When was police uk launched

In some cases, such as those involving serious crimes, investigations into celebrities or prominent public figures, security, terrorism or major incidents, plans and procedures already exist or strategies will be developed to cope with media interest. If so, information should be released when appropriate as agreed in the investigations or operations strategy. Media strategies should be agreed at senior operational level and include the appointment of a dedicated police spokesperson.

This can provide the gold commander or senior investigating officer SIO with assurance that other police officers or staff will not divulge information that goes beyond the agreed media strategy and could compromise the investigation or operation. A high-profile investigation or operation should have a specific communications officer assigned to it in support of the media strategy.

All media strategies and media-related decisions should be logged so that, in the event of a change of staff, the communications officer can be easily briefed. The media strategy should make clear who is designated as media spokesperson and it should be distributed to officers and staff from the outset through team briefings and the recording of entries in decision logs.

All media statements in high-profile investigations should receive approval by the SIO or gold commander before release. If the media approach a force in advance of a high-profile or sensitive operation to request confirmation of its details, the force should not confirm the operation or release details that go beyond an agreed media strategy or could compromise the investigation or operation. The SIO should be informed so that they can consider any impact on the investigation and whether the investigation and communications strategy needs to be changed.

All rationale, decisions and details of meetings and conversations with the media should be recorded. A media organisation may request access to a high-profile investigation which is in the public domain , for example, filming officers working on the operation or a planned search.

All officers and staff involved in the investigation must be briefed on the terms and conditions of media access before it is granted. Media briefings provide an opportunity to engage with the media, communicate with the public and build confidence in policing. They may be considered at any point during the life of an investigation or police operation. Officers and staff should liaise with CCDs about planning and arranging briefings.

Consideration should be given as to whether or not an embargo agreement is required. If one is required, it should have signed agreement from the media and be retained for audit purposes. Embargoed briefings given to the media before the start of a trial. Pre-trial briefings are most commonly used in very high-profile, sensitive or complex trials where briefing will help the media to report a case accurately.

Pre-trial briefing information is disclosable to the defence. Pre-verdict briefings. Embargoed media briefings that take place after a trial has started but before a verdict is given. It should be made clear to the media that any information supplied that may prejudice a trial must not be printed or broadcast until the end of a trial and only then in the event of a guilty verdict. All media briefings provided for broadcast or publication before the conclusion of a trial, including interviews with officers, must be impartial and must not comment or speculate on whether or not a defendant is guilty.

Where a media organisation requests a pre-recorded interview for use in the event of a guilty verdict, the force should assess the potential risks before granting the request.

The media should sign an indemnity agreement before the briefing and the communications officer should record the content of the briefing. It should be done in a fair and equitable manner. It may be appropriate for police to work with a particular media organisation for example, a news outlet campaigning against a particular crime type but other media organisations should have equal opportunity to request similar access to operations.

When appropriate, pooled media facilities may be arranged in circumstances where there are limitations on access or space. As a rule, a pooled facility should ensure all types of media material — words, pictures, audio and film — are catered for. Notice and invites to media should be through the CCD.

In keeping with principle 7 of the Code of Ethics, police officers and staff must not disclose information, on or off duty, to unauthorised recipients. They must not provide informal tip-offs about operations.

Forces should take reasonable measures to ensure any materials that are published do not lead to a suspect being identified, in the same way as they would when a person is arrested. An example of this would be the release of a photograph after a raid that identifies the house number in a street, which could lead to the identity of the suspect becoming known.

The media should sign an indemnity agreement. It is the responsibility of the media to ensure that they do not identify the individual in the operation or identify any victims or witnesses without their consent.

Media access to private property is at the discretion of the owner, legitimate occupier or some other person who can legally authorise access. The police do not have authority in the matter and it is up to the media to negotiate their own access. Police have no power or moral responsibility to stop the filming or photographing of incidents or police personnel. It is for the media to determine what is published or broadcast, not the police.

Once an image has been recorded, the police have no power to seize equipment, or delete or confiscate images or footage without a court order. Where police have designated a cordoned area, the media must respect it in the same way as the public, unless a media facility within a cordoned area has been authorised by police. The best possible vantage point for media should be considered, providing it does not compromise operational needs.

Media organisations should be treated in a fair and impartial manner. Where a media organisation generates an exclusive, their right to share information in confidence with the police should be respected. This means that where an enquiry is put to police by a journalist, the information being sought will not be proactively issued to other media outlets, except for operational reasons or unless it was already planned for release into the public domain.

Once in the public domain, information released by the police should be available to all. Targeting in this way must be justifiable and agreed with a CCD.

Documentaries and other programmes can offer the police significant opportunities to engage the public through the media. Requests should be agreed with a CCD. If agreement to make the documentary or programme is given, the appropriate documentation including an indemnity agreement and an access agreement should be completed and signed by the company following discussions with the CCD.

It should be made clear in any contractual agreement that the media have full responsibility for what is published or aired. Arrests, charges, and judicial outcomes Referring to reports of a crime When releasing information for an appeal or in response to a media enquiry, care should be taken to apply the correct terms to describe a report of a crime unless there is a specific rationale for not doing so.

This approach helps to ensure accuracy and prevent undermining the victim. For example, an incident reported as a rape should in principle be described as such in all communications.

In these circumstances, an incident reported as a rape might instead be described using the term serious sexual assault. The SIO should record the rationale behind any decision not to use the accurate term. Police will not name those arrested, or suspected 2 of a crime, save in exceptional circumstances where there is a legitimate policing purpose to do so.

This position is in accordance with recommendations and findings of the Leveson Inquiry part 1 , the Information Commissioner and the Home Affairs Select Committee. A legitimate policing purpose may include circumstances such as a threat to life, the prevention or detection of crime, or where police have made a public warning about a wanted individual.

See also key themes. In certain circumstances, this may include people who have failed to answer bail. This should not apply in cases where, although not directly naming an arrested person, this information would nevertheless have the effect of confirming their identity. In circumstances where the release of such information, particularly details relating to age or location, is likely to confirm the identity of a person arrested consideration should be given to providing less specific details.

The rationale for naming an arrested person before they are charged should be authorised by a chief officer and logged either by them or by the CCD. The authorising officer should also ensure the CPS is consulted about the release of the name. Browse our catalogue in MEPO 7 for police orders. Note that the records are closed for 50 years.

If you already know the date of a particular event these might give you more information. The Metropolitan Police Special Branch was formed in Its remit included intelligence work, anti-terrorism and personal protection of prominent and public figures.

The Metropolitan Police has a collection of personnel records including records of service and a name database. Contact the Metropolitan Police, HeritageCentre met. Contact by email: HeritageCentre met. The Metropolitan Women Police Association holds a database of names of all women police officers from warrant No 1, issued in , to warrant No , issued in Use their online contact form to find out more about how to locate records of service.

Consult records of service and photographs of the women police patrols employed from at the Metropolitan Historical Collection. The Friends of the Metropolitan Police Historical Collection offer a records of service and a name database, as well as advice on tracing police ancestors. The Open University has some online images of divisional and station records including some occurrence and charge books.

Use our library catalogue to find a recommended book list. You may also be able to find them in a local library.

You can buy from a wide range of history titles in our bookshop. If you know the division an officer worked in, you can extend your research to include looking at divisional records. Maps of the districts and their changing boundaries can be found in record series MEPO For quick pointers Tuesday to Saturday to Skip to content Widget 3 For example, phone : Summit - Save the Date Preparations are underway for one of the most popular events in the police digital, data and technology calendar.

Our Services To Policing. Commercial Services. Knowledge Hub. The APP — to help ensure that there is a comprehensive understanding of the expectations on police when it comes to investigations involving data extraction — contains specific information and guidance for all policing roles that could have an involvement, from first responders through to chief officers. On this page. Obtaining data from digital devices — new guidance released. Published on 27 May Our APP helps forces to take a consistent approach to extracting data from digital devices.

Related resources. APP: Extraction of material from digital devices. Consultation response pdf