Met warned over improper media links

The Metropolitan Police have been warned against a close relationship with the media as the officers are urged not to conduct private meetings with “flirty reporters.” A report drawn up by former Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Dame Elizabeth Filkin has called upon Scotland Yard not to maintain any “improper contact” with journalists and reporters. “It does appear that the close relationship between some senior members of the Met and some sections of the media compromised the capacity of both those institutions. And, because this happened, it eroded the trust both with the public and, I have to say, inside the Met,” said Filkin. The new report comes as another recent report, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act Request, revealed that over 900 police and community support officers have a criminal record. Crimes committed by the officers included burglary, causing death by careless driving, drug supplying, robbery, domestic violence, forgery, and perverting the course of justice. The recent report, titled Ethical Issues Arising from the Relationship Between Police and Media, revealed that officers and reporters have been flirting with each other and even drinking together. “Meetings will no longer be enhanced by hospitality and alcohol,” said Met commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe. Furthermore, acknowledging that police officers have leaked confidential information to the media, the report warned against such “prevalent and damaging” practices and urged a “change of culture.”