I dont see the need for a legal opinion.
It says it
MAY be confidential, and divulging it
MAY be a criminal offence.
Well if they are not sure, then get it cleared up.
However they go on to say that the person writing the information which may or might not be confidential, is expressing his own opinion and not that of the Constabulary!!!!! I presume then that it is even more vague!
QED! A "lack of legs to stand on" springs to mind!
It is interesting to read the writings of Lord Stevens, former Met. Police chief.
He casually lets slip items in articles in the News of the World column he writes, regarding operational methods used by the police which I believe should NOT be in the public domain.
In his biography, he has a good go at David Blunkett - former Home Secretary. However while this might seem like sour grapes, it is likely to be a direct responce to comments made by David Blunkett in HIS biography, in which he slagged off Lord Stevens!!
David Blunkett appears to have had a low opinion of many of the police over which he was in overall charge, and has made this quite clear.
Yet both these men should have been bound by the official secrets act. I dont blame Lord Stevens - Blunkett cast the first stone, but it can only lead to more officers moving up through the ranks at present, feeling they too have a right to speak more openly and be critical of their superiors.
They SHOULD however be free to express an opinion (either here or in other forums) providing that it is accepted that they are:
Quote:
opinions [expressed in this document are those] of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of XXXXX
Constabulary.
However there are reports that they are being "discouraged" from doing so!!
Not good for policing in the long term - witness the present furore over the role of police officers in the 90 day terror ammendment vote.
The present spat which led to this thread is a prime example of an action which can only be damaging to the perception of the police role in law enforcement.
Police dont enact laws, they only enforce laws enacted on
our behalf by
our elected representatives. The present situation is going to lead to a blurring of those lines, and we the public will feel, and may well be, worse off. More protesting war veterans being arrested under anti-terror laws will see civil unrest grow, fuelled by those with a different agenda.