Policing expert says more protests could require extra support across South-East
It comes after a protest on Sunday in Portsmouth after the arrival of around 140 migrants
We're hearing from a policing expert about what Hampshire Police need to consider following the weekend's anti-migrant demonstrations.
Peter Williams is a senior policing lecturer with thirty years of experience in the force, and an MBE for services to policing education.
He's telling us that if there were more protests, it could lead to a need for extra support across the South East.
"The overriding issue is protection of the public. Protection of life and property, which is one of the basic requirements or basic duties of a constable.
"It's obviously a difficult call when it's something that's actually as instant and spontaneous as it appeared to be in both Kent and Portsmouth. I think there are reasons for that, which I think the police need to look at."
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio about the weekend's disturbances, he emphasised that intelligence gathering is crucial for the police to effectively manage such situations:
"The most effective police operations and have been for some 20, 30 years now...is when they are intelligence-led.
"I.e. - When we receive intelligence or information that goes through a process of evaluation, that's when it becomes intelligence.
"It gives the police the opportunity to be proactive and that means they can plan. And, of course, that hasn't happened here."
Going forward he suggested that there may be a need for a more centralised source of intelligence, particularly due to the chance of additional migrant boats taking new routes instead of landing in Dover:
"The only resources Kent will have to draw on is Kent Constabulary Intelligence Unit. Same applies to Hampshire.
"But of course, it looks like now this is going to be a problem for a fair amount of the South Coast across the whole of the South East, rather than just being in concentrated in just one county.
"So, there's an issue there in terms of the intelligence and almost, if you like, being caught being asleep at the wheel."