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266:. As the ensuing corruption investigations widened, the Obscene Publications Squad was replaced in its entirety with a new group of officers drawn from the uniformed branch and more than 20 detectives were dismissed or required to resign. When the cases ultimately came to trial in 1977, the presiding judge
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is split into three teams: the
Proactive Licensing team, Proactive Crime team and the Gaming team. All three units' primary responsibility is to generate intelligence-led operations against organised criminals who use licensed premises to supply illegal drugs and gaming establishments to commit
221:, the vice scene in the west end of London thrived due mainly to the number of overseas soldiers based in England, many of whom visited Soho. The proprietors of unlicensed clubs in Soho were breaching licensing laws but these also became a haven for prostitution and
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The unit reached its lowest ebb in the early 1970s, when chronic allegations of corruption came to a head with the detailed exposure in 1972 of systematic payments by the pornographer James
Humphreys led to 17 policemen, including
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counterparts. There was also a rotation system where officers were posted to the unit for a maximum of 12 months and then returned to their police stations. In practice, some returned within a matter of weeks.
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came into force in 1959 the majority of prostitutes left the street, practically overnight, for fear of imprisonment and the fine for living off immoral earnings which increased.
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provides field intelligence for the proactive teams. The unit includes a dedicated Source team; Counter
Terrorism and Promoters focus desks and the Financial Investigation Unit.
289:(with significant deregulation of gaming). With new legislation expected that covers the possession of "extreme obscenity" the work of the Clubs and Vice Unit continues apace.
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brought extra responsibilities when the unit was given the task of enforcing the act. As a result, obscenity became a new part of its terms of reference.
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provides a centre of investigative excellence to monitor London's off-street prostitution and in so doing protect the most vulnerable adult and
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and coerced victims. The unit also provides support and guidance to borough officers who come into contact with these offenders and victims.
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As a result of this corruption, officers were changed to predominantly uniformed officers who were thought to be less corrupt than their
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Established in 1932 as the 'C' Division Clubs and Vice Unit, the unit later became better known as the "Clubs Office" and was based at
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In 2014, the unit was merged into the
Metropolitan Police's Human Trafficking Command and the focus on clubs and vice was reduced.
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Wallace Virgo, the head of the
Serious Crime Squad, in overall charge of the unit, and Commander Kenneth Drury, head of the
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for officers to take instructions and collect their expenses. In 1941, the Unit moved onto the third floor of the new
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in August 1939, so the unit was temporarily closed. It reopened in
October in a secret meeting in a public house in
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which provided advice and practical support to other units in the
Metropolitan Police concerning the policing of
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victims and seek to investigate and prosecute those who exploit them. Emphasis is placed on rescuing
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Historically, the unit dealt primarily with prostitution, later introducing nightclubs, gaming and
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Legislation has affected the work and direction of the unit over the years. When the
331:. Particular attention is focused on the most extreme and/or exploitative material.
312:(BOCU) in tackling licensed premises associated with serious violence and disorder.
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George
Fenwick, head of the Obscene Publications Squad, his direct superior
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targets people who manufacture and distribute obscene material through
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Former operational command unit of London's
Metropolitan Police
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assists BOCUs with offences occurring on the street such as
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New challenges have arisen from the introduction of the
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Division, was crucial as Soho has been the most famous
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The Clubs and Vice Unit was split into five sections:
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60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
656:Specialist, Organised & Economic Crime Command
285:(with the potential for 24-hour drinking) and the
214:in the United Kingdom since the mid-19th century.
776:Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre
666:Human Exploitation and Organised Crime Command
402:Barry Cox; John Shirley; Martin Short (1977).
590:Deputy Mayor of London for Policing and Crime
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458:. Metropolitan Police Service. Archived from
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120:Learn how and when to remove this message
327:, complex distribution networks and the
704:Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection
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187:and the obscene publications industry.
18:Metropolitan Police Clubs and Vice Unit
646:Roads & Transport Policing Command
575:Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime
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741:Royal Parks Operational Command Unit
58:adding citations to reliable sources
346:and the advertising of brothels in
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835:Defunct Metropolitan Police units
802:Metropolitan Special Constabulary
709:Royalty and Specialist Protection
699:Protection & Security Command
736:Homicide and Major Crime Command
308:gaming fraud. They also support
194:was requisitioned to become the
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204:West End Central Police Station
170:West End Central Police Station
45:needs additional citations for
406:. Penguin Books. p. 208.
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240:Obscene Publications Act 1964
792:Metropolitan Police District
641:Specialist Firearms Command
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606:Organisation and structure
196:Aliens Registration Office
751:Violence Suppression Unit
694:Counter Terrorism Command
651:Territorial Support Group
404:The Fall of Scotland Yard
317:Obscene Publications Unit
797:Metropolitan Police F.C.
138:operational command unit
570:Assistant Commissioners
206:. This location, near
771:Hendon Police College
685:Specialist Operations
268:Mr Justice Mars-Jones
69:"Clubs and Vice Unit"
746:Borough Command Unit
631:Marine Policing Unit
456:"Central Operations"
158:obscene publications
54:improve this article
560:Deputy Commissioner
534:Thames River Police
510:Metropolitan Police
344:street prostitution
310:Basic Command Units
231:Street Offences Act
146:Metropolitan Police
134:Clubs and Vice Unit
727:Frontline Policing
529:Bow Street Runners
359:child prostitution
348:public phone boxes
283:Licensing Act 2003
212:red light district
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807:New Scotland Yard
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714:Aviation Policing
370:Intelligence Unit
287:Gambling Act 2005
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16:(Redirected from
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65:Find sources:
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550:Commissioner
464:. Retrieved
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190:The base in
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52:Please help
47:verification
44:
840:Vice squads
434:. Grafton.
217:During the
192:Vine Street
110:August 2023
829:Categories
671:Operation
584:Sadiq Khan
543:Governance
466:28 January
389:References
363:trafficked
325:mail order
305:Clubs Unit
256:Bill Moody
150:nightclubs
80:newspapers
355:Vice Unit
260:Commander
764:Training
430:(1987).
376:See also
329:Internet
185:brothels
813:The Job
673:Trident
520:History
177:casinos
164:History
136:was an
94:scholar
438:
410:
142:London
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785:Other
321:shops
181:clubs
101:JSTOR
87:books
468:2011
436:ISBN
408:ISBN
368:The
353:The
334:The
315:The
303:The
296:Role
237:The
208:Soho
183:and
156:and
154:vice
132:The
73:news
275:CID
253:DCS
249:DCI
144:'s
140:of
56:by
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