Civil Nuclear Police Authority
The Civil Nuclear Police Authority (Welsh: Yr Awdurdod Heddlu Niwclear Sifil) is the police authority that oversees the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. A police authority is a body corporate in the United Kingdom that defines strategic plans for a police force and provides accountability[1] so that the police function "efficiently and effectively".[2] The authority[3] was created in 2004 by the Energy Act 2004. The authority is subject to freedom of information requests.[4]
Members
The authority has eight members appointed by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change: the Chairman, independent members and police advisor member are selected after application and interview, while five members are recommended by the nuclear industry operating companies.[5] The members are:[6]
- Vic Emery OBE – Chair
- Paul Kernaghan CBE QPM – Independent member
- Neelam Sarkaria – Independent member
- Mark Neate – Industry representative
- Mike Calloway – Industry representative
- Paul Winkle – Industry representative
- Dr Rebecca Weston – Industry representative
Powers
Through the Civil Nuclear Constabulary the authority is authorised to carry out covert intelligence operations against anti-nuclear protesters. In July 2009 Judge Christopher Rose said the CNC's "approach to covert activity is conspicuously professional". He found that the system for storing the intelligence gained from informers was "working well" and that "senior officers regard covert surveillance as a long-term requirement".[7]
References
- "About the police". U.K. Home Office. Archived from the original on 2010-05-01.
- Civil Nuclear Police Authority, archived 5 January 2010.
- "FOIs". CNPA. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
- CNPA – About Archived 2010-06-20 at the Wayback Machine
- CNPA – Members Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
- Evans, Rob (20 October 2009). "Secret files reveal covert network run by nuclear police". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 July 2020.