Recommendation - Metropolitan Police Service, February 2026

The IOPC recommends that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) review its training on officers’ participation in WhatsApp group chats and the requirement to report unacceptable behaviour and/or language through the appropriate channels. This review should consider whether training is sufficiently clear on:

• Officers’ understanding that their own or a colleague’s cultural and/or religious background or ethnicity does not justify them using any unacceptable language.
• Officers’ requirement to read and moderate the content of officer-to-officer WhatsApp groups that they have been added to but not participated in.
• Officers’ requirement to challenge or report unacceptable content on WhatsApp groups, regardless of whether this content has already been challenged within the group
• Officers’ understanding the circumstances in which challenging a colleague’s unacceptable language/behaviour is sufficient, and under which circumstances unacceptable language/behaviour must be reported to a manager.

This follows an IOPC directed investigation into racist and misogynistic language being used in a WhatsApp group of 34 serving officers who were all based in the same team. The content came to light when one member of the group reported it.

One officer had posted a poll containing unacceptable language, which several officers participated in. The majority had ignored the poll and while the content was challenged by one officer within the group chat, this was not reported externally by any of the other officers.

When the officers were interviewed under caution, there appeared to be a widespread misconception that the language used in the poll was acceptable due to the officer’s personal background. There was also widespread confusion around the requirement to read and report any unacceptable behaviour (including language) through the appropriate external channels. Some officers believed that because the unacceptable language had already been challenged within the group, this was sufficient, and it did not require further reporting.

Accepted

The MPS WhatsApp and Social Media policies have been reviewed and are being updated. This incorporates the most recent National Police Chiefs’ Council guidance on social media to understand where the MPS policy may not directly align. Where the MPS policy is seen to diverge, we have been able to adopt the guidance. The review and update of these policies will be shared to make officers aware and direct them to the relevant policy.

The Professionalism Communication and Engagement (C&E) team have created four 'Dilemma scenarios' which are available via the MPS Professionalism SharePoint. One scenario (‘Team Bants’) focuses solely on social media. It highlights the inappropriate use of WhatsApp groups, reaffirming the MPS policy and expected behaviour adhering to professional standards. The scenario is accompanied with guidance and relevant reporting mechanisms.

Social media is an overarching theme throughout the professional standards threat assessment (STUDIOSB+)2. Where themes, threat and concerns are identified they are incorporated within the delivery plan and use of the Professionalism communications platform to educate and advise. 

Through this process, the MPS C&E are developing a learning video regarding actions of a former officer who was dismissed for how they used social media. This will be published later this year to highlight how serious the MPS takes such behaviour. There will also be posters developed and placed across the MPS estate highlighting how social media should be used.