The Police Federation has responded to a recommendation made by Sir Tom Winsor that the private mobile phones of police officers should be ‘trawled’ to ‘weed out the misogynists.’
An article published in The Times cited Sir Tom as recommending that ‘Police officers should face random trawls of their phones to tackle “revolting” online misconduct including misogyny and sexual harassment.’
However, responding to the recommendation, Adam Commons, Chair of the Leicestershire Police Federation, said:
“These comments today are an alarming insight into the thought process of someone in a high-level position connected to the police.
“With no intelligent or thought-provoking ideas available, we see the ludicrous suggestion of spot-checking my colleague’s private mobile phones.
“Police officers have the right to a private life the same as everybody else.
“Police Regulations already mean they can have their days off cancelled at the drop of a hat amongst a number of other factors that impact on their private lives, some of which Winsor himself was responsible for.
“The checks suggested would not be proportionate or even lawful. Would Mr Winsor like to hand his phone over today for a similar check?
“There are a very small minority of people in the police service who have thoughts and beliefs that have no part in policing or in fact society, and none of us want to work with those people.
“But stop tarring everyone with the same brush.
“I work with so many amazing people, who day in and day out put their safety at risk to protect our communities.
“They are broken from the constant police bashing in the media, and comments like these today are going to drive them away.”
The Police Federation of England and Wales said:
“Police officers are subject to the law, like anyone else.
“Random checks of their personal phones for nothing more than a fishing exercise would be excessive, disproportionate and unlawful.
“Police officers deserve to have a private life.”
Speaking about the recommendation, one social media user said:
‘The Police is a career i love but it has become an extremely hostile environment to work in which has taken its toll on so many good people.’
Speaking about the proposal, Martyn Gorse said:
‘This proposal by Sir Tom Winsor is not only appalling in principle it shows a complete lack of understanding of the law and a complete disregard for police morale.
‘Even if you argued that Art. 8 of the Human Rights Act does not apply to Crown Servants or is qualified, it ignores the fact that not all of my communications are with other police officers.
‘Any check of my phone would intrude on the privacy of my father, my brothers and innumerable friends who are not Crown Servants and do have a right to a private life.
‘Further, many police officers will have details of their private lives revealed. Not all gay police officers are out, for example, and there are plenty of perfectly lawful activities that are not necessarily something people would want in the public domain.
‘I hope the Police Federation fight this tooth and nail. I can’t emphasise enough how disgusting I even find the proposal of this. I suspect Winsor actually knows how unworkable this would be but is using it to stir the pot.
‘Either way his complete lack of regard for the private lives of police officers is nothing short of an outrage.’
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If be more concerned with the bent and cheating lords n MPs than I would with wrong’uns in the police.
As the police fed said, how would he like a random o spection of his phone! I know he wouldn’t, and he’d call it an invasion of privacy, and a dictorial movement.
Should we do that to judges too, as they’re also officers of the law.
Not even my fiancee goes around checking my phone, I’ll be damned if I let my boss do it.
If there bent than they will do what the baddies do, get severely pay as you go phones