Social Media and
Off-Duty Conduct
The Standards of Professional Behaviour do not switch off at the end of a shift. Here is what the regulations, the Home Office guidance and the College of Policing actually say about posts, private chats, associations, second jobs and arrests off duty, and what to check before you act.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 30 September 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Yes. The Discreditable Conduct standard applies whether you are on or off duty, and Home Office guidance says every disciplinary outcome, up to dismissal, is available for off-duty conduct, including private messages shared with colleagues. The test is whether the conduct discredits the police as a whole, weighed against your right to privacy and free speech. Most cases turn on their facts, so ask your Federation rep early.
The standards follow you off duty
Police officers are held to ten Standards of Professional Behaviour, set out in Schedule 2 to the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020. Only one of them spells out that it applies off duty, but it is the broadest: Discreditable Conduct. Its wording, as read on legislation.gov.uk on 30 September 2026, is that officers "behave in a manner which does not discredit the police service or undermine public confidence in it, whether on or off duty". The same standard requires officers to report any action taken against them for a criminal offence, any conditions imposed on them by a court, or the receipt of any penalty notice.
| Standard (Schedule 2) | How it most often touches off-duty life |
|---|---|
| Honesty and Integrity | Not compromising or abusing your position, for example using your role to gain an advantage in a private dispute or a business. |
| Authority, Respect and Courtesy | How you treat members of the public and colleagues, including online and in group chats with colleagues. |
| Equality and Diversity | Discriminatory posts, likes, shares or messages. |
| Use of Force | Rarely off duty, but relevant if you intervene in an incident. The wording changed on 30 June 2026 (see below). |
| Orders and Instructions | Includes abiding by police regulations and force policies, such as your force's social media, business interest and notifiable association policies. |
| Duties and Responsibilities | Cooperating as a witness if a colleague's off-duty conduct is investigated. |
| Confidentiality | Accessing or disclosing information only in the proper course of police duties: no posting, gossiping or checking systems for personal reasons. |
| Fitness for Duty | Applies when you are on duty or presenting yourself for duty, so the night before an early shift matters. |
| Discreditable Conduct | Expressly on or off duty, plus the duty to report criminal action, court conditions and penalty notices. |
| Challenging and Reporting Improper Conduct | Reporting, challenging or taking action when colleagues fall below the standards, including in shared chats. |
The Home Office's statutory guidance (version 1.0, February 2020, still the current version on GOV.UK when we checked) explains how the off-duty rule is applied. It predates the 2024 to 2026 amendments to the Conduct Regulations, but the Discreditable Conduct wording it explains has not changed since:
- Always subject to the standards. Because of the office of constable, an officer is always subject to the standards, even off duty (paragraph 2.18).
- Discredit to the service, not to you. The test is not whether the officer discredits themselves but the police as a whole (paragraph 2.18).
- Privacy is weighed. Restrictions on private life must be balanced against the common law right to privacy and Article 8, and any action should be proportionate (paragraph 2.17).
- Private online behaviour needs particular care. It is considered even where you are not identifiable as an officer, taking account of privacy and free speech, but the ultimate test is whether it breaches the standards and brings discredit on the police as a whole (paragraph 2.19).
- Showing your warrant card puts you on duty. Producing it or declaring you are an officer, for example in a dispute with a neighbour, means you are exercising your authority (paragraph 2.21).
- Every outcome is available. All forms of disciplinary action and formal outcomes are available for off-duty conduct that breaches the standards (paragraph 2.23).
- A conviction or caution can be enough. A conviction or caution can itself lead to discipline or vetting action, but the force must say clearly how it discredits the police (paragraph 2.15).
The Police (Conduct) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/597) replaced the Use of Force standard from 30 June 2026. It now reads that officers "only use force when they honestly believe this to be necessary. The force used should be necessary, proportionate and reasonable." Allegations that came to attention before 30 June 2026 are still dealt with under the old wording. The other nine standards were not changed by that instrument. Older guidance, including the February 2020 Home Office guidance, quotes the previous Use of Force wording.
The Code of Ethics and the social media guidance
The College of Policing's 2024 Code of Ethics has two parts, ethical policing principles and guidance for ethical and professional behaviour. Both are non-statutory. The College says plainly that the Code does not set the standards against which conduct is assessed: for officers those are in the Conduct Regulations. The Code still matters because it describes what forces expect, and force policies are built on it.
The guidance's section on social media and instant messaging says, in summary, that people in policing will:
- think about how others may perceive their social media activity, at work or at home;
- not post discriminatory, abusive, oppressive, harassing, bullying, victimising or offensive material, or material otherwise incompatible with the ethical principles, on or off duty;
- not post material that could undermine the reputation of policing or damage public trust;
- make sure membership of any social media group does not undermine the profession;
- recognise that information posted online or in private chats can be shared publicly;
- not disclose information that puts themselves, colleagues or operational tactics at risk.
It ends with the point that matters most here: using social media, even out of work and in private life, may still breach regulations or terms of employment if it discredits the police service or undermines public confidence.
The College's authorised professional practice (APP) on media and communications gained a social media page on 23 February 2026. It says chief officers should make sure their organisation has a dedicated social media policy, covering "compliant and ethical use of social media, including general good practice for both personal and professional use", and how breaches will be managed. It points to NPCC policy guidance on instant messaging and social media, which sits behind a Knowledge Hub login. We could not read the NPCC document, so we do not describe its contents.
The detail you will actually be held to is in your own force's social media policy, which forces are expected to have. Read it, note whether it says anything about identifying yourself as an officer, using force logos or uniform images, or joining work-related group chats, and keep a copy of the version in force when you post.
What kinds of online conduct have led to misconduct cases
We have not named any officer, and we do not describe individual cases from press coverage. What follows comes from official sources only.
How the system classifies it. The IOPC's guidance on capturing data about police complaints (September 2023) sets the categories forces use. Several expressly include online behaviour: discriminatory behaviour "includes discriminatory behaviour via social media"; abuse of position for a sexual purpose, and for an inappropriate emotional relationship, include contact via social media; sexual harassment includes "sexual posts on social media"; and overbearing or harassing behaviour "can be in person or online". Forces also flag a social media factor on complaints, which the IOPC defines to include instant messaging and use by officers and staff "on and off duty, regardless of whether it is evident they are a person serving with the police".
A published example of outcomes. The IOPC's Operation Hotton learning report (January 2022) covered nine linked investigations into officers mainly based at one London station. It says many of the inappropriate messages were exchanged on social media platforms. The strand dealing with discriminatory behaviour identified from WhatsApp messages led to two gross misconduct findings, with both officers placed on the barred list, and six management action outcomes. Another strand, about failing to report or challenge alleged bullying and harassment, led to three misconduct findings.
The national picture. The Home Office's police misconduct statistics for the year ending 31 March 2025 (published 22 January 2026) do not break allegations down by social media use. They show that "discreditable conduct", the IOPC category for behaviour outside the execution of duty, was 31% of the 15,843 misconduct allegations finalised, and that 695 officers were dismissed following proceedings, equivalent to 0.4% of the officer workforce. That category is wider than social media, so it does not tell you how many cases involved posts or messages.
| Type of online behaviour named in official sources | Where it appears | Standard most likely engaged |
|---|---|---|
| Discriminatory posts or messages | IOPC category F; Operation Hotton strand 8 | Equality and Diversity; Discreditable Conduct |
| Sexual posts, sexual messages to colleagues or the public | IOPC sub-category J2; Operation Hotton strand 1 | Authority, Respect and Courtesy; Discreditable Conduct |
| Contact with a member of the public met through work, via social media | IOPC sub-categories G2 and G3 | Honesty and Integrity (abuse of position) |
| Harassing or bullying online | IOPC sub-category H5 | Authority, Respect and Courtesy |
| Sharing police information or images | Code of Ethics guidance on confidentiality and social media | Confidentiality |
| Staying silent in a group where others post offensive material | Operation Hotton strand 2 (failure to report or challenge) | Challenging and Reporting Improper Conduct |
For how outcomes are decided once a case is proven, see police misconduct sanctions explained and misconduct meeting vs hearing.
WhatsApp groups and private messages
Many officers assume a closed group or a direct message is private in the sense that matters. The official sources we read say otherwise.
- Home Office guidance, paragraph 2.20: content shared with colleagues by social media, email, text or encrypted messaging, even off duty or in a private capacity, is still shared with workplace colleagues and is potentially reportable. Whether you were off duty when you sent it "may not be relevant". The suggested test is whether the content would be appropriate in the workplace and in line with the Code of Ethics and the standards.
- IOPC, Operation Hotton recommendation 5: forces should make clear that "privacy is not a defence to discreditable conduct", and that deleting offensive or derogatory material from devices is not a suitable method to avoid disciplinary action.
- IOPC, on 'banter': the report recognises that humour is used to cope with a difficult job, but found the word 'banter' was too often used to excuse unacceptable behaviour, and that officers are held to a higher standard than the public even in their private lives.
- Code of Ethics: information posted in private chats can be shared publicly, and membership of a social media group must not undermine the profession.
The Challenging and Reporting Improper Conduct standard requires officers to report, challenge or take action against colleagues' conduct that falls below the standards. Operation Hotton included misconduct findings for failing to report or challenge. Leaving the group quietly may not be enough on its own. If you are unsure what to do, your force's professional standards department, a confidential reporting line or your Federation rep can advise. Keep a note of what you did and when.
If you are the subject of an investigation about messages, you have rights at every stage, including to a police friend and to know what is alleged before interview. See your rights under investigation. Do not delete material once you know of an investigation: seek advice first.
Freedom of expression, politics and its limits
Officers keep their Convention rights, but several of them are qualified. As set out in Schedule 1 to the Human Rights Act 1998:
- Article 10 (expression) protects holding opinions and imparting information, but says the exercise of these freedoms "carries with it duties and responsibilities" and may be restricted where prescribed by law and necessary in a democratic society, for purposes including the protection of the reputation or rights of others and preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence.
- Article 11 (assembly and association) expressly allows lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the police.
- Article 8 (private life) is the right the Home Office guidance says must be balanced whenever off-duty conduct is considered.
The restrictions that are "prescribed by law" for officers include Schedule 1 to the Police Regulations 2003, applied by regulation 6. It says a member of a police force shall at all times abstain from any activity likely to interfere with the impartial discharge of their duties, or likely to give the public the impression that it may, and in particular shall not take any active part in politics and shall not belong to any organisation specified in a determination of the Secretary of State. The Home Office's explanatory memorandum to the 2004 amendment says the Secretary of State determined that no officer may be a member of the BNP, Combat 18 or the National Front.
Separately, the College's vetting guidance says membership of organisations whose aims contradict the duty to promote racial, religious and social equality is incompatible with holding vetting clearance, including "casual association via social media, such as following or subscribing" or "commenting, sharing and liking". It gives National Action, Britain First, Daesh and Al Muhajiroun as examples and says the list is not exhaustive.
Whether a particular restriction on a particular officer's expression is lawful is decided case by case by panels and courts. We have not summarised case law here. Other rules also limit what officers can say, such as the Confidentiality standard and the law on disclosing information. If you want to speak publicly about policing, write a book or comment in the media, ask your force what approval its policy requires first; the Metropolitan Police's business interest procedure, for example, has separate guidelines for memoirs and publications.
Off-duty associations and notifiable associations
Who you spend time with is not normally anyone else's business, but some relationships can create a risk of conflict, compromise or corruption. Forces manage this through a notifiable associations policy. The College of Policing's vetting APP (May 2025) says every force has one, and that its purpose is to support people to disclose relationships that could compromise their work, safety or reputation, or that of the police service.
The APP's sample wording defines associating with someone widely. It includes:
- an acquaintance, friendship, relationship, intimacy or connection, including simply knowing a person even with no contact;
- meeting or uniting for a common purpose, keeping company, or being an ally, partner or colleague;
- membership of a group or organisation formed for a common object;
- communication by phone, social media and other means, not just in person.
The APP's sample guidance names examples that may need declaring: people with previous arrests or criminal convictions, people tendering or bidding for police contracts, journalists, solicitors, private investigators, and officers or staff previously dismissed from the police. It says the list is not exhaustive and to discuss with professional standards if unsure. It also lists changes of circumstance vetting holders must report as soon as possible, including new associations with anyone involved in criminal activity, being the subject of a criminal investigation, and changes in notifiable associations.
The APP describes disclosure as a way to demonstrate openness and integrity so risks can be assessed and advice given. It says information provided in confidence will be handled as sensitively as possible, but may be shared with units such as professional standards, counter corruption, HR or occupational health where necessary. It also says failing to disclose relevant information may lead to a misconduct referral, and could lead to vetting clearance being downgraded or withdrawn.
Second jobs, businesses and online income
Business interests are governed by regulations 7 to 9 of the Police Regulations 2003. The revised text on legislation.gov.uk shows no change to regulations 6 to 9 or Schedule 1 from the 2025 and 2026 amending instruments (those changed other parts of the Police Regulations). The process, as the revised text read on 30 September 2026 sets it out:
- What counts. You have a business interest if you hold any office or employment for hire or gain outside the force, or carry on any business. It also covers you or a relative holding a pecuniary interest in a licence or permit relating to alcohol licensing, refreshment houses, betting and gaming or places of entertainment in your force area (regulation 7(2)).
- Notify immediately, in writing. You must give written notice to the chief officer of a business interest you have or propose to have that has not been disclosed, and of a relative's interest that in your opinion interferes, or could be seen as interfering, with your impartiality (regulation 8(1)).
- Who decides. The chief officer directs an "appropriate officer", someone in the professional standards part of the force authorised for this, to decide whether the interest is compatible with remaining a member of the force, having regard to whether it would cause you to fall below the standards (regulation 8(2) and (3)).
- Your say. If the appropriate officer is minded to refuse, or to allow only with conditions, they must tell you in writing with reasons and give you the chance to make representations in writing, at a meeting or both (regulation 8(4)).
- Decision within 28 days. A written decision must be given within 28 days of your notice. A refusal or conditions must come with reasons, copies of documents relied on and notice of your right of appeal (regulation 8(5) and (7)).
- Appeal within 10 days. You can appeal in writing to the chief officer within 10 days, or longer if the chief officer allows. The chief officer must give you the chance to make representations and notify the outcome with reasons within 28 days, which can be extended in the interests of justice (regulation 9).
- Police friend. You can have a police friend to advise you, attend meetings and make representations throughout, using a reasonable amount of duty time (regulation 7(4) and (5)).
- If it is refused. Once the decision is final, it is treated as a lawful order. If you do not abide by it, regulation 7(1) says the conduct procedure applies as though there were a case to answer for gross misconduct. That wording still refers to the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2008, which the 2020 Regulations replaced, so ask your representative how it works in practice.
The College's vetting APP says forces must have a local business interests and additional employment policy (6.5.16). Its sample vetting form says the details to provide include property rental, directorships, voluntary positions and "generating any income from social media, blogs, gaming sites, websites or any other online activity", and that authorisation will be needed to continue them once employed. Home Office guidance adds that you should not carry on an interest if approval is refused or withdrawn, or breach any condition (paragraph 2.22).
The Metropolitan Police's business interest procedure (November 2022) requires approved interests to be reviewed annually at the same time as the performance review, says failure to submit the annual review will lead to the interest being revoked, says an annual review takes account of performance, attendance and misconduct, and says staff must declare extra income to HMRC. Other forces' policies differ in detail, so read your own.
For the money side, see second jobs and business interests.
Alcohol, off-duty driving and being arrested
Alcohol. The Fitness for Duty standard applies "when on duty or presenting themselves for duty". Drinking off duty is not a breach in itself. Behaviour while drinking can still breach other standards, and turning up unfit, including on a recall to duty, engages Fitness for Duty directly.
Reporting duty. The Discreditable Conduct standard requires you to report action taken against you for a criminal offence, court conditions and penalty notices. The 2024 Code of Ethics guidance lists what officers should report as soon as reasonably practical, in the UK or elsewhere, including:
- arrest, a summons, a charge or caution, or any legal processing connected with an allegation of crime;
- a penalty notice for disorder, or an endorsable fixed penalty notice for a road traffic offence;
- a conviction, sentence or condition imposed by any court, criminal or civil, including non-molestation, occupation and restraining orders and bind-overs (matrimonial proceedings are excluded);
- legal proceedings for debt recovery or other adverse financial judgments;
- any known criminal conviction of an immediate family member or close friend, so safeguards can be put in place.
Suspension after arrest. Since 13 July 2026 (SI 2026/653), where an officer is arrested, or questioned under caution as a voluntary attender, for an offence listed in Schedule 3 to the Conduct Regulations (which includes sexual offences, stalking and several domestic abuse related offences), or for an offence where the force assesses the conduct as domestic abuse, the force must decide on suspension within three working days and "the public interest requires suspension unless there are exceptional circumstances". Being charged with a listed offence leads to automatic suspension. SI 2026/653 has transitional rules for matters already running, so check with your rep which rules apply. This is covered in detail in police officer arrested or criminally investigated.
Driving. Driving offences off duty follow the same route: report what the standard and your force policy require, and expect the force to consider whether the underlying conduct discredits the service. The IOPC's category for the "use of police vehicles" concerns police vehicles; an offence in your own car off duty is dealt with like any other off-duty matter.
How vetting and the licence to practise react
Off-duty conduct can reach you through vetting as well as through misconduct, and since 2025 the two are more closely tied.
- You must hold vetting clearance. The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/502), in force 14 May 2025, require every officer to hold and maintain vetting clearance and set a procedure for withdrawing it.
- Withdrawal means dismissal. Regulation 24 says an officer whose vetting clearance is withdrawn "must be dismissed without notice". The officer can appeal to a panel of three, and the regulations amended the Police Appeals Tribunals Rules 2020 so there is a further appeal to a police appeals tribunal. You can have a police friend, and a lawyer at an interview or appeal meeting (regulations 9 and 10).
- A review follows most misconduct outcomes. The vetting APP (7.3) says a focused vetting review must be carried out after misconduct proceedings that result in any sanction other than dismissal, and can be carried out even when no sanction is given. It says misconduct procedures take primacy and a vetting review is not a route to get around them.
- Changes of circumstance. The APP says changes must be reported as soon as possible, and that failing to disclose relevant information may lead to a misconduct referral.
If you are facing a vetting review, the questions to ask are covered in your rights under investigation and representation and legal support.
The January 2026 policing white paper, From local to national, says the government will introduce a Licence to Practise for officers, underpinned by regular wellbeing and development checks, and that it "will not be able to introduce a Licence overnight" and will consult extensively. We found no published detail on how misconduct findings or off-duty conduct would affect a licence, so we do not speculate. Treat anything more specific you hear as unconfirmed until the Home Office publishes it.
Risk-awareness table
This is a map of which rule usually applies and who to ask. It is not a prediction of outcome: that depends on the facts, your record and the decision-maker.
| Activity | Rule that applies | What to check | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Posting opinions on a public account | Discreditable Conduct; Equality and Diversity; Schedule 1 (politics) | Would it be appropriate if read out at work? Is it party political campaigning? | Force social media policy; PSD |
| Work-related WhatsApp or group chats | HO guidance 2.20; Challenging and Reporting | Is anything shared you would not say at work? Have you challenged or reported it? | Supervisor; PSD; confidential reporting line |
| Posting about incidents, jobs or colleagues | Confidentiality; Code of Ethics | Could it identify anyone or reveal tactics or information? | Force corporate communications |
| Following or liking groups | Vetting APP; Schedule 1 determination | Do the group's aims contradict equality duties? Is it a specified organisation? | Force vetting unit; counter terrorism security adviser if unsure |
| Friend or partner with convictions or criminal links | Notifiable associations policy; vetting change of circumstance | Is it declarable under your force policy? | Counter corruption unit; vetting unit |
| Second job, business or online income | Police Regulations 2003, regs 7 to 9 | Has it been notified and approved? Any conditions? Annual review due? | PSD business interests team; Federation rep |
| Relative running a licensed premises | Regulation 7(2)(b) and 8(1)(b) | Is it in your force area? Could it be seen as affecting impartiality? | PSD business interests team |
| Drinking before a shift | Fitness for Duty | Will you be fit when you present for duty, including a recall? | Supervisor; occupational health if alcohol is a worry |
| Arrest, penalty notice, court order, CCJ | Discreditable Conduct reporting duty; Code of Ethics list | Have you reported it, to whom and when? | PSD; Federation rep before you give an account |
| Showing a warrant card in a private dispute | HO guidance 2.21: you put yourself on duty | Were you actually acting as a constable? | Supervisor; Federation rep |
Before you post, and before you take on a side business
- Would I be comfortable if this were read out in the parade room, or shown to a misconduct panel?
- Could it be read as discriminatory, abusive, harassing, sexual or mocking of the public?
- Does it reveal police information, an incident, a victim, a location or a tactic?
- Is it party political campaigning, or support for a group whose aims contradict equality duties?
- Am I in a group chat where others post things I should challenge or report?
- Have I read my force's current social media policy?
- Remember: private chats can be shared, and deleting is not a defence.
- Is it "for hire or gain", including online income, rental or a directorship?
- Have I notified the chief officer in writing before starting, using the force form?
- Could it conflict with my duties, my force area or my impartiality?
- Does a relative have a business or licence I need to declare?
- Will it affect my rest, fitness for duty or the Working Time Regulations 1998?
- Do I have the decision in writing, and do I know any conditions and review dates?
- If refused: do I want to appeal within 10 days, and has a police friend seen the reasons?
What people get wrong
- "It was off duty, so it does not count." Discreditable Conduct applies on or off duty, and Home Office guidance says all outcomes are available for off-duty conduct.
- "It was a private group." Home Office guidance says messages to colleagues are still shared with colleagues, and the IOPC says privacy is not a defence to discreditable conduct.
- "Nobody knows I am police on that account." Home Office guidance says private online behaviour is considered even where you are not identifiable as an officer.
- "I deleted it." The IOPC recommended making clear that deleting material is not a suitable way to avoid disciplinary action, and deleting relevant material during an investigation can be serious in its own right.
- "Free speech means they cannot touch me." Article 10 is qualified and carries duties and responsibilities; officers also have specific restrictions on political activity in Schedule 1.
- "The Code of Ethics is the rulebook." The 2024 Code is non-statutory. The standards you are judged against are in the Conduct Regulations, and the detail is in force policy.
- "A second job only matters if it is paid in cash." The definition covers any office or employment for hire or gain and any business, and the vetting form expressly includes online income and property rental.
- "Vetting is separate, so a warning is the end of it." The vetting APP requires a focused vetting review after a misconduct sanction other than dismissal, and withdrawal of clearance now leads to dismissal.
What we could not verify, and how we handled it
- NPCC guidance on instant messaging and social media. The College's APP points to it, but it requires a Knowledge Hub login. We have not described it; ask your force for the version it uses.
- How many misconduct cases involve social media. The Home Office statistics do not break this out. We give only the discreditable conduct share and say it is wider than social media.
- What counts as an "active part in politics". We found no national definition. Ask your professional standards department before acting.
- Whether the vetting APP has been revised for 2026 changes. The version we read is dated May 2025, before SI 2026/653 amended the Vetting Regulations. Some detail may have moved.
- A current Home Office statutory guidance update. The GOV.UK page still shows version 1.0 (February 2020). The College's Code of Ethics page mentions revised Home Office guidance on outcomes; we did not find a new version of the statutory guidance itself.
- The licence to practise. A proposal only; no detail on conduct or vetting links has been published that we could find.
- Force-specific rules. Social media, business interest and notifiable association policies are local. We quote one force as an example only.
If you are worried about something you have already posted, sent or taken on, the useful next step is a confidential conversation with your Federation rep (or staff association or union) before you give any account. See representation and legal support in misconduct cases, and for the wider process police misconduct explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a police officer be sacked for a Facebook post?
Yes, it is possible. The Standards of Professional Behaviour apply on and off duty (Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, Schedule 2), and Home Office statutory guidance says all forms of disciplinary action, including dismissal where gross misconduct is proven, are available for off-duty conduct that breaches the standards. Whether a particular post leads to any action depends on what it says, who could see it, the harm caused and the officer's record. Most outcomes are decided case by case, so speak to your Federation rep if a post of yours is being looked at.
Do the Standards of Professional Behaviour apply when I am off duty?
Yes. The Discreditable Conduct standard says officers behave in a manner which does not discredit the police service or undermine public confidence in it, whether on or off duty. The Home Office guidance says an officer is always subject to the standards, that the test is whether the conduct discredits the police as a whole rather than the officer personally, and that off-duty action must be proportionate given the right to a private life under Article 8.
Are private WhatsApp messages between officers covered?
They can be. Home Office guidance says content shared with colleagues by social media, email, text or encrypted messaging, even in an off-duty or private capacity, is still shared with workplace colleagues and is potentially reportable. The IOPC's Operation Hotton report recommended making clear that privacy is not a defence to discreditable conduct. There is also a duty to report, challenge or take action against colleagues' conduct that falls below the standards.
Does deleting a post or message protect me?
Not reliably. The IOPC's Operation Hotton learning report recommended the Metropolitan Police make clear that deleting offensive or derogatory material from devices is not a suitable way to avoid disciplinary action. The 2024 Code of Ethics guidance says information posted online or in private chats can be shared publicly. Deliberately deleting material relevant to an investigation can itself be serious: one Operation Hotton strand concerned officers deleting material relevant to a criminal investigation.
Do police officers need permission for a second job or business?
Officers must give immediate written notice to the chief officer of a business interest they have or propose to have that has not been disclosed (Police Regulations 2003, regulation 8). An authorised officer in the professional standards area decides whether it is compatible with remaining in the force and must give a written decision within 28 days. You can appeal to the chief officer within 10 days. Relatives' interests and licensed premises can also need declaring.
What is a notifiable association in the police?
It is a personal association that could create a conflict of interest or risk of compromise, such as someone involved in crime, a journalist, a private investigator, someone bidding for police contracts or a former officer who was dismissed. The College of Policing's vetting guidance says association includes knowing someone even without contact, and includes contact by phone and social media. Every force has a local notifiable associations policy that sets how to declare.
Do I have to report it if I am arrested or get a penalty notice off duty?
Yes. The Discreditable Conduct standard requires officers to report any action taken against them for a criminal offence, any conditions imposed on them by a court or the receipt of any penalty notice. The 2024 Code of Ethics guidance lists wider matters to report as soon as reasonably practical, including a summons, an endorsable fixed penalty for a road traffic offence, civil orders such as non-molestation orders and adverse financial judgments.
Can I be disciplined for drinking alcohol off duty?
Drinking off duty is not in itself a breach. The Fitness for Duty standard applies when you are on duty or presenting yourself for duty. What you do while drinking can breach other standards, most often Discreditable Conduct, and an offence such as drink driving must be reported. If you are called in when unfit, say so rather than attend unfit.
Can police officers join a political party or go on a protest?
Schedule 1 to the Police Regulations 2003 says officers must not take any active part in politics and must not belong to any organisation specified in a determination of the Secretary of State. The Home Office's 2004 explanatory memorandum says the determination covers the BNP, Combat 18 and the National Front. We could not find a national definition of 'active part', so ask your professional standards department or Federation rep before joining, standing for office or campaigning.
Does freedom of expression protect what I post?
Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects expression but is a qualified right: it carries duties and responsibilities and can be restricted where prescribed by law and necessary, for example to protect the rights or reputation of others. Home Office guidance says off-duty online activity must take account of privacy and free speech, but the ultimate test is whether it breaches the standards and discredits the police as a whole.
Can a misconduct finding about off-duty conduct affect my vetting?
Yes. The College of Policing's vetting guidance says a focused vetting review must follow misconduct proceedings that end in any sanction other than dismissal. Under the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, an officer whose vetting clearance is withdrawn must be dismissed without notice, with a right of appeal. Failing to disclose relevant information may itself lead to a misconduct referral.
What is the police licence to practise and does it affect off-duty conduct?
It is a government proposal, not a rule in force. The January 2026 white paper 'From local to national' says the government will introduce a Licence to Practise for officers, underpinned by wellbeing and development checks, and will consult extensively. We found no published detail on how off-duty conduct or misconduct findings would affect it.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 30 September 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, Schedule 2 (legislation.gov.uk, revised text) — the ten Standards of Professional Behaviour, including the on-or-off-duty wording and the duty to report criminal action, court conditions and penalty notices (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Police (Conduct) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/597 — new Use of Force wording from 30 June 2026 and its transitional rule (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Home Office: Conduct, Efficiency and Effectiveness statutory guidance (version 1.0, February 2020) — paragraphs 2.15 to 2.23 on discredit, off-duty conduct, private online activity, messages to colleagues, warrant cards and business interests (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulations 6 to 9 and Schedule 1 (legislation.gov.uk, revised text) — restrictions on private life, politics, business interests, notification, 28-day decision and 10-day appeal (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Explanatory memorandum to the Police (Amendment) Regulations 2004, SI 2004/3216 — the Secretary of State's determination on the BNP, Combat 18 and the National Front (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/502 (legislation.gov.uk) — duty to hold vetting clearance; withdrawal leads to dismissal without notice; appeal (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/653 — suspension on arrest or questioning under caution for listed offences or alleged domestic abuse; vetting changes (accessed 30 September 2026)
- College of Policing: Code of Ethics, guidance for ethical and professional behaviour (2024) — social media and instant messaging, business interests and associations, matters officers must report; non-statutory status (accessed 30 September 2026)
- College of Policing APP: Media and communications, Social media (first published 23 February 2026) — chief officers should have a dedicated social media policy covering personal and professional use; NPCC guidance requires a Knowledge Hub login (accessed 30 September 2026)
- College of Policing: Vetting authorised professional practice (May 2025, PDF) — notifiable associations, changes of circumstance, business interests (6.5.16), vetting review after misconduct (7.3) (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Human Rights Act 1998, Schedule 1 (legislation.gov.uk) — text of Articles 8, 10 and 11, including the police restriction in Article 11(2) (accessed 30 September 2026)
- IOPC: Operation Hotton learning report (January 2022, PDF) — WhatsApp messages, 'banter', outcomes by strand, recommendation 5 on social media, privacy and deletion (accessed 30 September 2026)
- IOPC: Guidance on capturing data about police complaints (September 2023, PDF) — allegation categories that include social media, and the social media complaint factor covering on- and off-duty messaging (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Home Office: Police misconduct, England and Wales, year ending 31 March 2025 (published 22 January 2026) — discreditable conduct share of allegations, dismissals and outcomes (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Metropolitan Police: business interest standard operating procedure (November 2022, PDF) — one force's example: annual review, relatives' interests, appeal route, HMRC (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Home Office: From local to national, a new model for policing (white paper, 26 January 2026) — Licence to Practise proposal (paragraphs 272 to 274) and vetting reforms (accessed 30 September 2026)
- Gloucestershire Police Federation: conduct and conduct investigations FAQ — off-duty matters may not qualify for Federation legal funding (accessed 30 September 2026)
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PolicePay.co.uk is an independent reference site. It is not a law firm or a representative body, and this page is general information, not legal advice. Conduct, performance and complaints procedures are set by regulations, statutory guidance and your force's own policies, all of which are amended from time to time, and the outcome of any case turns on its facts. If you are under investigation or facing proceedings, speak to your Police Federation or staff association representative or a solicitor about your own case. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 30 September 2026.