Latest news with #NationalPoliceChiefs'Council
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Leader Live
Met chief: Forces will more often have to release details about suspects earlier
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley was asked if Merseyside Police were right to release the ethnicity of the suspect. It comes after the force confirmed they had arrested a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area around two hours after the incident that left dozens of people hurt. Merseyside Police was criticised in the wake of the Southport murders last summer for not releasing more information after false rumours were started online that the killer was a Muslim asylum seeker. Sir Mark told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I'm not going to criticise another police chief who makes a judgment in a really difficult, complex situation. 'Every case needs judging on its merits. I think as we go forward in the future, we would always want to be more transparent in terms of the data we release. 'Sometimes the nature of the investigation, the nature of case, makes that difficult, but in principle of course, transparency is good.' Asked if moving in the direction of declaring a suspect's ethnicity sooner is the way to go, Sir Mark added: 'In general, I think we have to be realistic and more often… put more personal details in public, earlier.' He added that we are in an age of citizen journalism and 'some content will be all over social media very, very quickly' and people will be 'making guesses and inferences' so 'in that world, putting more facts out is the only way to deal with it'. Sir Mark also said if those facts 'embolden racists' in some cases then 'we need to confront those individuals', and added: 'Trying to avoid truths when half the truth is in the public domain is going to be quite difficult, going forward.' Chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, Gavin Stephens, said while transparency would help stop the spread of misinformation and disinformation, the public would also have to trust officers when they are not able to give out details about suspects. He told journalists at a briefing in Westminster: 'Some of this information is going to appear online very quickly from other sources, people's own mobile phone footage, the passing cyclist with a helmet camera, and assumptions will get made on the back of that material that's already in the public domain. 'It's incumbent upon policing to be as transparent as we can be in order to protect wider public safety and be open with the public. 'What we can't do, of course, and nor would we ever want to, is jeopardize any ongoing court proceedings that might arise. 'There will be cases where policing will have to say, 'we are not releasing that information now for very good reason', and sometimes we might not be able to give that reason publicly. 'But hopefully, in demonstrating transparency on those cases where we definitely can be transparent, hopefully, it will help to build trust that if we do say, look, on this occasion, we can't, that people will understand why.' On Tuesday, former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent Dal Babu told BBC Radio 5 Live the speed at which police released the race and ethnicity of the suspect in the Liverpool car incident is 'unprecedented'. In March, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy told MPs she wanted to dispel disinformation in the immediate aftermath of the Southport murders by releasing information about attacker Axel Rudakubana's religion, because he came from a Christian family, but was told not to by local crown prosecutors. Police did disclose that the suspect was a 17-year-old male from Banks in Lancashire, who was born in Cardiff. Widespread rioting followed the murders, with some disorder targeting mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Phone thieves' e-bikes to be crushed hours after they are caught
Police will receive powers to destroy e-bikes and e-scooters hours after they are seized in a crackdown on anti-social behaviour and snatch thefts. Officers will no longer have to give a warning to an offender before seizing and destroying a bike, scooter or car that has been driven in an anti-social way or used to perpetrate the theft of a mobile phone or bag. Instead of waiting 14 days before being able to dispose of them, police will have powers to destroy them within 48 hours. Ministers said the current 14-day deadline made it easier for offenders to reclaim their bikes, scooters or vehicles, which provided a limited deterrent to repeat offending. While e-bikes and scooters have become an increasing source of irritation for pedestrians, they are, along with mopeds and scooters, being increasingly used in snatch thefts. The number of snatch thefts, where devices or personal items are grabbed from a person by a thief, rose from 58,000 in 2023 to 99,000 last year – the highest level since 2003, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said: 'Anti-social and reckless driving brings misery to communities across the country, from dangerous street racing to off-road bikes tearing through local parks. 'By enabling police to seize and dispose of these vehicles within just 48 hours, we're giving our officers the tools they need to deliver immediate results and providing communities the swift justice they deserve. 'As part of our Plan for Change, these new powers send a clear message that anti-social behaviour, whatever form it takes, will not be tolerated in our local communities.' Labour is also looking to increase the fines for the cost of seizing, towing and crushing vehicles. A previous consultation recommended that it should be increased by the rate of inflation since the fees were last raised in 2008. This would cover the cost of recovering vehicles. The problem of nuisance driving has become so bad that some forces have launched dedicated operations to combat it. Operation Vulcan in Oldham has been targeting e-bikes, four of which were seized after their drivers were arrested for drug supply. Jo Shiner, the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead for roads policing, said: 'Anti-social use of a vehicle, such as street racing, street cruising or off-road use is more than a matter of noise pollution. 'It can have long-term effects on a neighbourhood, with the criminal damage of roads, other vehicles and surrounding property.' Edmund King, the AA president, said: 'Illegal car meets and street racing are not just anti-social, but also present road safety problems which have resulted in needless injuries and fatalities. 'This is a positive step that should make people think again before joining illegal car cruises.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Period apps 'outraged' at new guidance to search women's phones if they miscarry
Leaders of period tracking apps Flo and Clue have shared their thoughts on the new guidance allowing police to seize a woman's phone and check their period tracking app if she miscarries Popular period tracking apps have revealed that they are "shocked" and "outraged" over the new guidance from the National Police Chiefs' Council, allowing police to check a woman's period tracking apps she experiences pregnancy loss. The guidance, quietly released in January by the NPCC states that women who experience a sudden unexpected pregnancy loss, if they suspect a miscarriage, stillbirth or early labour is the result of an illegal abortion could be investigated by the police. The guidance further states that women could have their homes searched for evidence of abortion drugs and their phones seized for their search history, period tracking apps or fertility apps checked for evidence of whether they were aware of their pregnancy. According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 50 million women worldwide use period tracking apps, and of the big three - Flo, Clue and Period Tracker - there are 250 million downloads combined, as per a University of Oxford study. Rhiannon White, CEO of Clue, told the Mirror that they were "shocked and outraged" at the UK police's development and clarified that Clue "have never, and will never, disclose private health data to any authority." White said: "We have spoken loudly on this subject, particularly in the US since Roe Vs Wade was overturned in 2022. This same position applies to every region around the world. As a business, we have built our foundations on protecting women's rights to data privacy, body autonomy and health equity. We want to provide some clear and immediate actions women can do today to protect themselves better, alongside knowing our continuing commitment to protecting Clue members and their data privacy." White confirmed that Clue members can request to have their personal data deleted at any time, explaining that "members will always have full control and autonomy over their own personal information." "We have never and will never share health data with authorities. We will aggressively challenge any such requests and will never allow our members' data to be used against them," the statement concludes. Similarly, Sue Khan, Vice President of Privacy at Flo Health told The Mirror: "Women deserve to be able to use technology to learn more about their bodies and their personal health, without fearing their data will be unjustly used or taken in a way they have not agreed upon." Khan added: "Not only do these actions breed fear and hostility for women who are already going through an undoubtedly traumatic medical experience, they set a dangerous precedent for weaponizing technology built to serve women's needs." She ended her statement by encouraging users to protect their privacy further by implementing the apps' Anonymous Mode, "a first-of-its-kind technology that gives you the option to access the Flo Health app without your name, email address, or any technical identifiers being associated with your health data. This means nobody, not even Flo, could identify you if pressed.' A spokesperson for the NPCC told The Standard that an investigation would only be initiated where there is credible information to suggest criminal activity. They said: "This would often be because of concerns raised from medical professionals.' They also told The Observer that unexpected pregnancy loss was not 'routinely investigated' and 'any investigation of this nature will always be treated with the utmost sensitivity and compassion'. If you are pregnant or a new mother and you are in crisis, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7 in English and Spanish. Call or text the hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Police could check period tracking app after pregnancy loss under new guidance
New guidance from the National Police Chiefs Council allows police to search your home, seize your phone and check your period tracking apps after a pregnancy loss Guidance quietly released by the National Police Chiefs' Council in January states that women who experience a sudden unexpected pregnancy loss, if they suspect a miscarriage, stillbirth or early labour is the result of an illegal abortion could be investigated by the police. According to the guidance, women could have their homes searched for evidence of abortion drugs and their phones seized for their search history, period tracking apps or fertility apps checked for evidence of whether they were aware of their pregnancy. A spokesperson for the NPCC told The Standard that an investigation would only be initiated where there is credible information to suggest criminal activity. They said: "This would often be because of concerns raised from medical professionals.' They also told The Observer that unexpected pregnancy loss was not 'routinely investigated' and 'any investigation of this nature will always be treated with the utmost sensitivity and compassion'. The Mirror has reached out to the NPCC for comment. The guidance comes in light of the Abortion Act, introduced in 1967, which allows women to legally terminate a pregnancy up to 28 weeks and with the certification of two doctors. The limit was reduced to 24 weeks in 1990. However, abortion is still classed as a criminal offence in Britain and women could be prosecuted under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. Under the law, there have only been three conviction achieved, but criminal investigations into women who have suffered from miscarriages or had a premature or a stillbirth have recently increased. Six women have been taken to court over the past two years and over 100 women have been investigated, according to a report by the Independent. Later this year, an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, brought by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi and signed by over 50 cross-party MPs seeks to decriminalising abortion and ending the prosecution of women who terminate pregnancies after the 24-week limit is due to be voted on in Parliament. But the recent guidance from the NPCC has raised concerns among pro-choice campaigners, abortion charities and period tracking apps alike, who have pushed back on the frightening development. Katie Saxon, Chief Strategic Communications Officer at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, told the Mirror that this is a "clearest sign yet that women cannot rely on the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, or the courts to protect them." She said: "As an abortion provider, we know how the police treat women suspected of breaking abortion law. But to see it in black and white after years of criticisms of the way this outdated law is enforced is harrowing. 'This guidance was written at the same time as unprecedented threats to global abortion rights and while Parliament was set to consider decriminalising women," Saxon added. 'The only way to stop this is to remove women from the criminal law on abortion.' Saxon also condemned the NPCC's guidance for the police to use period trackers against women and said that it proves just how "detached from reality" the organisation is. Rhiannon White, CEO of period tracking app Clue revealed that they were "shocked and outraged" at the development and assured the Mirror in a statement that they "have never, and will never, disclose private health data to any authority. It's our firm and relentless commitment since our founding over a decade ago." Similarly, Flo 's Vice President of Privacy, Sue Khan told us: 'Women deserve to be able to use technology to learn more about their bodies and their personal health, without fearing their data will be unjustly used or taken in a way they have not agreed upon." If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Sands (stillbirth and neonatal death charity). You can call them on 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@ You can also find help and support at the Miscarriage Association. You can call them on 01924 200799 or email If you are pregnant or a new mother and you are in crisis, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7 in English and Spanish. Call or text the hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).
Cosmopolitan
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Cosmopolitan
Police told how to search a woman's home and her phone for evidence she's had an abortion
As anti-abortion groups in the UK step up their tactics and women's rights are being rolled back globally, the National Police Chiefs' Council has issued guidance in the UK telling officers how to search women's phones, menstrual-tracking apps and homes following a pregnancy loss, if they're suspected of having had an illegal abortion. Branding the guidance 'harrowing' and flagging concerns that police did not consult with abortion providers before issuing it, Katie Saxon, Chief Strategic Communications Officer at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said, "As an abortion provider, we know how the police treat women suspected of breaking abortion law. But to see it in black and white, after years of criticisms of the way an outdated law is enforced, is harrowing. "To write it without any public conversation or discussion with experts, to tell police to use women's period trackers and medical records against them, to tell them to evade the restrictions of medical confidentiality shows just how detached from reality the NPCC are." Saxon labelled the guidance as the "clearest sign yet that women cannot rely on the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, or the courts to protect them – the only way to stop this is to remove women from the criminal law on abortion." Due to an old Victorian law dating back to 1861, women can face up to life in prison for having an abortion if certain strict criteria is not met, as outlined in the Abortion Act of 1967 (which made terminating a pregnancy legal in some specific circumstances). Cosmopolitan UK, along with BPAS and more than 30+ other women's rights groups and healthcare organisations, is currently calling for MPs to scrap 1861 in an upcoming vote, believing women deserve compassion not prosecution – and that abortion is healthcare, and should not be tied in with the law. For much of recent history, nobody was investigated in relation to having had a suspected abortion. But in the last two years, six women have appeared in court under the basis of this law and healthcare providers report that the number of women being investigated is the highest it's been in decades. Leading abortion providers say they have received hundreds of requests from police for private patient data in recent times. The new guidance could further fuel a "culture of hostility and suspicion towards abortion and pregnancy loss", added Louise McCudden, MSI Reproductive Choices' UK Head of External Affairs. "To publish such draconian guidance about a legal medical procedure, without input from abortion providers or the wider medical community, shows an alarming disregard for the real world implications for the women involved. "When you have unjust, Victorian laws that govern women's bodies, it's no surprise that this leads to unjust regressive policing that overrides women's bodily autonomy." Many women who are investigated are vulnerable, with experts in the field pointing out they could be victims of domestic abuse, seeking an abortion as they simply cannot afford a child during the cost of living crisis, and/or are suffering with serious mental health issues. When asked about the new guidelines for officers, a National Police Chiefs' Council spokesperson said it is not routine for police to investigate unexpected pregnancy loss. "An investigation is only initiated where there is credible information to suggest criminal activity, and this would often be because of concerns raised from medical professionals. Each case would have a set of unique factors to be assessed and investigated depending on its individual circumstances." The spokesperson added, "It would be at the discretion of the senior investigating officer leading the case to determine which reasonable lines of enquiry to follow. "We recognise how traumatic the experience of losing a child is, with many complexities involved, and any investigation of this nature and individuals will always be treated with the utmost sensitivity and compassion. There is no standardised policy to investigate illegal abortions. Police will always work closely with health partners to prioritise the welfare of everyone involved." Responding to the news, Rhiannon White, founder of Clue, a popular menstrual cycle app, told Cosmopolitan UK that it would not comply with data requests from the police, and reminded users of the app to set up a pin, FaceID or fingerprint access on their phones. She also sought to highlight how women can request for their data to be deleted from Clue, or an equivalent app, at any time. "We have never - and will never - share health data with authorities. We will aggressively challenge any such requests and will never allow our members' data to be used against them," White explained, adding that the Clue team have been shocked and outraged to learn that UK police have been issued such guidance. "We have spoken loudly on this subject, particularly in the US since Roe Vs Wade was overturned in 2022. This same position applies to every region around the world," White adds. "As a business, we have built our foundations on protecting women's rights to data privacy, body autonomy and health equity." Along with 30+ other women's rights groups and healthcare organisations, including the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and leading abortion care providers BPAS and MSI, Cosmopolitan UK is calling for urgent abortion law reform. We believe abortion is healthcare – and should never be criminalised. If you'd like to support the campaign, you can learn more here. Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC's Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women's Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
