The ‘close relationship’ between the Metropolitan Police and the media has caused ‘serious harm’, says a report by Dame Elizabeth Filkin.
A former Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Filkin, was named last year as head of an inquiry to advise on cleaning up the relationship between the Metropolitan Police and the media following the hacking scandal.
Her report says there were ‘some very serious issues’ relating to contact between journalists and police which had ‘eroded trust from the public’.
Information had previously been given ‘inappropriately’ and this had ‘compromised’ the way police and the media scrutinised each other’s activities.
Filkin warned officers to ‘watch out’ for journalists offering money and for ‘late-night carousing, long sessions, yet another bottle of wine at lunch – these are all long-standing media tactics to get you to spill the beans. Avoid.’
Her report says: ‘Mixing the media with alcohol is not banned but should be an uncommon event’, adding that drinking with officers ‘may be seen as inappropriate hospitality’.
She also advises police to ‘watch out’ for reporters ‘flirting’ which she said is designed to get officers to drop their defences.
Her report urges that officers should keep a note of any conversation they have with journalists.
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