Police Organised Crime Unit (POCU)

Stephen Webb

The Policing Organised Crime Unit is responsible for the delivery of the serious and organised crime aspects of Home Office Aim 2, and in particular its Supporting Objective: "the reduction of serious and organised crime as measured by the disruption of organised criminal enterprises". It administers the Central Drugs Fund and Overseas Drugs-related Assistance Programme. It also plays a wider role in co-ordinating Home Office interests in international police and drugs co-operation work in both national and international areas and oversees aspects of police witness protection.

Contact Details:

50 Queen Anne's Gate,
London, SW1H 9AT

Tel: 0870 000 1585

Areas of Responsibility and Key Staff:

1. Deputy Head of Unit: Ben Baskaran

1. Schengen Information System
2. NCS/NCIS Sponsor Team
3. International Section

2. Drug Trafficking and Operational Policing Section

1. Drug Trafficking (UK and overseas)
2. Police operational matters relating to organised crime
3. Overseas drug related assistance
4. Organised Crime Strategy

Head of Section: Richard Rhodes

C.  International Section

1. EU Police Co-operation working group
2. Europol
3. Schengen Policy
4. EU funding programmes
5. Multi-disciplinary group on organised crime
6. Interpol
7. UN Convention on Trans-national Organised Crime

Head of Section: Geoffrey Sonnenberg

NCIS and NCS Sponsor Team

1. NCIS/NCS/Service authorities constitution and organisation
2. Funding for NCIS/NCS
3. Secretary of State objectives for NCIS and NCS, complaints and conduct regulations
4. Implementation of Criminal Justice and Police Bill

Head of Team: Pauline Wiles

Cross-Directorate Policing Strategy Section

1. Review of Intelligence on Organised Crime
2. People Trafficking and Organised immigration crime
3. G8 Group on Transnational Organised Crime (Lyon Group)
4. EU Twinning Programme on Organised Crime
5. Development of strategic response to organised crime
6. Development of new criminal offences covering organised crime

Head of Section: Laura Weight

High Tech Crime Team

1. Development of the Government's Hi-Tech Crime Strategy
2. Co-ordination of HO interests in hi-tech crime
3. Oversight of EU and other international work on hi-tech crime
4. G8 Hi-Tech Crime Sub-Group
5. Secretariat to Internet Crime Forum
6. Secretariat to Internet Task Force on Child Protection
7. Policy advice on the law enforcement National Hi-Tech Crime Strategy, including the National Hi-Tech Crime Strategy
8. Crime and the Internet

Head of Team: Tim Wright

Schengen Information System Programme

1. Implementation of UK connection to Schengen Information System

Programme Manager: Richard Benham