Police in the gun over ID tags

LONDON - Senior British police officers face serious questions over the "unacceptable" trend of officers disguising their identity during clashes with protesters, as a police watchdog began formally investigating a third alleged assault on a G20 protester.

Nick Hardwick, chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, called for a national debate on how police maintain public order and demanded much tougher political accountability, warning that police should remember they were "the servants, not the masters" of the people.

He is also seeking the necessary resources for the watchdog to conduct more investigations independently from police - as it is doing over the death of Ian Tomlinson, the news vendor who died after being caught up in the G20 protests - and expanding its remit in cases where there is evidence of wider systemic problems.

The latest investigation concerns a 23-year-old man who claims to have been assaulted by a London Metropolitan Police officer on April 1 at a police cordon on Cornhill in the old City of London, adding to two existing investigations into the death of Tomlinson and claims by a woman activist that she was attacked.

Hardwick said the latest case would "not necessarily" be the last taken up by the IPCC, which is still sifting through almost 90 complaints about the use of force and examining CCTV footage.

He made clear his concerns about incidences of officers disguising their identifying numbers, which should always be displayed on the shoulders of their uniforms, arguing that colleagues should have reported such wrongdoing.

"I think that raises serious concerns about the frontline supervision," Hardwick said.

"Why was that happening, why did the supervisor not stop them? What does that say about what your state of mind is? You were expecting trouble?

"I think that is unacceptable. It is about being servants, not masters: the police are there as public servants."

He said such infringements were within the IPCC's remit "and we will deal with it".

Hardwick also revealed that the widespread use of mobile phones by protesters to take photographs and video footage of the clashes was providing invaluable evidence.

Senior London police officers held a series of crisis meetings throughout last week.

Sources said Sir Paul Stephenson, the new commissioner, was determined to get a grip.

One police source said he was ready to "kick some arse" among senior officers.

The IPCC has received more than 185 complaints about the G20 protests, of which 44 are not eligible for consideration, including complaints from people who saw footage on TV.

Around 90 complaints about use of force included witness accounts as well as those from alleged victims.

- OBSERVER