Home Office Funding Project Alpha Social Media Intelligence Network

This paper seeks approval to accept the Home Office offer of grant funding for 2021/22 of £272,708.04. The funding will support the development of the Project Alpha and County Line Social Media Intelligence Network as a proof of concept.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:

1. To enter into a new grant agreement for £272,708.04 with the Home Office to fund mutually agreeable outcomes for the County Line and Social Media Intelligence Network.

2. Development of the Project Alpha and County Line Social Media Intelligence Network proof on concept, a proposed national intelligence function in support of the existing County Lines Task Forces (CLTF’s) within the MPS, West Midlands and Merseyside Police, the MPS Social Media Hub (SMH) and National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC).

1. Introduction and background

1.1. This proposal will further support the existing Project Alpha Social Media Hub and County Line Task Force activities. The Home Office is funding the development of a national social media intelligence network as a proof of concept.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The proposed grant funding will support the MOPAC Police & Crime Plan by undertaking activities to directly impact upon gang related serious violence and organised criminality. It will also seek to reduce the criminal and sexual exploitation of young and vulnerable people.

2.2. The core aims of the network are:

• Development of a national social media intelligence network in support of the three County Line Task Forces (CLTF), the MPS Project Alpha Social Media Hub (SMH) and National County Line Coordination Centre (NCLCC), creating the UK’s first dedicated intelligence function seeking to reduce the threat, risk and harm of London based gangs and their county line activity. In direct support to MOPAC and MPS violence plans.

• Deliver effective best practice in partnership with county Forces, agencies and the industry to enhance the response of law enforcement. Advancing skills, knowledge and the use of technology to deliver innovative and effective solutions.

• Gage the scale of the threat and associated demand on law enforcement. Allow for analysis of gang network exploitation – e.g. recruitment into county lines, child criminal and sexual exploitation.

• Uplift to National County Line Coordination and National Crime Agency intelligence picture and threat assessment accuracy

2.3. The evaluation of the concept will be carried out through the quarterly returns to the Home Office and at year end via the National County Lines Co-Ordination Centre. The Home Office anticipate funding for this project to continue beyond 2021/22.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. This proposal seeks approval to accept upto £272,708.04 of Home Office grant funding for 2021/22. The grant will support the funding of three officers as well as equipment and training.



4. Legal Comments

4.1. The Home Office will pay the Grant to the MOPAC in exercise of the power conferred by Section 56 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act (2004).

4.2. The legal powers applicable to the acceptance of this Grant will be under Schedule 3, Paragraph 7 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

4.3. Paragraph 4.8 of MOPAC’s Scheme of Delegation and Consent requires the approval of the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime to approve the receipt of the grant.

5. GDPR and Data Privacy

5.1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.

5.2. MPS assure that a DPIA has been completed which concluded that the risk of a data breach occurring was low based on current practices.

6. Equality Comments

6.1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

6.2. MPS assure that this business case has undergone a full equalities impact assessment with no negative impact identified at this stage.

7. Background/supporting papers

• Appendix 1 MPS Report Project Alpha Social Media Hub Continued Home Office Funding (Financial Year 2021/2022