PC gets written warning from employer for appearing on big brother

Baldbloke · 30 Apr 2022 at 00:01

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-61277417

I've just seen bbc news article. Haven't seen the big brother programme it refers to. My initial gut reaction is she has been unfairly treated by her employer, the Metropolitan police. Ymmv.
I'm guessing there will be quite a few varied opinions on this.

Feek · 30 Apr 2022 at 00:03

She asked if she was allowed, they refused permission, she did it anyway. I don't think she'e been treated unfairly.

Baldbloke · 30 Apr 2022 at 00:05

Why refuse though?

Surveyor · 30 Apr 2022 at 00:11

Baldbloke said:
Why refuse though?

Try reading the article you linked.

Following the panel's conclusion, Det Ch Supt Andy Day said: "Permission was refused for PC Kareem to appear on the Nigerian version of Big Brother as it was felt it was not in the best interest for either her or the Metropolitan Police Service to take part."

Mr Twist [Deputy Assistant Commissioner] voiced concerns over PC Kareem's welfare, her conduct and the public image of a serving Met Police officer on a reality TV show.

GreatAuk · 30 Apr 2022 at 00:52

Can see why they refused tbh. Big Brother just manufactures so much 'drama' and shows the participants in very exposed and often unflattering ways. Definitely has the potential to make the police look bad, as people could associate any negative perceptions of the officer or unprofessional activity in the house with the wider force.

edit: also why on earth did she think it was ok to give the producers her work laptop. Letting someone outside the organisation have your IT equipment is clearly a breach of security / data protection rules.

peterwalkley · 30 Apr 2022 at 08:37

Nice to see the bureaucracy on the ball :rolleyes:

She went into the show in June 2019 and they're only now issuing a written warning ? I think this is a non-story. She broke the rules, but I suspect this is going nowhere and the warning is just a slap on the wrist.

The met has far more serious "reputational issues" to deal with.

Sankari · 30 Apr 2022 at 08:52

The real crime is that they're still making new seasons of BB.

something daft already!! · 30 Apr 2022 at 08:55

Do real people still watch this crap?

aVdub · 30 Apr 2022 at 09:08

Feek said:
She asked if she was allowed, they refused permission, she did it anyway. I don't think she'e been treated unfairly.

This is the correct answer, OH and reading the story linked does help!

Maundie · 30 Apr 2022 at 10:18

Really she should've been dismissed for allowing access to her work laptop as that's clearly a breach of security but by going against the refusal to allow her to take part should've also meant dismissal but it would've been spun as a minority getting the sack from the Met despite all her wrongdoings.

Yaayuh! · 30 Apr 2022 at 11:35

Sankari said:
The real crime is that they're still making new seasons of BB.

Still going in Nigeria it seems.

Mucky_Pup · 30 Apr 2022 at 15:24

So people here are happy with their employers being able to dictate how they spend their unpaid time away from work?

Malevolence · 30 Apr 2022 at 15:30

Mucky_Pup said:
So people here are happy with their employers being able to dictate how they spend their unpaid time away from work?

She was refused unpaid leave and yet decided to ignore her employer and just **** off to Nigeria for two and half months. I don't know about where you work, but if I didn't turn up for work for that long I wouldn't have a job to return to.

Feek · 30 Apr 2022 at 15:32

Mucky_Pup said:
So people here are happy with their employers being able to dictate how they spend their unpaid time away from work?

Malevolence said:
She was refused unpaid leave and yet decided to ignore her employer and just **** off to Nigeria for two and half months. I don't know about where you work, but if I didn't turn up for work for that long I wouldn't have a job to return to.

Not only that, she handed a police owned laptop over to the TV producers.

That in itself should be a sackable offence for a police officer.

Haggisman · 30 Apr 2022 at 20:26

Malevolence said:
She was refused unpaid leave and yet decided to ignore her employer and just **** off to Nigeria for two and half months. I don't know about where you work, but if I didn't turn up for work for that long I wouldn't have a job to return to.

From the article, it appears the leave was actually granted, but permission to go on BB was refused.

Mucky_Pup said:
So people here are happy with their employers being able to dictate how they spend their unpaid time away from work?

If I worked for an organisation facing the public every day and where the ability to do my job was highly dependent on my reputation and people's respect and perception of me, then yes, I would expect repercussions if I went ahead and did something which had a high chance of jeopardising that, despite having been told not to by my superiors.

Diddums · 30 Apr 2022 at 20:28

Anyone who wants to go on that dumpster fire of an irrelevant TV show should be fired anyway, regardless of the circumstances.

montymint · 30 Apr 2022 at 20:45

The Met office like most large companies will have contractual clauses about social media behaviour and casting a negative light on the firm. People should check contracts if they've signed any in the past few years.

A BB constant saying where she works on tv immediately has her representing the Met. Ergo any bad behaviour (which does occur because most contestants are picked for that reason) would reflect badly upon the Met.

Caracus2k · 1 May 2022 at 21:09

Mucky_Pup said:
So people here are happy with their employers being able to dictate how they spend their unpaid time away from work?

1) police officers aren't regular employees they are Crown Servants and this isn't an academic distinction either. For example police officers cannot lawfully take any active part in politics (on of off duty) withdraw their labour like regular employees can and must declare all 'business interests' for approval (such as going on a reality TV show).

2) police officers are aware of the restrictions, which include a lot or restrictions and caveats on their activities outside of work

3) it is entirely proper that a police force would refuse activity that would likely bring their force into disrepute. BB's whole premise is to generate drama and scandal from its participants and as such it would be entirely inappropriate for a police officer to be given permission to particpate

builder22 · 1 May 2022 at 21:20

Haggisman said:
From the article, it appears the leave was actually granted, but permission to go on BB was refused.

that's a bit of a strange scenario - yes you can have that unpaid leave you applied for to go on Big Brother, but def don't go on Big Brother, doesn't seem entirely straight forward

Surveyor · 1 May 2022 at 21:36

builder22 said:
that's a bit of a strange scenario - yes you can have that unpaid leave you applied for to go on Big Brother, but def don't go on Big Brother, doesn't seem entirely straight forward

If she still wanted the unpaid leave it was approved but not being given permission to appear on BB couldn't have been clearer.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-61230429

Ch Supt Gwillim said he called PC Kareem on 23 June to explain his rationale for her not to go on Big Brother and also set it out in an email.

However, he did grant PC Kareem special leave as he was familiar with her work in Brazilian favelas, Chinese villages and when promoting diversity in the Met Police.

He said: "We parted by saying 'I'm really sorry, I know this is not what you want to hear', but the message I conveyed to her was clear she was not to go on Big Brother.

"She replies back saying 'thanks for the advice', so I then made it clear this is not advice."

PC gets written warning from employer for appearing on big brother

Pet Northerner