OFFICERS should be \u201cvery wary of having work-related social media groups\u201d, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said, after two officers from another force were sacked over messages and images posted in a WhatsApp group.<\/p>\n
The officers, from Essex Police, had shared \u201cdiscriminatory and derogatory\u201d images and memes and were found to have \u201cbreached a number of the standards of professional behaviour\u201d.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police Federation Chairman Steve Kent said that social media was \u201ca massive, massive minefield\u201d.<\/p>\n
His message to officers was: \u201cBe very, very wary of having work-related social media groups, especially like WhatsApp team groups, because if there is any inappropriateness within there, that could put all officers under the disciplinary spotlight, because there is an expectation that officers will challenge that inappropriateness.<\/p>\n
\u201cTry to keep work to work and home to home. If you do decide to have team WhatsApp groups, because they can be beneficial and supportive, work under the assumption that everybody can see what you\u2019re saying.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever you\u2019re saying there, pretend you\u2019ve said it in an open forum in a briefing room, because that is what you are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tiff Lynch, Performance & Conduct Secretary for PFEW, said: \u201cAs police officers we have a different right to privacy \u2013 both on and off duty \u2013 as public interest has been used by the courts in order to override it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, if an officer shares any post which others could perceive as offensive on social media or WhatsApp, there\u2019s the potential for misconduct charges to be brought against them, even if it was on a personal phone or off duty.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf an officer receives material which others could perceive as offensive, for example jokes that could be considered racist or sexist, they have a duty to challenge that material. If they don\u2019t, again they could be up on misconduct charges.\u201d<\/p>\n