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Gangs Matrix

The Gangs Matrix, also known as the Gangs Violence Matrix (GVM), is a database of alleged street gang members created by the Metropolitan Police Service in 2012.[1][2] It has been criticised for its use of circumstantial evidence and disproportionate targeting of young black men.[3][4]

A 2018 investigation by the Information Commissioner's Office found that the use of the Gangs Matrix at that time was in breach of data protection laws, and issued an enforcement notice to bring the operation of the system in line with the law.[5] The enforcement notice was lifted in 2021.[2]

In 2022, the MPS announced that it had removed more than 1000 people, representing over 65% of the entries in the database, on the basis that they referred to people who posed no threat of violence.[6]

In 2022, it was found to be unlawful following a legal challenge by the charity Liberty.[7][8] The GVM was replaced with "precision policing".[8] Formally, the databse stopped being used in February 2024 and was deleted in February 2025.[7]

  1. ^ Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (December 2018). "Review of the Metropolitan Police Service Gangs Matrix" (PDF). www.london.gov.uk.
  2. ^ a b "Review of the Metropolitan Police Service Gangs Violence Matrix: Update on the implementation of the MOPAC recommendations" (PDF). www.london.gov.uk. January 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  3. ^ Yeung, Peter (2 April 2019). "The grim reality of life under Gangs Matrix, London's controversial predictive policing tool". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Trapped in the Gangs Matrix". www.amnesty.org.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  5. ^ "ICO finds Metropolitan Police Service's Gangs Matrix breached data protection laws". Information Commissioner’s Office. 16 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Met police chief to reform list of alleged gang members targeting black men". the Guardian. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  7. ^ a b Hattenstone, Simon (2 February 2025). "Deletion of 'gang matrix' database will destroy evidence against police, say campaigners". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Met Police scraps controversial gang database". BBC News. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2025.

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