Year In Review 2019 | Police and MI5 Partnership

Three key themes emerged from the review of the 2017 attacks: how we use data, the need for intelligence sharing at local level with other organisations, and the need to step up national efforts against other types of violent ideology such as the far right.

On data, we identified ways in which advances in that field enable us to sharpen our “radar” and increase insight. There is no magic solution but there are valuable gains to be made by going further in data analytics and related technologies with parts of the private sector. We have made important progress already. Used in combination with knowledge from our behavioural science experts, this will give us an earlier and richer picture of our cases. It could also help us spot more quickly when individuals known to us from the past re-engage with terrorism. We do not have the resources or legal justification to actively monitor those many thousands of individuals. The challenge we are addressing is how to detect signs of developing intent.

This relates to the second theme, of sharing more information at local level. A broader, multi-agency approach to managing the risk in communities posed by individuals linked to violent extremism can succeed where a more active, intrusive investigation might not. This means sharing intelligence with a wider range of partners than before, such as health and social services departments, to make use of local expertise. Several pilot projects are running with a view to introducing a national scheme. This approach has parallels with how the authorities manage the risk posed by sexual or violent offenders.

As we face up to the challenges ahead, we take confidence from the talent and dedication of our people and the strength of our partnership. In a changing and uncertain world, our commitment, with partner agencies, is to keep pushing forward, adapting and improving to face down shifting threats.

But we can’t succeed without the support and the help of the British public. Earlier this year, we launched our latest campaign to increase public vigilance and reporting about suspicious activity. Launching the campaign, the national operational policing lead for counter terrorism, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, announced that a large number of reports from the public had been helpful, and on many occasions attacks have been stopped and lives have been saved. We need to increase that level of vigilance and support even further. It is an old adage but a true one that communities defeat terrorism.