Haven 0 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 (edited) Hello, I need some info for the book I'm writing: A police officer is asked to pick up and drive a witness to the police station. He is not in charge of the case. They both like each other. Can the police officer and the witness date? Is the fact they met while the police officer was on duty an issue? Do they have to avoid any kind of relationship until the case is closed? If so, does the police officer have a way to find out when the case is closed given he is not in charge? Thanks for your help Edited May 25, 2013 by Bart edit font for ease of reading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart 128 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 Moved to correct area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven 0 Posted May 25, 2013 Author Share Posted May 25, 2013 Hi Bart, I can't find where my topic was moved... Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart 128 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 You must have found it if you're replying to it, It's in the surveys and questionnaires section of "help me" The other post has been deleted as duplication as forum rules state you can only start a topic in one location, not the same topic in more than one location. Therefore, it's moved to the most suitable section. :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven 0 Posted May 25, 2013 Author Share Posted May 25, 2013 alright ok thanks :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven 0 Posted May 25, 2013 Author Share Posted May 25, 2013 Hello again, I got the confirmation in another forum that forming any kind of relationship would still be considered as inappropriate even if the police officer is not directly involved in the case. I understand that both would need to wait until the case is closed to be able to have any contact with each other for the police officer not to have any problem in their job. As the police officer can't find out when the case is closed and can't access the witness contact details either without being in trouble, how can they meet again? Would it be only down to the witness to find a way to contact the police officer once the case is closed? This kind of situation must be pretty common, cops don't only date cops do they? Thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart 128 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 That other forum is one of ours as well, I'll be watching this topic with interest If it does turn out to be a real situation, this topic will also be locked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morek54 695 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 A relationship with a witness would be seriously frowned upon. Officers have been sacked for forging relations with victims and witnesses, particularly where they are deemed to be vulnerable. In the more serious cases, the matter has resulted in charges of Misconduct in a Public Office. The job, I'm afraid, either way would have a serious sense of humour failure at the mere thought of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven 0 Posted May 27, 2013 Author Share Posted May 27, 2013 (edited) Thank you for your reply. I did find articles on the web about police officers who lost their job because they were having a relationship with a witness. They were in charge of the case so it makes sense it's seriously frown upon. I couldn't find anywhere cases of when the police officer is not in charge and is not directly involved in the case. It's now clear the police officer is not in a position to do anything even if he/she has nothing to do with the investigation. What if the police officer and the witness bump into each other on the street or in a pub? Can the police officer say hello or he/she has to ignore the witness? Does it make a difference if the police officer is on or off duty? Bart, thank you for not locking that thread, I can assure you I'm not a police officer otherwise I wouldn't be asking these questions. I made a lot of research on the web and I read a few books before coming to this forum and find answers to my questions from real police officers. Thanks Edited May 29, 2013 by Bart font size increased for ease of reading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kester1546080880 2 Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 It's a bad idea. Even if you can slip through the rules it will get around what they have done and people will consider them dodgey and a bit of an idiot. But the world is full of people making terrible choices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morek54 695 Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 I'm often surprised at the number of people, who come on these forums stating they need information for a book they are writing and pose the question What would happen if... Presumably for their story line. To add a degree of authenticity. Why is it then whenever I read a work of fiction or see a film or watch a Tv programme the Police are never, ever portrayed in a procedurally correct way? The point I make is that does it really matter whether a Police Officer would be allowed to date a witness or visa versa? It's fiction. It's made up. What do they call it? Artistic licence? It's irrelevant. Whilst in reality it would be frowned upon, that doesn't mean it never happens. It does. Surely you just need to make up the rest from thereon. I know life can be stranger than fiction. But if fiction reflected life as it really is, then wouldn't it be pretty dull? Or am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kester1546080880 2 Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 I have seen enough DCI's put enough doors in shouting 'freeze mother flippers' to think that tv and film is not as accurate as it could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven 0 Posted May 29, 2013 Author Share Posted May 29, 2013 Yes my story is pure fiction but needed to understand what the consequences could be for a police officer if it was discovered - in "real life" - he/she was having a relationship with someone he/she met while on duty, especially a victim or a witness. I wanted to know if the fact he/she was not the police officer in charge of the case made any difference. Also wanted to know if - in "real life" - the police officer had to behave in a certain way if he/she bumps into the victim/witness in a public place, either on duty or off duty/ with or without colleagues/ while the case is still open. Is there any set rule for this kind of situation? Wanted to know if there was any way for the police officer to find out when the case is closed so he/she could contact the victim/witness without taking the risk of losing his/her job? I'm quite surprised to see this is quite a sensitive topic. Very often you meet that special person when you expect it the least and I'm interested in exploring the conflict of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kester1546080880 2 Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 You can just make them go for it. They could be disciplined quite easily. They could find out about the case quite easily. If you bump into a victim or witness you chat in a friendly way if you want. You don't tell them about the case. Or in most cases you have no desire to speak to them and they don't recognise you anyway. We have many serious restrictions on our private life the suggestion that we would just breach them because we fancy someone seems suspect. Though I'm sure it happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven 0 Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 How easily can they find out about the case? Is it just a matter of doing a search on the police database? Do you have IT people monitoring how police officers are using this database? Is it the reason why they can be easily disciplined? You say victims/witnesses do not recognize police officers, is it true police officers are trained to remember faces? What kind of "serious restrictions" do police officers have in their private lives? Are these restrictions written in a "bible" handed when they join the police force? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts