Met Police remove 374 names from gangs matrix

The Metropolitan Police has removed 374 people from its gangs matrix after the UK's data watchdog found it breached data protection laws.

The database was set up following the 2011 riots to identify those at risk of committing, or being a victim of, gang-related crime in the capital.

Shortcomings were identified by the Information Commissioner (ICO) and in a review by London's mayor in 2018.

Scotland Yard said its use of the gangs matrix "saved lives".

In November 2018, the ICO issued an enforcement notice requiring the Met to make a number of changes to the database to ensure it complied with data protection laws.

The watchdog's deputy commissioner James Dipple-Johnstone said it was "satisfied the terms of the enforcement notice [had] now been met".

Among the steps required was improving guidance to explain what constitutes a gang member, ensuring people's data on the gangs matrix was "clearly identified, to distinguish between victims of crime and actual or suspected offenders" and "erasing any informal lists of people who no longer meet the gangs matrix criteria".

A Met spokesman said the matrix was "key in reducing risk among those included on it", adding: "This saves lives."

He added: "Over the last 15 months, there has been significant external scrutiny of the gangs matrix.

"We are now implementing a number of measures to make sure that we can comply with their requirements."

Latest figures show there are currently 2,552 individuals on the matrix, 1,063 of whom are in custody.

Since last autumn, 181 individuals have been added while 374 have been removed from it.

Mr Dipple-Johnstone added: "We will continue to work with the MPS, the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and London boroughs, so that data sharing can take place in a way that maintains that confidence."

The mayor's office has been approached for comment.