{"id":170269,"date":"2020-11-03T15:19:41","date_gmt":"2020-11-03T15:19:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sypfcopperconnection.co.uk\/?p=170269"},"modified":"2020-11-03T15:19:41","modified_gmt":"2020-11-03T15:19:41","slug":"npcc-posting-of-out-of-context-clips-of-officers-on-social-media-a-hideous-phenomenon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sypfcopperconnection.co.uk\/?p=170269","title":{"rendered":"NPCC: posting of out of context clips of officers on social media a \u201chideous phenomenon\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>THE Chair of the National Police Chief\u2019s Council has described the public recording officers at work and posting out of context clips on Social Media as a \u201chideous phenomenon\u201d.<\/p>\n

In an interview, John Apter \u2013 National Police Federation Chairman – and Martin Hewitt discussed working on a new officer safety training and the legality of releasing body-worn footage. <\/span><\/p>\n

Regards clips of police officers at work being circulated on Social Media, John said: \u201cThis isn\u2019t telling the whole story and [it\u2019s being taken] out of context, creating hostility and anger from the public.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

CC Hewitt said: \u201cWe are seeing bits of footage released\u2026 they go viral and officers and their forces get pilloried. I can only imagine how hideous that must be if you were that officer.<\/span><\/p>\n

He added: \u201cThere\u2019s a real opportunity to get some guidance out quickly here\u2026 to make sure everyone understands the parameters. It\u2019s also about the mindset that we are going to do everything that we can do positively to counter some of the nonsense that we see. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a hideous phenomenon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CC Hewitt said Chief Constable Andy Marsh, from Avon and Somerset Police, is working with The College of Policing on a review which will pull together a package which makes clear what the parameters are for releasing footage \u2013 the positives and the dangers. And the legal position. <\/span><\/p>\n

This will then be shared with forces.<\/span><\/p>\n

CC Hewitt also said the practice of courts not releasing body-worn footage into the public domain when a defendant pleads guilty needs to end as the public need to see the reality and the dangers of what police officers face. <\/span><\/p>\n

Both CC Hewitt and John, reflected on what was described a \u201chideous phenomenon\u201d when speaking about officers being mistreated and wrongly depicted in the public domain after short clips of incidents have been posted on social media. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the conversation CC Hewitt explained that forces and officers need to be \u201creally clear\u201d about the legal side of releasing footage. <\/span><\/p>\n

And he praised Chiefs being proactive around countering misleading Social Media clips \u2013 even when they can\u2019t release the footage. \u201cWe need to be as proactive as we can be at countering,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

John and the Federation\u2019s drive around releasing body-worn footage has been supported by the Home Office and CC Hewitt is now in conversation with Priti Patel on progressing this. <\/span><\/p>\n

Another topic discussed was police officer safety, as last year a survey was conducted around safety within policing, more than 40,000 officers, staff and volunteers responded. <\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, the NPCC and The College of Policing have pledged to improve officer and staff safety. <\/span><\/p>\n

From this, 28 recommendations of how officer safety can be improved was agreed. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now Alan Pughsley, Chief Constable of Kent Police and NPCC lead for Safety Officer, has launched an officer safety review. <\/span><\/p>\n

CC Hewitt said the review would look to find one set of standard curricula for officer training and apply this across the UK. <\/span><\/p>\n

Currently the content and length of officer safety training varies across the country. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is more than we\u2019ve ever done before and this is a really good starting point,\u201d said Martin.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You can see the full interview here <\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w_bz0D9Zxvw&feature=emb_logo<\/span><\/a> The section on body-worn video begins at around 4mins 20 seconds in. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n