The first Super Recogniser Unit on mainland Europe was in Munich and other German police forces are making use of SRs including forces in Berlin, Stuttgart. According to this article in the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, Leipzig in Saxony is interested in utilising the tactic. The Association is ready and available to assist law enforcement units in Germany.
https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/mensch-metropole/die-berliner-polizei-sucht-den-super-recogniser-li.107536
Professor Josh Davis of Greenwich University has produced a new report on the use of Super Recognisers in the Met Police.
The terrorist attack on the Manchester Arena in 2017 has shown how security and policing of large-scale events MUST be improved, if we are to have any chance of preventing further tragedies. The idea that anyone can be a CCTV operator, security guard or steward (and, of course, paid the minimum wage) must be changed. It is dreadful that eighteen-year-old steward, Kyle Lawler, must now live with the fact that he had spotted the terrorist, Salman Abedi, but did not intervene as he was afraid of being called a “racist”. Likewise, police officers deployed to spot offenders should be properly selected for the role.
We now know that Abedi had visited the Arena when fans were queuing for a Take That concert, to conduct hostile reconnaissance. He did not fit the demographic for that event or the Ariana Grande show on 22nd May 2017. If the CCTV operators, security staff had been tested for human Super Recogniser skills, then someone may have noted his presence and alarm bells may have rung more quickly – giving more time for action. These tests can also be conducted for police officers – what police chief would not want to know if officers and staff have these skills?
Also, if these Super Recognisers were trained to spot suspicious behaviour AND justify what they had seen, they would:
a. Have spotted Abedi faster, by his actions
b. Not been afraid of being accused of “racism” as they could account for their actions.
Automated facial recognition may also help with security, but again, some believe that anyone can operate such systems. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology made clear that trained facial examiners or Super Recognisers must be used. The former role takes years of study, the latter, Super Recogniser, can be selected and trained in a week as it is a natural skill. Added to all this, we have the challenge of a mask wearing public. With much of the face covered, identification is even more difficult, but again, we know that Super Recognisers can recognise suspects just by their eyes.
We need to remember the chilling words of the IRA, after the Brighton 1984 bomb, which killed five in an attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister - “…we only have to be lucky once — you have to be lucky always.” We can improve our chances of identifying those who want to harm us. We must change how we train and select CCTV operators, security staff and police officers, who are deployed to spot suspicious individuals and known terrorists and criminals. The deaths of twenty-two innocent people in Manchester demand it.
https://www.associationofsuperrecognisers.org/courses
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-54695580
An on-line version of the SRI Super Recogniser course will be held on 1st - 3rd December. A discounted price is offered for Association members - see the Courses section for more details.
Another reason for law enforcement agencies to recruit and use human Super Recognisers, who can often identify suspects just from their eyes: Only a few months ago it would have been highly suspicious to enter a bank or a store wearing a mask - now it is part of everyday life AND criminals are taking advantage of this situation, as this US articles highlights. BUT there is a solution, a recently selected City of London Police detective identified a surgical mask wearing burglar. He has now been convicted and banned from entering the City area.
https://qz.com/1837529/thieves-are-capitalizing-on-the-publics-use-of-covid-19-masks/
Thames Valley Police cover the English counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. The latest edition of “Thamesview”, the Force magazine, features an article on the use of Super Recognisers. Detective Inspector Steve Jones of the Serious & Organised Crime Unit is keen to use Super Recognisers and has already sent a number of his officers onto the Super Recognisers International course. Steve said; “We have been working with the Joint Operations Unit and Force Intelligence Bureau in TVP to increase the use of Super Recognisers in areas such as public order. We’re also keen to develop a central team in the intelligence function to review images of unidentified offenders across the force area in an effort to identify them and bring them to justice”. He continued; “There are also plans to work with Counter Terrorism Policing to identify subjects who may be involved in terrorist activity. Over and above this, there are opportunities to work in the digital arena, such as identifying victims whose images have been shared online.”
The Association is always willing to assist law enforcement agencies.
A REDDITCH police officer (AND member of the Association of Super Recognisers) who spotted a record 406 wanted suspects in one year has been named as a finalist in the Amplifon Awards For Brave Britons 2020.
Community support officer Andy Pope, aged 42, hailed the ‘memory man’ by his colleagues, has reached the final four of the Against All Odds category in global hearing specialist Amplifon’s search for ‘The Best Of British’.
The officer, who serves with the West Midlands force, has recognised just over 2,000 suspects since 2012, including 17 in just one day.
See the link for the full article. We wish Andy the best of luck and hope that he wins the award.
Kelly tells her story to Crawlspace.
The Podcast notes that in this episode Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna speak with super recognizer Kelly Hearsey. The hosts make the point that Kelly “is basically a modern day superhero who uses her power for good”. If you think you have this skill, why not listen to Kelly’s journey from photographer to super recognizer (or recogniser if you are in UK!).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTdnxgoU4Y4&feature=youtu.be
Mike Neville, the CEO of the Association features on this episode of “Faking It: Tears of a Conman”, which tells the story of Anh Nhu Nguyen, who claimed that he had lost his home and his family as a result of the Grenfell Fire disaster, which occurred in London in 2017. His story was a fiction and Nguyen, a serial fraudster, was convicted of obtaining £12000 by the deception and jailed for 21 months. Super Recogniser skills played an integral part in convicting seventeen fraudsters for similar offences.
https://www.dplay.co.uk/show/faking-it-tears-of-a-crime/video/the-grenfell-conman/EHD_318718B
A suspect involved in rioting in Stuttgart was identified by a German Police Super Recogniser. The article below has been translated into English. Congratulations to the Stuttgart Police on embracing this new law enforcement tactic!
More arrest warrants after the night of the riots
Stuttgart - And again the handcuffs click: Three other alleged participants in the Stuttgart Randalenacht on June 21 have been sent into custody by a judge. They are three 18-year-olds. The Eckensee Investigation Group has thus identified more than 80 suspects. In just over half of the cases, the Public Prosecutor's Office has obtained an arrest warrant, a good part of which has since been suspended.
One was recognised by a so-called Super Recogniser on Thursday night. The officer with a trained memory saw the 18-year-old, who is known to the police and who was already being searched, by chance at the main station. The official was there privately. The homeless man is said to have smashed a shop window and threw a bottle at it.
Many suspects - but one is still missing
On 3 September, another 18-year-old went online. He, too, is said to have been involved in the riots and looting. He was wanted on a warrant for allegedly damaging shop windows and throwing a bottle. A judge sent him into custody. On 4 September, police arrested an 18-year-old from the district of Biberach. He is accused of looting goods and damaging a patrol car in a shop. He, too, is now behind bars.
Investigations are continuing against those involved in the looting. However, one suspect is still missing from the list: the attacker who attacked a police officer with a kickboxer kick is still unknown.
The ASR is the professional body representing those who possess the super recogniser skills around the globe. Via our associate scheme, you will be able to access the latest developments in the science of super recognition, browse job opportunities and contact other practitioners from around the globe who share your unique skills and abilities. After a certain period of years in practice, you may even be invited to become a Fellow of the Association.
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