After weeks of searching, the Met Police realise that they have zero information about any demands for payment from the Portuguese authorities for work on Operation Grange

Doug D wrote:No official statements to be seen, we can only go by press reporting, although it appears to come from the same source that told the Met to ‘zip-it’ or else. This was followed up by a Met Police Press release, (linked to below), but which has now been whooshed. Someone has probably copied it somewhere for posterity though.

Is this Operation Grange exercise the only one in question?  If so I think I can understand that the costs of the operation was the responsibility of Operation Grange and funded from their global budget granted by the Home Office for the investigation into the 'abduction' of Madeleine McCann.  Certainly can't expect Portugal to pay for it.  The Home Office response is tenuous to say the least, although I can understand once a sum of money has been granted to Operation Grange actual expenditure is out of their control but they do say (the Home Office) that they regularly review the operation - it's a matter of conjecture just how far that review extends.

You say, I quote..   " This was followed up by a Met Police Press release, (linked to below), but which has now been whooshed. Someone has probably copied it somewhere for posterity though."

Where/what is the link?  I only see links to press reports.  I know the Metropolitan Police Press Bureau has re-vamped it's website - I wondered if this was because they previously specified that all information was for media contacts only and not to be reproduced.  Not sure if their stipulation was strictly honoured.

TB does mention 2013 in his enquiry, so there are probably more.

The link to the 'whooshed' Met release is under the red 'wrote' five lines from the bottom of my post.

Knew it would be here somewhere, good old mccannfiles!


 
 


07 May 2014
 
Letter from Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley to news editors re Op Grange, the Madeleine McCann investigation.
 
As you are aware this case has for some time been moving towards increased action in Portugal on the basis of MPS 'International letters of request'. Whilst the process is more bureaucratic and slower than we would wish, you will recall at recent briefings that DAC Martin Hewitt has said that we were increasingly optimistic of that activity starting soon.
 
I am writing because I now believe that activity will occur in forthcoming weeks. You will understand that our requests for action in Portugal lead to investigative steps taking place under Portuguese law. In this context I have been discussing with my opposite number in the Policia Judiciara the high levels of interest that the action (especially when some of it will take place in public) will generate in the British media. I have discussed with him that it is our usual and preferred practice in this case to brief the media on an ongoing basis on such cases as that usually ensures that the activity of reporters and the coverage assists rather than damages the investigation.
 
These briefings, as you would appreciate, do not give complete detail on what the activity is, (as this could compromise what we are trying to achieve), but do provide context and as much information as possible whilst still protecting the investigation.
 
The advice I am receiving from Portugal is that their approach is very different and they do not brief the media on current investigations. He has been clear with me that if we provide any briefings or information on the work they are undertaking on our behalf, or if reporters cause any disruption to their work in Portugal, activity will cease until that problem dissipates.
 
It is important you understand this and appreciate the position in which I find myself. We will not be able to provide any information concerning the activity because ultimately it could mean the work stops. We respect the Portuguese position as we would expect them to respect our position if we were carrying out work on their behalf in the UK.
 
The most important task for me is to build momentum and protect our investigation given the many lines of enquiry that we see are necessary in order that we can do everything possible to solve the case. I ask that you support me and my team in those efforts. This includes respecting the requests of the Portuguese authorities during the work they will be carrying out on our behalf.
 
As well as being aware of the dangers of disrupting the work of the Portuguese, I would also ask you to think carefully about the information you decide to put into the public domain. Although we will continue not to comment on specific information, I would ask you to think twice about what impact that information or speculation might have on the investigation if it is published or broadcast.
 
We do not want to undermine our prospects of providing Mr and Mrs McCann with answers in this tragic case.
 
Collectively we all need to think carefully about our actions in this case.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Mark Rowley
 
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id485.html

Sorry, getting OT, but the whole helicopter and subsequent dig nonsense, including two dogs, was fully photographed and reported in the Press without any apparent problems with the Portuguese authorities.
 
However there was no mention of four dogs and handlers going until this:  
 
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/meet-badger-spud-muzzy-tito-8460918
 
so is this was they were trying to keep hidden, which the Press complied with?
 
More on this thread:
 
https://jillhavern.forumotion.net/t13067-can-anyone-answer-these-questions

So a month after this:
 
(Snipped from above)
 
‘The advice I am receiving from Portugal is that their approach is very different and they do not brief the media on current investigations. He has been clear with me that if we provide any briefings or information on the work they are undertaking on our behalf, or if reporters cause any disruption to their work in Portugal, activity will cease until that problem dissipates.
 
It is important you understand this and appreciate the position in which I find myself. We will not be able to provide any information concerning the activity because ultimately it could mean the work stops. We respect the Portuguese position as we would expect them to respect our position if we were carrying out work on their behalf in the UK.’
 


we then had the following, thanking the Media for their co-operation:
 


Met Police Press Release - Operation Grange Update
 
11^th June 2014, 17.50
 
Operation Grange officers working alongside experts in their field from around the UK, the Policia Judicial and the Guarda Nacional Republicana today, Wednesday 11 June completed an eight day period of work searching specific areas of land in Praia da Luz.
At this time no evidence relating to Madeleine McCann has been identified. However it has given us an essential understanding of the activity on and people that have used this piece of land.
This was the first phase of this major investigation which has been agreed with the Portuguese following the four International Letters of Request submitted to date. More activity has been agreed and we expect that to commence shortly. In addition further requests are being compiled and will be submitted in due course.
The decision to search the “horse shoe” shaped piece of waste ground to the west of Praia da Luz and other sites was as a specific result of the UK’s investigation work to date.
The total area of land searched and surveyed was of approximately 60,000 sq metres and included all utilities, drainage channels and derelict buildings. 41 ground anomalies were identified initially by both aerial survey and ground analysis which were then investigated fully. These included three outside of the original area.
This deployment which was the largest ever undertaken by UK police overseas in a case of this type, highlighted the effective nature of the assistance given by the Portuguese authorities, for which the investigation team and family are very grateful.
The media’s understanding and co-operation following Assistant Commissioner Rowley’s pre deployment briefing has also been noted and appreciated.
   
There is still a substantial amount of work yet to be completed in the coming weeks and months, which again should be viewed as no more than normal operational activity in a case of this size and complexity. This recent work is part of ensuring that all lines of enquiry are progressed in a systematic manner and covers just the one hypothesis that she was killed and buried locally. This is the same as would be done in the UK for a murder or high risk missing person enquiry. The scientific support staff involved were there to provide the highest level of assurance that this area was searched to the highest possible standards.