ABSTRACT
There is general public concern about police integrity as a result of recent revelations about the behaviour of senior police officers and their relationships with the press. Lord Leveson's current inquiry is just one public arena investigating allegations of the way some police officers might have trouble maintaining acceptable standards of behaviour. Despite the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) having a published Code of Conduct since 2004, some officers still seem uncertain about what is ethically acceptable in certain situations, such as receiving gifts or payments and the appropriateness of hospitality events. Recently, when senior officers were questioned by the Home Affairs Select Committee about their conduct, some revealed what appear to be overly familiar relationships with journalists, and allegations of certain activities, such as the leaking of sensitive information to the press were made. Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is the first to be arrested through Operation Elveden, an MPS investigation into misuse of confidential information. Several other unrelated investigations into the actions of senior officers have been conducted recently in other forces, one of which resulted in the dismissal of a Chief Constable. In addition the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is currently running major inquiries relating to possible police corruption including the Hillsborough disaster.
