coles (cover name 'Andy Davey) was an SDS undercover officer who Infiltrated peace and animal rights groups in South London between 1991 and 1995. He had a sexual relationship with 'Jessica' in his cover identity.  for training. It did use identities stolen from deceased children, as in the case of HN596/EN32 'Rod Richardson', HN596/EN32 'Rod Richardson' HN596/EN32 'Rod Richardson' was an NPOIU undercover officer deployed between 1999 and 2003. During this time, he infiltrated groups in Essex, Nottingham and London. He began his deployment at the Rettenden protest camp in Essex before infiltrating anarchist and environmentalist groups in Nottingham and networks such as Earth First! However, despite living in Nottingham, he also infiltrated the WOMBLES in London. Richardson also travelled to international summits.  but it did not keep up the tactic. Unlike the SDS, it did require its officers to undertake formal advance undercover training with accredited courses.

Deployment of undercovers was only one aspect of its activities. It also had other intelligence gathering activities, including a Public Order Policing Squad (POPS) which sent photographers to events, similar in fashion to the Metropolitan Police’s Forward Intelligence Teams (FIT). It also ran the National Domestic Extremism Database within the National Special Branch Information System (NSBIS).

Initially, it was a standalone operation, focusing on collaborating with national police forces where protest activity was happening. In 2006, following an internal police reorganisation it was brought into the domestic extremism fold, being united with the National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit and the National Domestic Extremism Team. These were headed by Anton Setchell, who had been appointed the National Co-ordinator for Domestic Extremism in 2004.

As with the Special Demonstration Squad, its role was solely information collection. It protected its officers from exposure, including misleading the courts if necessary. The exposure of EN12 Mark Kennedy 'Mark Stone', for instance, led to the 2011 collapse of the Radcliffe-on-Soar trial and the overturning of dozens of environmental protesters' convictions. Donal O'Driscoll, Operation Aeroscope - a re-examination, Undercover Research Group, 1 Sep 2018.

In the wake of the spycops scandal becoming public knowledge in early 2011, the then Minister for Policing, Nick Herbert, stated that ‘operationally something has gone very wrong’ and stripped ACPO of its powers to deploy undercovers. Police inspectors review undercover operations, BBC News Online, 18 Jan 2011.