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The Metropolitan Police was today accused of attempting to "rewrite history" after staff were told to destroy photographs of officers failing to display their identity numbers.
A leaked email obtained by the Standard shows Scotland Yard instructing that pictures of uniformed officers breaching rules which state that they should be identifiable at all times must be "culled" from image libraries and databases.
It also warns that images showing police without their numbers "must not be used" and instructs that if any uniformed officers are "put up for interview you should make sure that they have their shoulder numbers/markings and name badges in place".
A sergeant who has been charged with assaulting one protester is among a handful of police accused of not wearing their identity epaulette.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said today: "The Metropolitan Police seem to be mistaking themselves for 1984's Ministry of Truth and attempting to falsify history.
"It is internal discipline problems in the Met that were responsible for officers not displaying their numbers and not the fault of the people who photographed them.
The Met said the email was a standard procedure of any publicity department. A spokesman said: "Any suggestion the Metropolitan Police is looking to re-write history is absolute rubbish. The Met is no different to many other organisations in seeking to ensure the most up-to-date images are used on posters and other publications."
The email was sent to the Met's internal communications and publicity staff and forwarded to some "suppliers" such as printers and some London councils. The Met said some councils were informed because they ran internal publications in partnership with Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
In April, Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson ordered all officers to display their identity number on their uniforms in a crackdown.
The email states any "still or moving photography or images of police officers must show them wearing their correct shoulder numbers/markings and name badges if these areas of uniform are included within the shot. As a precaution, if you hold any photography or images that do not meet this instruction they should be culled."
A town hall source told the Standard: "It's a bit rich to ask organisations outside the Met to 'purge' their own photographic libraries but it does show how embarrassed they were."
The email in full
Dear all
As of now, any still or moving photography or images of police officers must show them wearing their correct shoulder numbers/markings and name badges if these areas of uniform are included within the shot.
If any of these items are missing the photography or images must not be used.
As a precaution, if you hold any photography or images that do not meet this instruction they should be culled from your libraries or other systems you may have for their storage.
If you are reprinting or updating any existing documents or materials, including moving images, the opportunity should be taken to check whether the photographs meet this instruction. If not, they should be changed.
If you work with any external suppliers you need to make them aware of this instruction.
Also, when putting any uniformed officers up for interview you should make sure that they have their shoulder numbers/markings and name badges in place.
Dick
Dick Fedorcio OBE
Director of Public Affairs
Metropolitan Police Service
Reader views (15)
They are just thugs in uniforms much like MPs are crooks in suits.
Nothing new and nothing will change
- Mike, London England and once GREAT Britain
John, london - exactly. It can only be read as a 'cover-up' if that's what is being looked for. I read it as saying they wanted to make sure that the possibility of NOT having pictures of officers with ID showing are to be avoided if at all possible. (There's nothing the antis would like more than for pictures to resurface from before efforts were made to correct an identified problem, and used to 'prove' the Met were doing nothing about it subsequent to their efforts).
- Rogan, Irving
Our Police think sometimes they themselves are above the law, some even don't know their own law.
Please, why are people so naive, they have been doing this for years. If the boss isn't looking over them, then they can do what they like and get away with it.
They do something it gets brushed under the carpet and wait for it to go away, Police, Politians, they all break the law and don't get punished, when we do it, then we get the whole 9 yards...You can't have 2 separate laws...
- Adrian, london
I think you may find that it not covering up to carry out unlawful acts but to ID a supervisor in 'riot' gear so other supervisors can see each other in public order situations
They would probably be hard to see his chevrons when running about I suppose
Perhaps you could ask the Police Federation to help you out on this
- Andy, surrey
what,s new more corruption in the met? but what is being done about it besides promises to investigate which don,t materialise just be another cover up as usual,our honest and trustworthy goverment are a fine example yuk
- Basil, bussiere poitevine 87320 france
What?! So the Met is going to a lot of effort to ensure that CORRECT name badges and numbers ARE properly displayed in their own photos or press articles, and STILL people moan? This is a complete non-story. Just imagine how much hot air would be generated if they didn't do this. Then the police would be slated for "hiding" stuff. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
- John, london
The Police are a law unto themselves, not believe they are, Lance Johnson above. The supposed Independant Police Complaints is the Police investigating themselves so invariably the complaint is not upheld!
In this day and age the criteria to become a Police Officer should be raised not lowered as is the case now. I know it is no laughing matter but Mr Blairs' book trying to justify himself is inexcusable. Unfortunately there are cases brought to court where the officers are found not guilty when there is evidence to convict them. I wonder why?
- Des Egan, london UK
I'm confused, i get the impression this may be blown a bit out of proportion. It reads to me that any shots of officers should ensure they are in correct uniform, it doesn't state if this is images/videos from publicity campaigns or policing operations. "Libraries" indicates that these are standard images, for instance my company has an image library, would there be a big problem if we were asked to remove photos or videos of staff wearing incorrect uniforms.
Incidentally, hiding badges is completely wrong when out on the beat, etc. I'm not condoning that, i just think this is very out of context.
perhaps judgement needs to be reserved on this..
- Mark, crawley
every police officer who has covered up his badge/id for whatever reason, must be sacked immediately. of course this will not happen as the Met are a corrupt disgrace.
- Kerry, Purley
This is what you get when you employ thugs to do police work,anybody caught on film not wearing ID should be sacked without exception,its a bloody disgrace.
- General Lee Wright, Bent Kent , fragmented UK
If people start uploading such images to Facebook and Twitter, will they get their collars felt? We seem to be heading in that direction.
- John C, Leatherhead, UK
The removal of Police ID numbers is nothing new, go to any London football match and its clear for all to see that its common practice.
The Police are investigated by themselves and have no need to fear any members of the public.
- Lance Johnson, Canterbury, Kent
So any library images that may at some future time have an evidential use, will be gone.
- Sam_M, london
No Comment!
- Steve, Brentford
Obviously, the Metropolitan Police firmly believe they are a law unto themselves - just like hypocritical, devious parasite MP's.
- Reuben Camara, Plot 1, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR