2 replies to this topic

[Lord Vader]

Our long-standing forum rules have always made it clear that this is a public forum which can be read by anyone - your boss, best friend, partner... and if you're a serving officer, your Chief Constable and other colleagues. We have consistently had a policy which strongly advises officers against posting anything in here that could bring them or their force into discredit.

A couple of recent incidents have highlighted the need for me to clarify our policy here so there's absolutely no doubt.

This forum is run by me and a group of moderators, all of whom are almost without exception either serving Specials or Regulars. We have a duty to challenge inappropriate behaviour by users of our forum. This means any postings which are racist, sexist or otherwise offensive. Moderators have carte blanche to deal with such incidents as they see fit. This can range from a private warning via PM up to and including banning the person from the forum.

If it becomes apparent that the offender works for the police service, and this means in its widest context - regular or Special, PCSO, cadet, or police staff (i.e. civilian) - then we will consider whether the incident is serious enough to be reported to that person's employer.

Each case will be judged on its merits. In some cases, for example posting racist material, a single incident could merit such action. However I expect that in most cases we will consider the person's actions over a period of time. So if for example someone is offensive, and continues to be so despite warnings and moderation, then our ultimate sanction is to report such behaviour to their police force.

I expect some people will complain that this smacks of the "thought police", 1984 and all that. I hope the majority of users of this forum will welcome this position - which by the way has been pretty much our stance since the forum first got underway - as a further measure to ensure our forum stays a friendly, interesting place to visit. I expect those who are not comfortable with our policy will choose to go elsewhere - that is a cost I am prepared to bear.

I or any of the moderators will be pleased to discuss any concerns via PM or email.

[Lord Vader]

A further recent incident has highlighted the need for me to clarify and slightly expand the scope of this policy.

We will tackle inappropriate behaviour as outlined above and this includes evidence of criminal wrong-doing. If it comes to the notice of myself or the moderating team that a member has been involved in a criminal offence then we have a duty to report it and/or co-operate with the relevant authorities should they ask us to assist with an investigation. This applies whether the member in question is a special, regular or member of the public.

Some examples of the sort of behaviours that we have encountered (true life examples):

• A potential recruit to the Specials used abusive, sexist and racist language on the site
  
• A member admitted 'taking the blame' for a friend's driving offence (and taking the points too!)
  
• A new recruit to the regulars posted a link to a BNP cartoon (which was racist as you might expect)
  
• A candidate going through the recruitment process admitted using illegal drugs

Again I am sure there are those reading this who will feel uncomfortable and mutter about free speech and the like. But it boils down to this - I really, really like my job. I'm not going to lose it because I covered up for somebody's wrong-doing. This is not up for negotiation - if you are unhappy with this policy then please find a different forum.

[Lord Vader]

Time I think to remind everyone using the forum, and in particular serving officers (regular or special, or any other police personnel), of our long-standing policies and procedures. If you have never seen them, then take 10 minutes and read them now - they set out the rules of our forum and you are deemed to have read and understood them by using this forum.

As you know, we have an active moderation policy. Your excellent moderators do their very best to keep the peace, remove or edit inappropriate content, warn, cajole and advise members, and still try to enjoy using the forum themselves. But they cannot read every single post, and ultimately you are responsible for what you write. If you post something that is missed by the moderators, and which as a result gets you in trouble with your force, then you're on your own - don't come crying to me.

Police forces are taking an increasing interest in what their officers are saying (or writing) on internet forums like this one. It is not only common, but I would suggest these days totally routine, for Professional Standards Departments to monitor what their officers are posting, and they are not averse to taking action against those who post inappropriate material. The police service in the 21st Century must not only be above criticism, but must be seen to be sensitive, appropriate and correct in the way we conduct ourselves. Our policy is one of complete openness - if I am asked by a police force or similar authority for assistance investigating a matter of criminal or disciplinary conduct, then they will have my full co-operation. This includes giving access to private forum areas, where necessary.

This is not up for discussion. If you are not comfortable with our policies then you should cease using the forum at once.