Police forces across the United Kingdom have come under scrutiny following a series of incidents that have raised questions about professional standards, impartiality, and public trust in law enforcement. From degrading comments about a domestic abuse victim in Northern Ireland to uniformed officers appearing in promotional videos for local businesses in England, the latest revelations have reignited debates about the culture and conduct within the police.
In Northern Ireland, a Police Ombudsman investigation revealed that four officers made what were described as "degrading and inappropriate comments" about a suspected victim of domestic violence. According to BBC News NI, the comments were discovered after a man’s phone—seized during his 2022 arrest—was found to have been recording audio both before and during his time in police custody. The officers, unaware of the active recording, referred to the woman as "mental," speculated that she might be suffering from "post-natal depression," and suggested she required "hospitalisation."
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) acknowledged that the officers’ conduct fell well below the standards expected. The Ombudsman’s report also noted serious mishandling of the seized phone: it was not packaged, labeled, or stored according to PSNI policy, and its movements were not properly recorded. Alarmingly, the device was even taken out of the police station while the complainant remained in custody.
The investigation uncovered an allegation that one officer encouraged a colleague to destroy the phone out of fear it might be recording. Another officer was heard responding, "what a way to get sacked." The officer who made the initial comment about damaging the phone was interviewed under criminal caution for suspicion of attempting, or encouraging someone else, to break the device. However, the Public Prosecution Service ultimately decided not to prosecute.
As a result of the Ombudsman’s findings, three officers were issued advice to improve their conduct, while a fourth was subject to performance improvement measures. The Ombudsman had recommended misconduct meetings for all four, but the PSNI’s Professional Standards Department opted for a less severe approach, holding a misconduct meeting with just one officer and offering advice to the others.
Hugh Hume, Chief Executive for the Office of the Police Ombudsman, emphasized the gravity of the situation. He told BBC News NI, "While these comments were made by police officers outside of a public setting, they nonetheless reflect attitudes and behaviours that are entirely unacceptable. It is particularly concerning that such degrading remarks were directed towards a woman reporting to be a victim of domestic abuse. This serves as a reminder that police officers should always act with compassion, professionalism and integrity." Hume also raised concerns that these attitudes might reflect wider cultural issues within the police, stating, "Using inappropriate, derogatory or dismissive language about a victim of domestic abuse is never acceptable, whether it be publicly or whether out of earshot, and it is unprofessional and demonstrates a lack of compassion."
The PSNI, for its part, stressed that the conduct in question was not representative of the force as a whole. Det Supt Julie Mullan, from the Professional Standards Department, stated, "While in this instance the conduct of the officers fell short of the standards that we have set, it is not representative of the excellent work police officers carry out across Northern Ireland on a daily basis as we strive to keep people safe."
Meanwhile, in England, police officers have faced criticism for appearing in social media videos promoting local businesses—a move many see as blurring the line between professional impartiality and personal endorsement. As reported by Daily Mail, one Instagram video showed a Metropolitan Police officer in Leytonstone, East London, enthusiastically endorsing a vape shop, mentioning discounts and frequent visits by police colleagues. In the video, the officer described her favourite vape flavour as "pineapple ice" and remarked, "It's good, it's nice, I get a nice little discount. It's a good shop, it's always got customers. All of us here that work in the police, we're always coming down here. We don't go anywhere else." The shop owner, delighted, offered her a "free slushy to cool her down."
In another video, posted on TikTok, a West Midlands Police constable jokingly "arrested" a chicken shop owner in Birmingham for refusing to reveal what made his chicken "so addictive." The officer, grinning, said, "I don't understand what they put in it to make it so good. Due to that, he's coming in, because we need to find out what he puts in it to make it so addictive." The owner, playing along, replied, "No comment."
Both videos quickly drew a wave of criticism online, with social media users branding the officers’ behavior "embarrassing and unprofessional." One commenter questioned why police had time to appear in promotional videos while investigations into burglaries could take days to begin. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp weighed in, telling The Times, "Police officers in uniform and presumably on duty should not be promoting commercial businesses—especially not vape shops. They should be catching criminals and keeping the public safe. This is a waste of police time and undermines their role as impartial law enforcers. The vape shop video also appears frankly demeaning to the officer involved."
In response, the Metropolitan Police confirmed they were aware of the video and that it had been reviewed by the directorate of professional standards. No misconduct was found, but the officer was spoken to about the appropriateness of participating in the video. West Midlands Police said they had been made aware of the chicken shop video in July and had given the officer advice at the time.
These controversies come against the backdrop of rising crime rates and a shrinking police force in England and Wales. According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, retail crime spiked by 13% in the 12 months to June 2025, with 529,994 recorded offences. Theft from the person rose by 5% to 145,860 offences, and sexual offences increased by 9% to 211,225, including a 6% jump in reported rapes. Robberies of commercial premises rose dramatically by 55% to 18,534 offences. During the same period, the number of police officers in England and Wales fell by 1,300 to 146,400 in March 2025, down from a record high a year earlier.
The recent incidents underscore the challenges police forces face in maintaining public confidence while navigating the demands of modern policing, social media, and evolving expectations around professionalism and accountability. The cases have sparked renewed calls for robust oversight, clearer boundaries, and a renewed focus on the core values of compassion, impartiality, and integrity within the police.
As public scrutiny intensifies, police leadership across the UK will likely face increasing pressure to address both individual lapses and broader cultural concerns—ensuring that officers not only uphold the law but also the trust placed in them by the communities they serve.
