Police Chief: ID cards, the surveillance society and eroding civil liberties

JAMES SLACK

A chief constable has broke ranks to complain about a lurch towards a “surveillance” society which is “eroding” civil liberties.

Colin Langham-Fitt also became the first senior officer to question the need for ID cards.

He said the controversial government scheme - which has rocketed in cost to more than £5billion - would be targeted by criminals.

Mr Langham-Fitt said: “They could become the gold standard of ID crime.

“It could raise the standards and stakes for those who wish to clone them or subvert the system.”

Ministers insist police broadly support the use of surveillance technology, including four million CCTV cameras.

The Home Office is even introducing talking CCTV cameras and considering the use of controversial “spy” satellite technology.

Mr Langham-Fitt, who is acting chief constable of Suffolk Police, said: “There should be a debate about the ongoing erosion of civil liberties in the name of the fight against terrorism and the fight against crime.

“Are we all happy to have our cards monitored wherever we go, to be on CCTV and to have our shopping tracked?

“With all this surveillance available, the question needs to be asked - are we happy with that? Does it make us feel better and safer?

“I haven’t got the answers but I would welcome the debate - a debate beyond the cliched response of ‘If you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about’.”

He added: “Every measure like this is going to impinge on civil liberties.

“The debate has to be had - are these sensible precautions in a dangerous world or are we reacting to things in the belief they will solve them but at the end of the day they might not have any impact?”

Criticism by a chief constable is the latest blow to the ID cards scheme, which has been widely derided and whose cost has spiralled by £640million in the past six months.

Last week Jack Straw, expected to replace John Reid as Home Secretary, said it would be under review by the new Government led by Gordon Brown.

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