By . Rebecca Camber . Last updated at 11:46 PM on 4th January 2012 . 'Flirting': Elizabeth Filkin warned police to watch out for hacks who might try to get them drunk to reveal information . Police officers have been warned they face the sack if they have ‘improper’ communications with journalists. A review into the relationship between Scotland Yard and the media has called for tighter controls on the release of information. It even recommends that officers should not drink alcohol with journalists because it ‘loosens tongues’. But it is feared that the rules will lead to less information reaching the public as officers are deterred from speaking out. The guidelines could also allow police to bypass questioning and the potentially critical glare of the media by briefing community groups instead. The report, by Dame Elizabeth Filkin, the former parliamentary commissioner for standards, was ordered by former Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson. It followed allegations that ‘cosy relationships involving excessive hospitality between some senior officers and News of the World journalists’ had undermined the Met’s phone hacking inquiry. Sir Paul later resigned following criticism of his decision to hire ex-News of the World executive Neil Wallis as a PR consultant. He had also accepted a £12,000 freebie . at a luxury health spa promoted by Mr Wallis, who was arrested in July . over alleged hacking. Yesterday Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said . there would be ‘no more secret conversations’. He issued a stark warning to officers . that whistle-blowers who act ‘improperly’ by leaking stories for . malicious, selfish purposes or who merely pass on gossip would face . disciplinary action. Ms Filkin's report was commissioned by former Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, left, who subsequently resigned amid allegations about the force's PR contract with former News International executive Neil Wallis, right . If leaks did not lead to criminal proceedings, . ‘robust’ management action would be required, he said. Officers could be banned from accepting lucrative work as media pundits soon after leaving Scotland Yard. The report said such moves had damaged the Met. It criticised officers such as Andy Hayman, a former assistant commissioner who was responsible for the original phone hacking inquiry, who became a columnist for The Times two months after leaving the force. The Times is owned by News International, the company at the centre of the phone hacking scandal. Dame Elizabeth said: ‘The speed with which some former police officers take employment within the media is a cause for concern. ‘I am also concerned that former police officers, some of whom have been dismissed, take employment with private investigation firms and continue to obtain information from former colleagues.’ The report said there was a ‘range of . contact that is not permitted’ and which, if unregulated, would continue . to damage trust in the impartiality of the police. Officers are advised to watch out for . reporters’ ‘flirting’ and ‘late-night carousing’, which were described . as ‘long-standing media tactics to get you to spill the beans’. The report also found that contact . between the police and the media had ‘not been transparent enough’. Under the guidelines, officers are to be told to brief community groups . instead of mainstream media. Dame Elizabeth said officers should . ‘weigh up the risk’ when speaking to the Press and formalise meetings by . making a note of every conversation, with those records open to a . random audit. She said: ‘There are lots of other . channels they should be using, because lots of people don’t hear about . what the Met is doing through the Press. ‘They hear about it through community groups, through community and local papers and lots of new media.’ Mr Hogan-Howe said: ‘There should be no more improper contact – that which is of a selfish, rather than a public interest. ‘Anyone found to have improperly shared information will be subject to misconduct and/or criminal proceedings.’
New guide for Scotland Yard urges officers to keep a note of every conversation they have .
with journalists .
Report urges officers to 'watch out'
for 'late-night carousing' and 'yet another bottle of wine at .
lunch - all media tactics to get you to spill .
the beans'
By . Rebecca Camber . Last updated at 11:46 PM on 4th January 2012 . 'Flirting': Elizabeth Filkin warned police to watch out for hacks who might try to get them drunk to reveal information . Police officers have been warned they face the sack if they have ‘improper’ communications with journalists. A review into the relationship between Scotland Yard and the media has called for tighter controls on the release of information. It even recommends that officers should not drink alcohol with journalists because it ‘loosens tongues’. But it is feared that the rules will lead to less information reaching the public as officers are deterred from speaking out. The guidelines could also allow police to bypass questioning and the potentially critical glare of the media by briefing community groups instead. The report, by Dame Elizabeth Filkin, the former parliamentary commissioner for standards, was ordered by former Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson. It followed allegations that ‘cosy relationships involving excessive hospitality between some senior officers and News of the World journalists’ had undermined the Met’s phone hacking inquiry. Sir Paul later resigned following criticism of his decision to hire ex-News of the World executive Neil Wallis as a PR consultant. He had also accepted a £12,000 freebie . at a luxury health spa promoted by Mr Wallis, who was arrested in July . over alleged hacking. Yesterday Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said . there would be ‘no more secret conversations’. He issued a stark warning to officers . that whistle-blowers who act ‘improperly’ by leaking stories for . malicious, selfish purposes or who merely pass on gossip would face . disciplinary action. Ms Filkin's report was commissioned by former Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, left, who subsequently resigned amid allegations about the force's PR contract with former News International executive Neil Wallis, right . If leaks did not lead to criminal proceedings, . ‘robust’ management action would be required, he said. Officers could be banned from accepting lucrative work as media pundits soon after leaving Scotland Yard. The report said such moves had damaged the Met. It criticised officers such as Andy Hayman, a former assistant commissioner who was responsible for the original phone hacking inquiry, who became a columnist for The Times two months after leaving the force. The Times is owned by News International, the company at the centre of the phone hacking scandal. Dame Elizabeth said: ‘The speed with which some former police officers take employment within the media is a cause for concern. ‘I am also concerned that former police officers, some of whom have been dismissed, take employment with private investigation firms and continue to obtain information from former colleagues.’ The report said there was a ‘range of . contact that is not permitted’ and which, if unregulated, would continue . to damage trust in the impartiality of the police. Officers are advised to watch out for . reporters’ ‘flirting’ and ‘late-night carousing’, which were described . as ‘long-standing media tactics to get you to spill the beans’. The report also found that contact . between the police and the media had ‘not been transparent enough’. Under the guidelines, officers are to be told to brief community groups . instead of mainstream media. Dame Elizabeth said officers should . ‘weigh up the risk’ when speaking to the Press and formalise meetings by . making a note of every conversation, with those records open to a . random audit. She said: ‘There are lots of other . channels they should be using, because lots of people don’t hear about . what the Met is doing through the Press. ‘They hear about it through community groups, through community and local papers and lots of new media.’ Mr Hogan-Howe said: ‘There should be no more improper contact – that which is of a selfish, rather than a public interest. ‘Anyone found to have improperly shared information will be subject to misconduct and/or criminal proceedings.’
sack if they have ‘improper’ communications with between Scotland Yard and the media has called the police. Officers are advised to watch out for ‘long-standing media tactics to get you to spill making a note of every conversation, with those