Police warned over use of websites

Police officers' postings on social networking websites are being randomly monitored by their bosses after some placed "inappropriate" material online.

A "handful" of Leicestershire officers have been told to remove comments or photographs either because they were considered rude or in poor taste.

In other cases, they have been asked to state on their sites that the views expressed on them are not those of the force.

None of the officers have faced formal disciplinary action. Detective Inspector Graham Hall, of the force's anti-corruption unit, said a growing number of officers, chiefly young, recent recruits, were using the websites to stay in touch with colleagues or to discuss work.

The unit is "dip sampling" sites created by groups of individual officers, Det Insp Hall confirmed.

He said: "What we have seen with the young people coming into the force is that social networking websites are daily business for them. I want to stress the positives though. Social networking sites used the right way can be very valuable.

"It has not got to the stage where any activity has attracted criminal or misconduct proceedings, but we have had to advise a handful of people about their use of these sites.

"We have not come across anything that has caused us massive concern, but we keep an eye on it."

Leicestershire Police Federation, which represents the force's 2,000-plus rank and file officers, believes the number of cases will grow in the future as younger officers enter the force.

Dave Grenz, chairman of Leicestershire Police Federation, which represents the force's 2,000-plus officers, said: "It has started to emerge as a problem, although I think it has been a bigger issue in other forces.

"Younger officers naturally use these websites far more than older people. I can see it becoming a bigger problem in the future."

An officer who regularly posts messages and photographs on Facebook said: "It's going to reach the point where just about every police officer has some kind of presence online.

"I only started using it recently because I realised it was a great way to stay in touch with friends and have a bit of a gossip about the job.

"But, all along I've been conscious that what I put out there could be read by my boss – or my mum."