Police media disclosure
Absence of clear guidance for police officers on determining the appropriateness, necessity, and lawfulness of disclosing investigative material to journalists.
Source spread
Where this theme appears
This theme appears across 9 independent accountability sources, so the source mix matters as much as the headline total.
11 inquiry recs
8 PFD reports
4 committee recs
3 IOPC recs
2 detention investigation recs
3 DHR recs
1 CJINI report
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Inquiry recommendations(11)
FP56 — Recommendation 56
Recommendation: The following information should always be provided to the Crown: (i) a list of names of all examiners who have examined the mark at SPSA and their opinions as to the mark and the comparison; (ii) whether the complex marks …
No response yet
FP49 — Recommendation 49
Recommendation: The audit trail for a mark should be available to the Crown if requested.
No response yet
FP46 — Recommendation 46
Recommendation: Any image(s) studied by the examiner in making an identification should be provided to the Crown on request together with the remainder of the selection of images.
No response yet
8 — Recommendation Eight
Recommendation: The Inquiry Panel recommends that media awareness be an integral part of training given to newly promoted sergeants and inspectors. We do not see this as something which requires a full training package but rather can be incorporated into supervisor …
No response yet
L77 — Police Media Contact Rule
Recommendation: The simple rule included within the 'Interim ACPO Guidance for Relationships with the Media' should be adopted as good practice. This is: "Police officers and staff should ask: 'am I the person responsible for communicating about this issue and is …
Gov response: The Metropolitan Police Service, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and the College of Policing have implemented or are implementing all of the Inquiry’s recommendations in relation to law enforcement. For …
Accepted
L76 — ACPO Media Contact Recording
Recommendation: It should be mandatory for ACPO rank officers to record all of their contact with the media, and for that record to be available publicly for transparency and audit purposes. This record need be no more than a very brief …
Gov response: The Metropolitan Police Service, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and the College of Policing have implemented or are implementing all of the Inquiry’s recommendations in relation to law enforcement. For …
Accepted
L75 — Discontinue Off-the-record Term
Recommendation: The term 'off-the-record briefing' should be discontinued. The term 'non-reportable briefing' should be used to cover a background briefing which is not to be reported, and the term 'embargoed briefing' should be used to cover a situation where the content …
Gov response: The Metropolitan Police Service, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and the College of Policing have implemented or are implementing all of the Inquiry’s recommendations in relation to law enforcement. For …
Accepted
DM-8 — Guidance on disclosing material to journalists
Recommendation: Guidance should be issued by the Metropolitan Police to enable officers to determine whether it is appropriate, necessary and lawful to disclose investigative material to journalists. That guidance should include a requirement to record by whom, to whom and when …
Gov response: - New guidance agreed for the MPS General investigation Policy. - Clearly outlines the exceptional circumstances and the legal considerations when investigative material could be shared with journalists. - Delivery plan prepared for roll out …
Accepted
DM-7 — CPS guidance on disclosure for profit
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Crown Prosecution Service's additional guidance should be amended to include a requirement that the Prosecutor should consider whether the information was disclosed with a view to one or both parties securing future profit from the …
Gov response: No formal government response published. The CPS amended its guidance, ‘Media: Assessing the Public Interest in Cases Affecting the Media’, updated 16 February 2022, but has not stated that the amendment was made in response …
Noted
DM-6 — Guidance on unlawful disclosure recovery options
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Metropolitan Police establish a process to inform police officers about the recovery options available to them when material is unlawfully disclosed.
Gov response: - Research completed to establish legal basis for all recovery options. - New guidance for MPS officers and staff complete and delivery plan agreed. - Following consultation with the MPS, the College of Policing has …
Accepted
MACP-10 — Disclose investigating officers' reports to complainants, subject only to substantial harm test
Recommendation: That Investigating Officers' reports resulting from public complaints should not attract Public Interest Immunity as a class. They should be disclosed to complainants, subject only to the "substantial harm" test for withholding disclosure.
Unknown
Prevention of Future Deaths reports(8)
Mark Stephen Smith
Concerns: The coroner identified a need for guidance on the interpretation of 'where possible' in policy OPO6O for intentional overdose calls. It was suggested a supervisor should be consulted before ending such calls when the person is alone.
Overdue
Kirk Williams
Concerns: The coroner noted a mismatch in perception between Cleveland police officers and local A&E staff regarding the treatment of violent or aggressive patients with medical emergencies. There is a lack of dialogue and clear guidelines between the Constabulary and A&E departments to address these misunderstandings.
Response (South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group): • A meeting was held between NHS and police representatives, resulting in the agreement of new guidelines for managing aggressive detainees in A&E departments. • Cleveland Police stated it was … (AI summary)
Response (Cleveland Police): • Cleveland Police stated that agreed guidance, developed jointly with two Trusts, would be issued to staff. • The guidance outlines procedures for managing detainees with mental health issues, serious … (AI summary)
Response (NHS England): • NHS England stated it would consider the case further with its Northern Regional Medical Director to determine if changes to relevant policies and guidance were needed. • NHS England … (AI summary)
Overdue
Natalie Turner
Concerns: The coroner identified insufficient specific guidance for General Practitioners on managing patients with eating disorders who are unwilling to engage with treatment. This can leave GPs unsure how to provide necessary care.
Response (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy): • The organisation conducted a thorough review of member resources on confidentiality, working within competence limits, and eating disorders. • The organisation offers an Ethics Service to members for ethical … (AI summary)
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): • The Department confirmed it has been working with a delivery group, including NHS England, the General Medical Council, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, to address recommendations related to … (AI summary)
Responded
Ryan Merna
Concerns: The coroner raised concerns that the Trust's Clinical Risk Policy lacks explicit guidance on identifying a service user's living location and detailed procedures for documenting, discussing, and reporting disclosures of offensive weapons to police.
Overdue
Luke Flynn
Concerns: The coroner identified a lack of Metropolitan Police policy regarding the use of handcuffs when medical staff request their application to a patient in hospital for treatment of a medical condition.
Response (Metropolitan Police Service): • The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) stated that its handcuff policy, published in November 2021, requires officers to make and justify decisions on handcuff use in any given setting. • … (AI summary)
Responded
John Condron
Concerns: The coroner raised concerns about the absence of an agreed protocol and specified timescales for police to inform suspects when a decision is made to take no further action on allegations against them, noting this gap could lead to further self-inflicted deaths.
Response (Cheshire Constabulary): • Cheshire Constabulary reviewed its existing Suspect Policy and Procedure. • The updated policy specifies that suspects must be informed of a 'No Further Action' decision at the earliest practicable … (AI summary)
Overdue
Robert Evans
Concerns: The coroner raises concerns about the lack of guidance for officers when managing individuals suspected of swallowing drugs during a stop and search who are not arrested, particularly regarding powers to convey them to hospital and the advice provided upon release.
Response (National Police Chiefs Council): • The NPCC Stop & Search portfolio will work to ensure officers are equipped to resolve incidents involving suspected drug ingestion. • The portfolio will provide training and guidance to … (AI summary)
Response (College of Policing): • The College of Policing stated that its Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Detention and Custody provides guidance for cases involving suspected swallowed drugs. • The APP specifies that such … (AI summary)
Responded
David Thompson
Concerns: The coroner raised concerns that the police constabulary's use of 'suicidal ideation' was not understood by the public reporting missing persons, nor consistently by police staff, potentially affecting accurate risk assessment.
Response (Devon and Cornwall Police): • The Force continues to deliver refresher training to Control Room staff, emphasising plain language and understanding of suicidality. • Guidance issued in 2024 clarified 'suicidal ideation' as 'thoughts or … (AI summary)
Responded
Select committee recommendations(4)
#3 — Publish the CPS's new media protocol promptly and ensure shared understanding with partners.
Recommendation: Notwithstanding potential changes to contempt of court laws, we recommend that the CPS publish its new media protocol as soon as possible and keep this updated at least every five years or earlier if there is a significant change 33 …
Response attribution not verified
#2 — Inadequate contempt of court laws and CPS guidance fail social media era communication needs.
Recommendation: Merseyside Police were put in a very difficult position given legal restrictions on communicating the identity of the Southport suspect and the need to withhold certain information in order to protect the trial. The inconsistent advice from the CPS over …
Response attribution not verified
#4 —
Recommendation: Given the damage caused to community relations by the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, it is surprising and disappointing that Assistant Chief Constable O’Hara was not more precise in his remarks about whether Jewish representatives had supported the …
Response attribution not verified
#25 — Consider implementing a press judges model to proactively disseminate information on sentencing judgments.
Recommendation: In order to improve the quality of information in the public domain on sentencing, the judiciary should consider whether the model of press judges, as used in Finland and the Netherlands, could be used. The changing nature of the media …
Response attribution not verified
IOPC learning recommendations(3)
Recommendation - Cambridgeshire Constabulary, October 2020
The IOPC recommends that Cambridgeshire Constabulary considers adding a risk assessment step to their press release policy relating to potential offences committed by police officers. In particular the risk assessment should consider the potential for disproportionate harm that might need …
Excessive force alleged during son's arrest - Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, March …
The IOPC recommends that Devon and Cornwall police should take steps to ensure Exeter officers and PCSOs are aware of ACPO guidance (Association of Chief Police Officers Communication Advisory Group Guidance 2010) in respect of members of the public taking …
Stop and search - Bedfordshire Police, October 2018
The IOPC recommends that the College of Policing include a recommendation in their stop and search Authorised Professional Practice that police forces work with the members of their stop and search scrutiny panel to co-produce Governance policies and procedures that …
Detention investigations(2)
Independent Investigation into Concerns about Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre — Rec R34
Serco should seek to agree with the Home Office a new strategic communications plan for Yarl’s Wood based on the principles of transparency and openness.
Immigration Detention
Independent Investigation into Concerns about Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre — Rec R33
The Serco director of media relations should form and maintain a regular stakeholder group.
Immigration Detention
Independent reviews(6)
IOPC Review — Rec 14
The IOPC should be more forthright in defending its role in ensuring police accountability, its work and processes, when it is justified in doing so. For example, it should not shy away from correcting public statements by police forces if they present misleading or inaccurate information to the media about …
Policing & Security
IOPC Review — Rec 13
The IOPC should review its communications and engagement strategy during investigations – with the public, complainants, police and stakeholders – to be as transparent and consistent as possible about the progress of its investigations and communicate with the public earlier (without prejudicing investigation outcomes and potential misconduct proceedings or criminal …
Policing & Security
Angiolini Review — Rec 51
Any information released to the media should be limited to very basic information about the deceased and the whereabouts of the death, and where possible, agreed in advance with the family, unless there are exceptional circumstances (for example a witness appeal) where time does not allow for this.
Policing & Security
Accepted
Angiolini Review — Rec 50
Before the IPCC has formerly taken over an investigation the police should make no public comment on the matter. Unless there are exceptional circumstances which require the urgent release of information the police should not issue any information to the media, but should leave this to the IPCC.
Policing & Security
Accepted
Kerslake Review — Rec 48
The National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing should review the nationally accredited training programme provided to Family Liaison Officers to explore the opportunities for enhancing their skills in handling media contact with families, without compromising their core role. The potential for collaborative working with the Independent Press …
Policing & Security
Accepted
Jones: Patronising Disposition Review — Rec 8
As a further point of learning, the experience described in chapter 1 of this report should also act as a reminder to those organisations and individuals which are called upon to make public comments in the immediate aftermath of serious incidents that the public narrative, once established, is difficult to …
Policing & Security
Domestic Homicide Reviews(3)
Wigan — recommendation 6
Schools to have information available at the front office to enable speedy reaction/correct information for media enquiries with staff trained accordingly.
Primary School ‘A’
Hartlepool — recommendation 2
An MG6 should accompany all withdrawal statements and should again include all the points raised in the NPIA Guidance on Investigating Domestic Abuse 2008.
Cleveland Police
Cleveland Police
Hartlepool — recommendation 1
Proforma withdrawal statements should not be used within Cleveland Police and all withdrawal statements should include the information outlined in section 4.4.5 of NPIA Guidance on Investigating Domestic Abuse 2008.
Cleveland Police
Cleveland Police