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Regional Undercover Unit

The Regional Undercover Unit (RUU) oversees the infiltration of communities, individuals, and organised crime groups – in person and online – to help tackle major crimes.

Our services

The RUU can:

  • talk you through which teams can assist your operation or investigation
  • provide support or full adoption of an operation
  • source and coordinate the deployment of undercover resources and assets
  • advise on how to secure the deployment of Undercover Operatives (UCOs) including Undercover Online (UCOL) tactics against a known or unknown threat
  • conduct deconfliction checks against all ROCUs and request deconfliction in other regions
  • identify crossovers or potential blue-on-blue situations and request the release of intelligence or evidence that might affect your investigation
  • assist Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs) to achieve their operational objectives
  • help you to seek authority from the NPCC through the Covert Authorities Bureau (CAB), in line with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA)
  • provide intelligence or evidence relating to undercover investigations
  • offer advice on sensitive scheduling
  • carry out physical or technical penetration testing

Are you an SIO looking for that final piece of the jigsaw in your investigation?

Give the RUU a call to see if we can help you covertly achieve your objectives.   

Bids for capabilities then need to be taken to your Force Tasking meeting.

How to request services

Our Gateway, within the Regional Intelligence Unit can provide more information about this service:

The Regional Intelligence Unit is available:

  • Monday to Friday 08:00 – 22:00
  • Weekends 08:00 – 16:30

For complex or resource-intensive requests, or requests for sensitive tactics, you will be asked to complete the BID Capability Form. Please refer to the Tasking Procedural Guidance about this process.

For urgent, out-of-hours enquires, call 01278 647 299 and the number will divert to the on-call SWROCU officer.

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