Operation Countryman
Operation Countryman was an investigation into
The investigation initially targeted officers within the
- a £175,000 payroll robbery at the offices of the Daily Express newspaper in 1976
- a £225,000 robbery outside the headquarters of Williams & Glyn's Bank, London, in 1977
- a £200,000 payroll robbery at the offices of the Daily Mirror newspaper in 1978. During this robbery, Antonio Castro, a 38-year-old guard working for Security Express, was shot and killed.[9]
As the investigation proceeded, it began to emerge that the corruption was not limited to "a few bad apples" within the forces but was "historically and currently endemic" and "widespread throughout the hierarchical command rather than confined to those below the rank of sergeant."[6]
In August 1978, officers began investigations into corruption within the London police services. The unit was initially accommodated at Camberwell police station in south London, but following attempts to interfere with the team's documents, records and evidence, it was moved to Godalming Police Station in Surrey, outside the Metropolitan Police District.
Operation Countryman faced major obstruction from both senior management and the lower ranks of the police. Much of the investigation's evidence was obtained by police officers going undercover as police officers.
Asst. Chief Constable Leonard Burt told his investigation team not to pass any evidence it obtained against Metropolitan Police officers to the
After six years, and at a cost of over £4 million, Operation Countryman presented its findings to the Home Office and the Commissioner. Parts of the report were leaked to the public.
Questions asked in the
See also
References
- ^ Daily Telegraph. London. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ISBN 9781845951269.
- ^ a b Tendler, Stewart (10 December 1979). "12 'super informers' aid search for corrupt policemen". The Times. No. 60496. London. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Inquiry on police must go on, Mr Rees says". The Times. No. 60522. London. 12 January 1980. p. 2.
- ^ "Metropolitan Police Service — History of the Metropolitan Police Service". Met.police.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
- ^ ISBN 9780415045728.
- ISBN 9780140523188.)
- ^ Tendler, Stewart (18 April 1980). "Eight arrested after Countryman raids". The Times. No. 60604. London. p. 2.
- ^ Tendler, Stewart (1 June 1978). "Police praise bravery of man shot dead in robbery". The Times. No. 60316. London. p. 2.
- ISBN 0-14-052318-9.
- ^ "Police Act 1964 (Amendment)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 28 June 1988. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
- ^ "Operation Countryman (1998)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Written-Answers. 26 March 1998. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
"Operation Countryman (1998)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Written-Answers. 4 February 1998. Retrieved 28 April 2020.