Dave Johnston (police officer)
Dave Johnston is the Head of the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC).
Career
Currently managing Director of Yaana Ltd a technology company based at The Shard London.
Prior to this (2008- 2016) Head of The National Technical Assistance Centre in London. A business unit of GCGHQ with responsibility for maintaining interception of communications capability for all UK agencies. Advisor to government on policy and legislation for this area of work.
Prior to joining NTAC,(2004-2008) Johnston was the Metropolitan Police's head of homicide and serious crime, in which capacity he led the Damilola Taylor and the Torso in the Thames Investigations. He also advised the Suffolk police on the serial killings of five women by Stephen Wright. Ipswich Murders.
From 1979 to 2004 Johnston served in Avon and somerset Constabulary as a Detective, Hostage negotiator and senior investigating officer. He also served as the Detective Chief superintendent head of CID before moving on promotion to Scotland Yard.
Prior to joining the police force he served in the Royal Engineers from 1974 to 1979, having joined the army as a boy soldier in 1972 and trained at the Army Apprentices College in Chepstow. After joining the police, he obtained an MSc in public management and a postgraduate qualification in criminology from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.
In 2008 Johnston was awarded The Queens Police Nedal by Her Majesty The Queen, for outstanding police service.
Johnston has attracted some controversy when he suggested that:
- DNA samples should be taken from babies and then stored as a future resource.
- The information could be used to both to solve and also to help prevent future crimes.
- Samples could be taken from people when they renewed their passports and also that they should be taken from migrants arriving in the UK.
Personal Life
Married to Jessica Has six children two of whom followed him into policing.