Police's 'sexist' Facebook page 'objectified women for cheap laughs'
Police chiefs have said a Facebook page run for current and former police officers that contains sexist content is "not aligned with policing values".
Multiple posts on the 'Ex and Current Police Officers UK' page, which has about 5,500 members, drew criticism online for their sexist nature.
A serving officer slammed the posts, saying he was disappointed to see group members "objectify women for cheap laughs".
Police forces across the country are currently under scrutiny after Baroness Louise Casey's damning report into the Metropolitan Police, which revealed a culture of misogyny, racism and homophobic abuse.
In one post, a former Surrey Police officer during the 1990s showed a sexist cartoon with innuendo. Another post by a different group member showed a female dressed in a combination of lingerie and a police uniform.
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It complained that relationships with female officers occur in "the good old days before CCTV cameras were everywhere".
Officers who were found out were then "moved to separate stations miles away" as punishment.
A National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) spokesperson said: "The content of this Facebook group is not aligned with policing values."
One of the highlighted posts the NPCC said was 'not aligned with police values'
A Thames Valley police officer felt compelled to call out the postsContained in Baroness Casey's report was a condemnation of the complaints process in place for female officers when their male counterparts acted in a predatory nature towards them.
Some officers who had allegations of sexual misconduct against them were temporarily moved, before they had the "decision overturned, or be reinstated by a more senior officer shortly after."
Other female officers complained they were worried about being moved if they raised a complaint.
Another post jokingly wrote that some police officers may sometimes believe crimes can be sorted out with a "damn good kicking" and holding a seminar titled "suicide, getting it right the first time."
The highlighted posts in the group are not in any way linked to Metropolitan Police misconduct laid bare in Baroness Casey's report, but police forces across the country are facing more questions over behaviour and language used in the workplace as a number of female officers complained privately that accepted behaviour makes it harder for them to speak out when an issue does arrive.
Officers could face a disciplinary for engaging with the offensive content, the NPCC said (SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)The NPCC added: "Officers and staff are required to maintain the highest standards of professional behaviour both on and off duty and this includes online activity across social media platforms.
"By reacting to or commenting on a social media post, this may infer or express an individual’s approval of its content. Such interaction may also encourage further similar online activity."
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The NPCC said that officers or a member of police staff seen to be engaging with posts like the ones highlighted may be subject to a disciplinary investigation.
It is not clear if serving or former officers liked the post, though the group caters for both. One officer from Thames Valley police felt compelled the challenge the content.
In response to a post depicting a sexually dressed cartoon woman asking if she should "slide down the bannister and warm up the supper," the serving officer said the current drive around calling attention to violence against women and girls made it unwise.
The officer commented: "With the current drive around violence against women [and] girls, and reports saying men in police forces are being institutionally sexist, misogynistic and even predatory, I wouldn't fancy the consequences of posting this, as a serving cop, with all the negative press we are getting around all this."
Police forces across the UK are under scrutiny after a damning report revealed racism, misogyny and homophobia in the Met (Getty Images)"It won't be long until someone, somewhere, is made an example of."
The serving cop added that many in the group may find the post funny, but it would be "understandable if this made women feel objectified."
A woman who commented on the posts to express her distaste was branded a "stupid girl." Another group member later said the woman who complained was "toast."
They wrote: "Don't post anything prejudice (I don't think we have had many)...
"If you are posting something a bit risky make sure it's funny."
Another former police officer called the complaint "utter nonsense", to which the serving officer said: "What is nonsense, is that people continue to objectify women for cheap laughs in the current climate and think it's okay. On a police forum of all places."
The description of the group, which has since changed, read that it was "designed for ex and current police officers or staff to have a bit of banter and to assist each other in life after the job."
The explanation added: "This will be an adult-only group so risky banter is allowed, but nothing too offensive or you'll be given a section 5 ticket."
Police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) added it was "concerned by the content of this Facebook group and that its members appear to be either serving or former police officers."
It added: "The police service can be judged by the community on the basis of these types of offensive social media postings, which significantly damages public confidence and brings the police into disrepute."
The IOPC said it had raised concerns with the NPCC and "will be discussing it further in our regular complaints and conducts forums".
"Chief constables should look carefully at this to determine whether officers can be identified and, where appropriate, have potential misconduct referred to us," the watchdog said.
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