UK: Council ‘spies’ used to catch people breaking law
Aberdeen Evening Press >> 27th April 2009
Officers in Aberdeen city and shire check e-mail and phone records
COUNCIL spies have been used to snare benefit fraudsters and rogue traders, the Evening Express can reveal.
Officers in Aberdeen carried out eight surveillance operations in 2008, including the use of “covert human intelligence sources” on two occasions.
In Aberdeenshire a car dealer and doorstep salesmen were targeted for surveillance.
Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), a council can monitor people believed to be breaking the law.
But today a civil liberties group said surveillance should be a job for police or the security services.
Michael Parker, of the No2ID campaign which opposes national ID cards, said: “Local authority officers are public servants who are there to do an administrative role.
“They shouldn’t see themselves as gumshoes hanging around doorways.”
Aberdeen City Council defended its use of RIPA. A spokesman said: “The services who utilise covert surveillance are benefit fraud, council tax, housing benefit, environmental health and trading standards.”
RIPA does not allow councils to carry out “intrusive surveillance” such as bugging, phone tapping or obtaining transcripts of actual conversations.
However, it can be used to check phone and e-mail records.