Culture is often investigated as a prime suspect and used as a source of intelligence and evidence gathering in criminal investigations and court proceedings.
Cressida Dick, the commissioner of the Metropolitan police force is consistent with their beliefs of UK Drill being an instigator for ‘glamorising gang or drug selling life, taunt rivals and normalise weapon carrying (HM Government, 2018, p. 9; LBC, 2018; The Telegraph, 2018). Moral panic surrounds the art of UK Drill, characterising the music as a threat to youth violence and gang wars.
However, contrasting perspectives of Drill music are exhibited throughout the Policing the beats article which argues that Drill music opens a door for institutional racism, inequality, and the social exclusion that corruptly affects the minds of young black people. In the aftermath of a series of stabbings and shootings which directly linked towards UK Drill artists, numerous criminal justice programs have been formed. This includes continuing the ‘Operation Domain’ created by the Metropolitan Police Force with the intent of taking action over gang-related videos, the strengthening of the serious violence strategy (HM Government) along with an attempt to portray ‘drillers’ as ‘terror suspects.
In response to a question monitored by BBC’s today program about violent lyrics referencing knife crime, Drill DJ Bempah discussed: “if that's what you see in your environment, as an artist, that's what you portray in your lyrics.” Going further, he stated that UK Drill “can glamorise (violent crime), but it can't force your hand to commit those actions”.
One of the most astonishing cases of a possible exaggeration of moral panic by the Metropolitan Police Force was captured by the videography of a stop and search operation in London UK, which aimed at the videoing of a Drill music performance. Three armed police officers arrived at the scene holding on to their machine guns for deal life and shouting at Balistic and his group to place their hands above their heads. Whilst this was happening a helicopter was circling the so-called ‘suspects’ from above. With no evidence of any wrongdoing, the Metropolitan Police Force stated it was a reaction from a report of a firearm, whereas it more accurately represented an exaggerated arrest attempt in response to a Drill music video.
Many of these measures have been a result of YouTube videos related to Drill as a form of knowledge assortment to convict these artists shown throughout the videos. In most cases without no specific proof that these videos are linked to any forms of violence. As a consequence of this, 30 YouTube videos have been removed, with only more to come. Anyone identified within the videos promoting Gang violence and narcotics can be lead with the action of Criminal Behaviour Orders, which forbids suspects from collaborating with certain people roaming specific areas, including something as simple as wearing a hood.