IOPC Launches Probe Into West Midlands Police Over Maccabi Tel Aviv Ban

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The policing watchdog has opened an investigation into intelligence failures that led to Israeli fans being barred from a match at Villa Park. It follows the retirement of the force’s chief constable and growing political and community concern.

Transcript

00:00West Midlands Police is now under formal investigation over the decision to ban

00:05Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a Europa League match against Aston Villa in Birmingham.

00:11The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched a probe into the actions of officers

00:16and staff involved in the intelligence and briefings that led to the ban. The watchdog

00:22said it received new information in the past 24 hours and used its power of initiative to begin

00:28the investigation. It will assess whether any employees have cases to answer for misconduct.

00:34The force has also referred itself over the use of artificial intelligence in the planning process

00:40involving one senior officer and one member of staff. The development comes days after Chief

00:45Constable Craig Guildford announced his retirement following mounting criticism over inaccuracies in

00:51evidence he gave to MPs. He admitted denying the use of AI in research including reliance on

00:58information about a non-existent match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham.

01:04His decision to step down followed an interim report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary

01:10and Fire and Rescue Services which found confirmation bias and multiple inaccuracies in intelligence

01:17shared with Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group. The Inspectorate's findings prompted Home Secretary

01:24Shabana Mahmood to say she had lost confidence in Guildford's leadership.

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