Police media disclosure

Absence of clear guidance for police officers on determining the appropriateness, necessity, and lawfulness of disclosing investigative material to journalists.

26 items 6 sources 3 inquiries
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Where this theme appears

Police media disclosure has been flagged across 6 independent accountability sources:

7 inquiry recs 8 PFD reports 4 committee recs 2 HMICFRS recs 3 IOPC recs 2 detention investigation recs

When the same issue appears across inquiries, coroner reports, and regulators independently, it indicates a recurring issue across the public record.

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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.

L77 — Police Media Contact Rule
Leveson Inquiry
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 Prime Minister stated on 29 November 2012: "Lord Justice Leveson makes a number of recommendations that are designed to break the perception of an excessively cosy relationship between the press and the police and …
Accepted
L76 — ACPO Media Contact Recording
Leveson Inquiry
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 Prime Minister stated on 29 November 2012: "Lord Justice Leveson makes a number of recommendations that are designed to break the perception of an excessively cosy relationship between the press and the police and …
Accepted
L75 — Discontinue Off-the-record Term
Leveson Inquiry
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 Prime Minister stated on 29 November 2012: "Lord Justice Leveson makes a number of recommendations that are designed to break the perception of an excessively cosy relationship between the press and the police and …
Accepted
DM-8 — Guidance on disclosing material to journalists
Daniel Morgan Panel
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: The College of Policing's counter-corruption APP already outlines categories of inappropriate associations that should be recorded and what notifiable association policies should look like for police forces. This includes that any associations with private investigators …
Accepted No update 2+ yrs
DM-7 — CPS guidance on disclosure for profit
Daniel Morgan Panel
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: The CPS has updated its guidance and this was published on 16 February 2022. The guidance sets out a list of non-exhaustive factors to be considered when assessing the overall criminality of a suspect, including …
Accepted
DM-6 — Guidance on unlawful disclosure recovery options
Daniel Morgan Panel
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: The MPS has now produced new bespoke detailed guidance for officers and staff when dealing with a data breach, along with the recovery options available for these circumstances or when leaked material is discovered on …
Accepted
MACP-10 — Disclose investigating officers' reports to complainants, subject only to substantial harm test
Macpherson Inquiry
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
Mark Stephen Smith
21 Oct 2013 · London (North)
Concerns: Guidance is needed for emergency services on when to remain on the line with a person who has taken an intentional overdose and is alone.
Overdue
Kirk Williams
14 Nov 2014 · Teesside
Concerns: A significant mismatch exists between police and A&E staff perceptions regarding the treatment of aggressive patients, including those with Excited Delirium, compounded by a lack of dialogue and clear guidelines.
Response (South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group): Multiple CCGs and Trusts report that if a detainee has a known past mental health history, they should be taken to the 136 unit at Roseberry Park; if serious concerns …
Response (Cleveland Police): Cleveland Police provides annual Personal Safety Training to all front-line officers, including training on "excited delirium." The police, along with medical directors and A&E consultants, established new guidelines for aggressive …
Response (NHS England): NHS England will consider the case further with the Northern Regional Medical Director to determine whether changes need to be made to relevant policies and guidance, including liaison with Public …
Overdue
Natalie Turner
25 Mar 2022 · Blackpool & Fylde
Concerns: GPs lack specific guidance for managing complex eating disorders, especially when patients are unwilling to engage, leading to uncertainty in treatment. There is also a concern regarding counselling guidance when patients are unwilling to engage.
Response (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy): BACP conducted a thorough review of member resources relating to confidentiality, competence, and eating disorders, detailed in an attached spreadsheet.
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): The Department of Health and Social Care is working with NHS England and other bodies to improve eating disorder services, expand mental health services, and implement funding for transformed adult …
Responded
Ryan Merna
05 Apr 2022 · Dorset
Concerns: The forensic team failed to adequately probe and document disclosures regarding a perpetrator's living situation and weapon possession, hindering risk assessment and police notification.
Overdue
Luke Flynn
· Inner North London
Concerns: The Metropolitan Police lack a policy on handcuff use when requested by medical staff for hospital patients with medical conditions, not mental health issues.
Response (Metropolitan Police Service): The Metropolitan Police Service has reviewed its new Handcuff Policy (published November 2021) and concluded that it is sufficiently robust. They do not believe a further policy change addressing the …
Responded
John Condron
06 Oct 2023 · Cheshire
Concerns: There is no agreed national protocol or specified timescale for police to inform suspects of a decision to take no further action, creating a risk of further self-inflicted deaths.
Response (Cheshire Constabulary): Cheshire Constabulary has reviewed its suspect policy and procedure, introduced in August 2023, and now specifies that when a decision is made not to take further action against a suspect, …
Overdue
Robert Evans
04 Mar 2025 · Liverpool and Wirral
Concerns: A lack of guidance and power prevents police officers from ensuring medical attention for individuals suspected of swallowing drugs during a street search if not arrested, creating a critical gap in care compared to those in custody.
Response (National Police Chiefs Council): The NPCC Stop & Search portfolio will review the Regulation 28 document and work to ensure officers are equipped to resolve incidents such as these; they will work with other …
Response (College of Policing): The College of Policing asserts that its Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Detention and Custody adequately addresses concerns about medical attention for individuals suspected of swallowing drugs, pointing to existing …
Responded
David Thompson
10 Feb 2026 · Devon, Plymouth & Torbay
Concerns: Police widely use the term 'suicidal ideation' which is not understood by the public or consistently by officers, risking critical information being missed in missing person reports.
Response (Devon and Cornwall Police): • Devon & Cornwall Constabulary acknowledges the concerns raised regarding the use and understanding of the term ‘suicidal ideation’ within operational decision- making and communications with members of the public. …
Responded
#3 — Publish the CPS's new media protocol promptly and ensure shared understanding with partners.
Home Affairs Committee
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 …
Gov response: The Home Office and its Agencies has and continues to use open-source material to good effect to support a range of missions. This has included support to tackle illegal migration operations and associated organised crime …
Under Consideration
#2 — Inadequate contempt of court laws and CPS guidance fail social media era communication needs.
Home Affairs Committee
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 …
Gov response: It is important that we learn the lessons from the most significant public disorder in more than a decade. The Government and police are now carefully considering the recommendations made by the Inspectorate as well …
Under Consideration
#4 —
Home Affairs Committee
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 …
Gov response: Safety Advisory Groups are multi-agency forums that provide expert advice to local authorities and event organisers on public safety matters. Safety Advisory Groups are non-statutory bodies and do not take binding decisions; responsibility for licensing …
Response Pending
#25 — Consider implementing a press judges model to proactively disseminate information on sentencing judgments.
Justice Committee
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 …
Gov response: 25. Section 129 of the Coroners Act places a duty on the Sentencing Council to publish and promote awareness of matters relating to sentencing. The Council will respond to this recommendation.
Under Consideration
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