The Metropolitan Police is set to reduce enforcement of offenders who break their tag conditions under a new pilot scheme running until the spring. The decision comes alongside resourcing pressures, and follows the government's early prisoner release system which began this year. Under the pilot scheme, officers will not act on any breaches of police curfews or tag batteries of under an hour, unless the offender is considered to pose a particular risk to the public.
Although the Metropolitan police will only progress to potential arrest where safeguarding concerns are high, it is clear that all breach notifications are to be reviewed by officers. Read more: More than 400,000 march on France as tear gas and water cannons used to deter crowds - but minister insists outcome was 'positive' Read more: Britain must be ready for war within 1,000 days, Defence Secretary warns High-risk offenders like domestic abusers will be prioritised.
It comes as Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says he is "worried" about the pressure caused by the government's early release scheme. He stressed that his officers are policing "over 100 tag breaches a day", with police arresting two or three early release prisoners per week who are being recalled over further offending. Under the new pilot scheme, it is hoped officers will be able to better manage higher risk enforcement or persistent offending, will the expectation it will reduce breaches requiring police action by over 15%.
Left out here: One side gets the space
LBC reports the Met Commissioner's worry about the government's early release scheme. It gives no space to the government's reply, reported the day before. The government said failing to act would have forced police to halt arrests, and that it would never jeopardise public safety. Without this, Rowley's criticism of the scheme stands unanswered.
LBC reports a Metropolitan Police pilot that scales back enforcement of short tag breaches, and in its headline and second sentence ties it to the government's early prisoner release scheme. It never tells readers what Sky reported: the government says the pilot applies to people bailed by the courts, and early-release prisoners on tags are managed by probation. LBC also gives the Met Commissioner's worry about the scheme with no space for the government's reply.
Leaves out what changes the picture
Minor
“follows the government's early prisoner release system which began this year”
Why this matters
LBC links the pilot directly to the early prisoner release scheme in its own voice. It gives no word on who the pilot actually covers.
The impression it gives
The Met is easing enforcement of tag breaches by prisoners let out early under the government scheme.
The context
Sky reported that the government says the pilot applies to offenders, or alleged offenders awaiting trial, who have been bailed by the courts. Early-release prisoners on tags are managed by probation. The Met said the changes are about assessing the risk of a breach, not about the type of offender. LBC's article never mentions bail or probation.
The headline puts the early-release scheme next to the scaled-back enforcement. A reader who sees only the headline takes the two as one story.
The impression it gives
Minor breaches by early-release prisoners will now go unenforced because of that scheme.
The context
The Met said the changes are about assessing the risk of a breach rather than determining what type of offender is involved. The government said the pilot covers people bailed by the courts. The headline carries none of this.
LBC reports the Met Commissioner's worry about the government's early release scheme. It gives no space to the government's reply, reported the day before. The government said failing to act would have forced police to halt arrests, and that it would never jeopardise public safety. Without this, Rowley's criticism of the scheme stands unanswered.