London, Aug 13 (PTI) New official guidance issued on Wednesday will require police forces across the UK to reveal the ethnicity and nationality of suspects charged with a crime as part of a drive to counter misinformation spread through online channels.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing said they have developed the update especially for high-profile and sensitive investigations and operations, with officers “encouraged” to disclose the additional information when there is a “policing purpose to do so”. The purpose highlighted by the law enforcement bodies includes reducing the risk to public safety where there are “high levels of mis or disinformation about a particular incident, or in cases of significant public interest”.
“We have to make sure our processes are fit for purpose in an age of social media speculation and where information can travel incredibly quickly across a wide range of channels,” said NPCC’s Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya.
“Disinformation and incorrect narratives can take hold in a vacuum. It is good police work for us to fill this vacuum with the facts about issues of wider public interest. Our aim with this guidance is to provide greater consistency with how we report this information. Being as fair, consistent and transparent as we can will improve confidence in policing as the definitive source of this information – making all our communities safer in the process,” she said.
The police chiefs referenced the anti-immigrant riots that broke out in parts of the country in August last year after misinformation was spread about the immigration and nationality status of UK-born knifeman Axel Rudakubana, who attacked schoolgirls at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport, north-west England.
“The public remains concerned about mis and disinformation, so this interim guidance provides clarity that police can disclose the ethnicity and nationality of suspects when they are charged in high-profile and sensitive investigations,” said Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO at the College of Policing.
“I want to reassure the public that officers will continue to police without fear or favour. The interim guidance will bring consistency so information can be released for all ethnicities and nationalities when it meets the right criteria,” he said.
The guidance was prepared in consultation with the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Home Office, which confirmed that it would authorise the release of “relevant accompanying immigration information” in future cases “where it is appropriate to do so”.
Under previous rules, the guidance for police forces said once a suspect is charged, they can give out information such as their name, date of birth and address for media reporting. It did not mention anything about ethnicity, nationality, or immigration status. The updated interim guidance, which comes into immediate effect from this week, will now be considered as part of a wider review of the College of Policing’s authorised professional practice for media relations, which will be subject to public consultation later this year. “Public trust requires transparency and consistency from the authorities that serve them,” a Home Office spokesperson said. PTI AK ZH ZH
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