Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes. We are actively engaged with our colleagues in The Association of Chief Police Officers, and it is something that we will be keen to contribute to. We have also had discussions with Sir Denis' department as well. The Filkin -- Elizabeth Filkin's report is very much a Metropolitan Police ...

Yes.

Yes, because I think it is important to remember that the vast majority of contacts between the police and the media are at very much a local level, whether it be a borough level or town and village level, and it is easy sometimes to get drawn into believing that ...

It can only be a part of the solution, in my view.

That's correct, yes.

One would hope -- there are a number of courses available to officers and staff. One is, as you've described, through the chain of command. There are, in most police forces, to my knowledge, a confidential reporting line as well, and you would hope that that would cover most eventualities ...

These are some discussions that we had with our members as part of the preparation for the hearing, and a view that we came to -- which is certainly not meant to be definitive but it gave us some sort of clarity of thought -- is information which, on the balance of ...

Yes, I do.

It is, and it's for that reason that we have offered to work with our colleagues in the Association of Chief Police Officers in the guidance that they are drawing up certainly at the moment.

Which I think almost brings you to the subjectivity rather than a clear defining line in terms of value or level of hospitality or what level of hospitality is appropriate or not. I just have a sense that if that -- we are -- part of what the Home Secretary is trying ...

I think it's difficult, sir. If, for example, you put a limit of £40, £50 or whatever, at what stage does £39 become acceptable, £41 doesn't? I think it creates almost a --

I think we have to be careful to have a proportionate response to this, because I think what we have been looking at here are some extreme cases. I would argue that the vast majority of contacts that police officers would have, particularly in my experience, are at a very ...

I think -- it's a term that's used by journalists quite often, perhaps as shorthand. It also probably reads well in the copy as well, but my experience is that police sources are referred to on occasions when they may not be police sources but it is convenient to ...

Yes, and that should start as soon as a police officer becomes a constable.

I think certainly, again, coming back to the issue of awareness, and -- I think it is occasionally easy for police officers to be asked a question by a member of the public or ostensibly a member of the public at a crime screen, for example, or a public order incident ...

We will approach that with an open mind.

I think the term "confidential briefing" describes it very adequately.

I think it's a difficult distinction. I think the term "off-the-record briefing" is probably unhelpful, because it almost gives a sense that somehow there's an element of secrecy about it. Really, what it is, I think, is really a way of describing a routine conversation between a police ...

I think it's very, very important for a number of reasons, particularly in an operational sense and public confidence and reassurance, but I also think in terms of holding the police to account, it is good to have a strong and active press.

Yes. I think that is part of the answer, but I think a greater part of the answer may be in the change of culture, perhaps, and understanding of some of those key issues of integrity and ethics, bringing those to the fore, when people are dealing with certainly the ...

Yes, I think that will be part of the answer, yes.

I think what you're probably seeing is, quite understandably, a sense of caution in people at the moment, and I sense that the outcome of this particular Inquiry will be a watershed in the way that the police and media deal with their relationships, and I think in that ...

I think it's something that is general to the service.

I think there is room for national guidance and standards, but I would add the caveat that training is not the whole answer to this. It is a question, I think, particularly with the new police professional body that will be in place in November this year, of making integrity ...

It is. Throughout a police career, at various ranks and various specialisms, you will have training in relation to dealing with the media. That tends to be, I would call, on a sort of process level or a mechanical level, what to do and what you don't do. It ...

Yes.

Yes, we have. We receive, on a regular but not frequent basis, members who will report that they've had unfavourable reporting in the media, and sometimes would suggest that that's been inaccurate or libellous, and they would seek our support in doing that. We have a process whereby ...

Yes, it would. In the course of their duties, that is.

I think it's just a core element of policing, and when a police officer becomes a sworn officer, they take an oath of attestation, and they also take the Police Service statement of common purpose and values, and again, that's very explicit in there about the role of ...

I think that should be explicit.

Yes, I do. I think it would be very useful.

I think so. I think the structures we have in place would make that the case, that people would receive it and would use it.

Absolutely, yes.

We are happy to work along with The Association of Chief Police Officers to revise the guidance, and also, once that has been revised, to use our network and make sure that every single superintendent and chief superintendent gets an electronic copy of the new guidance.

Okay. I think it was important in preparing the evidence that we speak to our members, and the feedback from them was that a number of them were aware of the guidance but that it was primarily aimed at press office professionals rather than operational police officers, and those that ...

Yes, I think so. That's correct, yes.

Yes, that is correct.

I think statistically 100 per cent. There are a handful, I think less than double figures, that choose not to.

That's right, yes.

Yes, it is. Following the police strike of 1919, the Police Federation was formed, but that represented officers only up to the rank of chief inspector, and it was recognised in 1920 that there was a gap, and the government of the day allowed superintending ranks to meet once a ...

That's correct.

That's correct.

Yes.

Yes.

It's for a three-year term of office.

No, I am a serving chief superintendent, but full-time seconded to the role of president of the Association.

Yes, they are.

That's correct, yes.