City Police sack two over social media misuse amid rising distrust
The City of London Police has dismissed two employees for social media misuse, following internal investigations into inappropriate online conduct over the past two years.
From 2024 onwards, four staff members of the police covering the Square Mile were investigated for inappropriate online conduct, City AM understands.
This resulted in dismissals and formal warnings in all cases, according to figures obtained by Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.
One case involved a former officer found guilty of gross misconduct for contacting a crime victim through social media.
Even though the officer resigned before dismissal and has been barred from future police roles, the report said.
Campaigners say the case exposes a wider, systemic issue within policing, highlighting ongoing challenges around social media misuse and the urgent need for stronger oversight and training across UK forces.
Patrick Sullivan, chief executive of Parliament Street, said: “Police must uphold the highest standards online to maintain public trust.”
Meanwhile, Arkadiy Ukolov, chief executive of Ulla Technology, stressed that managing sensitive data demands rigorous control.
“It is vital that every staff member uphold the highest standards of conduct when it comes to using AI and social media systems, in order to prevent confidential information from falling into the wrong hands”, he said.
Digital misconduct and public trust
The issue of social media misuse in policing has taken on heightened significance since the 2021 Sarah Everard case, which triggered a nationwide reckoning with police culture and accountability.
The story exposed vulnerabilities in how forces manage digital communication and conduct.
Recent research has found a decline in public confidence in UK police forces, linked not only to high profile cases and systemic failures, including over 100 instances of misconduct cover-ups uncovered through FOI requests.
This underscored the need for transparent, enforceable social media policies to protect sensitive information whilst upholding ethical standards.
This comes after the UK government recently being slammed over digital safety on Thursday.
“The sheer weight of evidence heard… was damning,” said Helen Hayes MP, chair of the education committee. “Yet, the government’s response lacks the urgency and ambition the moment demands”.
Yet, a new online safety act, which came into force in March, was set out to require the removal of harmful content on social media platforms.
The law applies to around 100,000 online services including social media platforms, online forums and messaging apps.
It has given the UK watchdog the power to enforce stricter content moderation to ensure safe online practices across the country.