'The Branch’ - DI Bob Pugh recollects his time in Scotland Yard's Secret Police

<p style="text-align: center;">The Black Spy Podcast</p> <p style="text-align: center;">Season 2, Episode 0009</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>'The Branch’</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>DI Bob Pugh, recollects his 35 years in Scotland Yard’s Special Branch (MPSB), Britain’s secret police</em></strong></p> <p>This week's episode brings listeners a practically never before heard view of behind the scenes in the secret world of The Branch.</p> <p>Formed in 1883 before the existence of  the Security Service <em>(MI5)</em> in 1909, and The Secret Intelligence Service <em>(MI6)</em> in 1911, the Metropolitan Police Special Branch was Britain’s first accredited internal secret service.</p> <p>Tasked with upholding the national security of the United Kingdom, The Branch would later share this role with MI5. Because MI5 is not a law enforcement unit and therefore have no police powers of arrest or compunction, the Security Service would always require the assistance of the Branch or the police in general.</p> <p>In this week’s episode, Bob Pugh an ex Detective Inspector in the Branch, recollects his 35 years in MPSB and the exploits he undertook in the many departments and sections of The Branch.</p> <p>This is a fascinating discussion for anybody who has at least the slightest interest in the covert world of national security, secret intelligence and allied geopolitics. In this discussion, which lasts over two episodes, we learn how MPSB officers were recruited, the examinations they had to pass to be selected, the vetting system officers had to undergo to be granted unfettered access to the top secret information, documentation and intelligence MPSB officers required to undertake their national security task.</p> <p>We also learn of the investigative, secret intelligence and national security training MPSB officers had to undergo to gain the level of competence required to perform counter intelligence, counter subversion, counter terrorism, counter extremism and counter proliferation