Lying is 'not misconduct' when Police do it

Lying is not misconduct when it is done by warranted policemen, the IPCC announced today. An IPCC spokesperson said:-

“Police officers have frequently to tell lies as part of their job – lies to courts and juries, coroners, investigators and to other police officers. Sometimes, officers even have to lie to Parliament and select committees. It is therefore completely inappropriate to pursue any action for misconduct against officers who lied to Mr Andrew Mitchell and subsequently lied to the press and public, their own senior officers and members of the IPCC. There is no distinction between the formal, official lying they undertake as part of their job and lying undertaken in their own time.”

A Police Federation spokesperson said “These officers lied in the finest traditions of the force and deserve nothing less now than immediate retirement on medical grounds on full pay for having undergone the stress of an IPCC enquiry”

Mr Mitchell’s comments cannot be printed.