Stuart Warner
Greater Manchester,Lancashire
Summary
Throughout my career I prided myself on my work ethic and diligence, whilst I have worked considerable periods in both uniform and non uniform my chosen specialist field was that of intelligence. To this end I worked as Field intelligence officer, source handler (CHIS) and latterly for the final 11 years of my career working with sensitive intelligence within the GMP CAB. I was a peer leader in my group and was responsible for the development of my role into one which oversaw a huge increase in responsibility and risk. I specialised in management, safety and dissemination of intelligence and had to always be cognisant of disclosure issues, risk issues and sensitivity of an intelligence submission, making sure that any submission was expedited to the appropriate personnel. I developed my role to include presenting intelligence briefings, giving talks to other staff about intelligence, its associated risks and disclosure issues, how to appropriately word and dissemination and the need for diligence and attention to detail. I was awarded commendations for my hard work and professionalism, dedication to the roles that I undertook and my excellent attendance record.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Police intelligence officer
Greater Manchester Police
Manchester, Lancashire
03.1993 - 12.2019
- During my time with GMP I partook in numerous intelligence courses including Advanced source handling levels 2 and 3.
- Human source management training, National intelligence specialist, drugs related investigations course.
- Test purchase operations course.
- I was a source handler for 5 years.
- I am product trained and section 57 signed.
- I am fully conversant with NIM and the management of police information including force procedures and guidance in the obtaining of information and intelligence.
- I am very familiar with GMP systems including IOPS OPUS Pegasus which I used extensively in my previous role.
- I have excellent knowledge of RIPA\IPA, EHR and telecommunications legislation.
- I am familiar with the ACPO manual of guidance for the standards for covert human intelligence sources.
- I have previously worked closely with the ISO conducting CHIS compliance within the covert unit ensuring that compliance with IPA/RIPA and the manual of standards was adhered to.
- As a result I am fully aware of the need to minimise collateral intrusion and maintain focus when reviewing any form of conduct and use or participation/infiltration authority.
- This includes being cognisant of status drift and ensuring that all submitted authorities are justifiable and proportionate to the application at hand.
- I am acutely aware of disclosure aspects of intelligence dissemination and utilised skills in this area on a daily basis in my role.
- I am fully appreciative of the intelligence gathering and dissemination process and used this daily for a large proportion of my police service.
- I would regularly generate queries with regards provenance and detail on submitted intelligence reports in order that as full a picture as possible could be gathered about the source of any intelligence received.
- I would then evaluate, sanitise and appropriately disseminate the information appropriately if required.
- I am aware of the home office confidential unit operating model and its implications in the wider national environment with regards the dissemination and sharing off intelligence.
- I worked closely in the initial stages of implementation with the IOPs team advising on procedures and needs for workarounds in order that the system retained integrity.
- All of the above must obviously be accomplished whilst being fully aware of dissemination and possible PII issues that may arise in the future.
- As such, it is always at the forefront of my mind that the inherent risks involved in utilising any CHIS or confidential contact must be assessed.
- During my time in the cab I developed and formatted a standard risk assessment for intelligence evaluators to utilise, this was taken up across the force as well as elements of the NWROCU and confidential unit.
- However, it should be noted that I am also acutely aware that any risk assessment should be taken and considered on an individual basis, as each scenario/case should be assessed individually, taking into account any risks pertinent to an individual source.
- This is especially important when assessing an individual for whom extra risks may be real because of culture, race, religion sexual orientation lifestyle or any other of the myriad diversity issues facing modern society.
- I am always aware of risks posed and of the need to attain a flexible approach to cater for a persons individual requirements, it is imperative that cultural and diversity issues are faced head on without discrimination or bias.
- I have grown up in a widely diverse community, and have always integrated effectively and without bias of any kind, I took this open minded outlook on life through my entire police career, a fact of which I am immensely proud.
- I was was never afraid to tackle discrimination head on and challenge inappropriate behaviour or remarks, rather than distance me from my colleagues I believe this led me to have their respect for my stance on this subject.
- I am trained in enhanced surveillance, foot surveillance PNC enquiry, NIM specialist, intelligence research specialist and DDA trained.
- I am trained in problem management and presenting intelligence.
- I have completed the DDA courses and all relevant online GMP NCALT requirements.
- I am trained in diversity and equality and during my time and a CHIS handler educated my team around issues surrounding the recruitment and management of Muslim CHIS, setting up a visit to a local Mosque and inviting speakers to talk about needs and requirements during EID and Ramadan.
- I am able to process large volumes of intelligence and ensure its secure and expeditious dissemination.
- I was awarded a Chief officers commendation in 2015 for processing 10,000 intelligence logs in a year on the OPUS system.
- This was achieved whilst still being cognisant of the possible sensitivity of certain reports and maintaining discretion and confidentiality through conscientious, methodical and meticulous record keeping.
- This demonstrates that I am able to work independently without reference to supervision but also that I am able to work effectively with my colleagues in a team setting.
- The majority of the reports needed to be disseminated in real time to operational staff in order to combat risk/harm threats to the Greater Manchester area, because of the large volume I was also able to spot emerging trends, crime patterns and series and disseminate the intelligence appropriately and safely.
- I have outstanding communication skills that were utilised to great effect as I was instrumental in developing better working practices and relationships with numerous agencies and departments such a CTU, NWROCU, Confidential unit, HM Customs, NCA as well as many other UK forces and PSNI FBI Interpol and European Police forces.
- My role entailed identifying and recurring themes in order to specifically target potential threats via appropriate intelligence led operations, this would include preparation of intelligence packages and debriefing both senior and junior officers as well as other intelligence staff with the GNP sphere.
- This would include giving intelligence advice and instruction to staff and officers through GMP, be it via telephone calls, in person meetings or intelligence presentations at Sedgeley park for the benefit of my peers.
- I am competent in the use of computer systems including Microsoft, internet, IOPS, OPUS, Excel, IPA and Pegasus.
- My role required that I worked utilising a covert identity, managing and maintaining the identity for the purposes of safely disseminating and evaluating intelligence submissions within the GMP covert structure.
- I am fully aware of this process and have previously been involved in the distribution and maintenance of covert identities to those staff that required them, I also enabled to staff in CTU Gateway and confidential unit to be allocated GMP covert names too that no footprint was left on GMP computers systems should they need to interrogate them for their work.
- Working with so many different intelligence aspects of policing, I obviously have an excellent understanding of the national intelligence model (NIM) and its application with in highly sensitive environments.
- I have oftentimes had to attend briefings with senior officers in order to deliver an overview of the intelligence held and intelligence gaps that could need to be addressed with regards to serious and organised crime.
- I have worked closely with investigation teams and SIO's on some of the most high profile incidents of recent times, this includes the Paul Massey Murder, the Arena bombing, Op Span (sexual crimes against children) and numerous other serious incidents and operations.
- However, my day to day job focussed on dissemination of intelligence throughout GMP via OPUS/IOPS to divisions and SOCG, in 2015 I was awarded and commendation for processing 10,000 intelligence reports in one calendar year, that was an exceptionally busy year and we were understaffed, however I could see that the backlog of reports was concerning and increased my working hours often working long days in order to help GMP in that time.
- The above mentioned operations are A fraction of many complex and protracted enquiries that I worked on during my police career.
- Protracted enquiries tend to have numerous twists and turns and often change direction suddenly and unexpectedly, I was very acutely aware of this when disseminating and evaluating intelligence pertinent to this kind of enquiry, one must always retain an open mind when dealing with the complex, as a single piece of information that may appear at first to be inconsequential, could have extremely important implications for the investigating team.
- To this end vigilance, acute concentration and a willingness to work hard and imbibe and retain large volumes of information are particular strengths of mine.
- I have the ability to read, scan, assess and evaluate, whilst also considering wider implications of the intelligence being presented, I am also then able to make decisions on dissemination and associated risks.
- If the evaluation and risk assessment was likely to take a long time, then I would consult with a senior officer (usually the AO or deputy AO) in order that a heavily sanitised version of the intelligence could be disseminated expeditiously for the SIO of a given operation to note and make decisions based on the information.
- This was particularly important during my time in the confidential unit when time critical intelligence would need to go out in a form of words quickly in order to prevent loss of life or serious harm occurring.
- This was always achieved with the security of the organisation and source of the intelligence at the forefront of any decisions made.
- Further down the line, I have experience of liaison with CPS representatives (level E and above) for complex case work, as well as the Northwest complex case unit both for Manchester and surrounding forces involving the PII process and deliverance of texts at court.
- All aspects of the dissemination process had to be considered including compliance with Human rights, data protection and freedom of information legislation in order to ensure the speedy and secure dissemination process could be completed.
- During my time in the CAB, I developed and co-ordinated a better relationship with the CTU in order to ease dissemination and increase the Flo of intelligence between GMP and CTU gateway.
- I personally set up a system that allowed for potential CTU CHIS to be researched and developed by the CTU if I recognised a potential recruit that they could be interested in.
- To this end I made myself aware of CTU target profiles and their current development strategies in order that the smooth transition of intelligence between the LEA's could be achieved.
- I helped to develop GMP's ISR register so that it became more efficient and allowed for the CTU to view and potentially identify themselves, potential CHIS to aid in the fight against domestic and international terrorism.
- I had an excellent attendance record whilst employed with GMP, I was flexible willing to work long shifts when required, for instance, in the aftermath of the arena bombing, with the SIU staffing levels hit by sickness and leave, I worked 16 hour days solidly without break for 3 weeks in order to sift through the mountains of information being presented to the investigation team.
- I will continue to adopt a flexible approach to working hours and am still prepared to change my shift at short notice in order to fulfil operational requirements.
- My DNA sample is on file but should this be required to be submitted again then I am more than willing to provide this as and when required.
- I was vetted to NSV standard in my previous role and I am willing to undergo stringent developed vetting as required as well as undertake any training that is required.
Education
Bsc - Geography
University of Southampton
Southampton01-1986
Skills
- Enhanced surveillance
- Foot surveillance
- PNC enquiry
- NIM specialist
- Managing intelligence
- Intelligence research specialist
- DDA trained
- Trained source handler
- Test purchaser
- Intelligence presentation and dissemination
- S57 and product handling
- Excellent knowledge of IPA/RIPA
- Human rights legislation
- Handling dissemination and disclosure of sensitive intelligence
Further employment
since retiring from the police in 2026. I spent 1 year doing family activities before re-joining GMP as a civilian detective working volume crime and anti social behaviour issues in the Rochdale area. I completed 3 years, the final 18 months as supervisor for a group of 7 detectives engaged in volume crime and neighbourhood issues.
Following that, I have been working since January 2026 as Concierge at Hopwood court. A role I enjoy and work well at. I have established good relations with both service users and care staff. I have experienced some new problems to deal with that even 30 years as a police officer did not expose me to, with the emphasis being on empathy, understanding and problem solving. as well as patience and just having the ability to listen. I do enjoy the rapport with the service users and staff, and I have an excellent relationship with both.
Timeline
Police intelligence officer
Greater Manchester Police
03.1993 - 12.2019
Bsc - Geography
University of Southampton