Chair Reacts To Tom Winsor's Statement on Wanting to Trawl Police Officer's Private Mobile Phones

Leicestershire Police Federation Chair Adam Commons said: “These comments today are an alarming insight into the thought process of someone in a high level position connected to the police.

“With no intelligent or thought provoking ideas available, we see the ludicrous suggestion of spot checking my colleagues private mobile phones.

“Police officers have the right to a private life the same as everybody else. Police Regulations already mean they can have their days off cancelled at the drop of a hat amongst a number of other factors that impact on their private lives, some of which Winsor himself was responsible for.

“The checks suggested would not be proportionate or even lawful. Would Mr Winsor like to hand his phone over today for a similar check?

“There are a very small minority of people in the police service who have thoughts and beliefs that have no part in policing or in fact society, and none of us want to work with those people. But stop tarring everyone with the same brush.

“I work with so many amazing people, who day in and day out put their safety at risk to protect our communities. They are broken from the constant police bashing in the media, and comments like these today are going to drive them away.”

The Police Federation of England and Wales said: "Police officers are subject to the law, like anyone else. Random checks of their personal phones for nothing more than a fishing exercise would be excessive, disproportionate and unlawful.

“Police officers deserve to have a private life."

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/.../sir-tom-winsor-trawl...