Updated communications and data laws are “essential” to tackle the threat of terrorism and organised crime, according to Staffordshire’s Police Commissioner.
Matthew Ellis made his comments as part of a call to local MPs to reignite debate on the so-called ‘Snooper’s Charter’ which was abandoned in April
But now the Commissioner believes politicians need to think again on the proposals given the changing face of the technological landscape.
“Communications data is used in 95 per cent of all serious organised crime investigations, as well as in every major Security Service counter-terrorist operation in the last decade,” Mr Ellis said.
“But changing technology and new ways that the internet is used to communicate means there is now a serious capability gap for police and intelligence agencies to track the activity of those who are a threat through high level crime, paedophilia or terrorism.
“I’m concerned that estimates put that capability gap to be equivalent to the ability seven years ago because of the changes in technology and use of social media.
“If we expect security services and police to protect us from growing and changing threats it’s essential they have the tools to do that, including the ability to identify patterns of communication across different mediums which could provide early warning or substantiate known risks.
“The balance between privacy and protecting lives and interests must be reassessed by all of us but, and it’s a big but, there must also be the toughest and most intrusive safeguards to ensure proper scrutiny and exacting application of the rules by those who carry out this critical work.
“That’s what Parliament needs to urgently look at again sooner rather than later.”
