Councils warned over abusing surveillance power

[23 June 2008]

Councils in England have been asked to review the way they use their surveillance privileges to investigate suspected crime.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act allows councils to access phone and e-mail records and use surveillance to identify or stop criminal offences. However, according to Local Government Association chairman Sir Simon Milton, some councils are using their power for “trivial offences,” like dog fouling, littering or examining rubbish to monitor household waste. Sir Simon also told BBC Breakfast, “I don't think councils are abusing their powers, but there have been one or two instances... where it could be said that perhaps some of the offences being investigated were too trivial to be using surveillance techniques." According to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act, thousands of people have had their telephone and email records accessed. Durham City Council was the biggest user of the act- 144 times over the last 12 months.

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