Nicola Bulley case led to 'breakdown of public confidence' in Lancashire Police

A review into Lancashire Police's investigation of the disappearance of Nicola Bulley has criticised the force in a new report.

It says that, whilst the search was very well conducted and resourced, the force failed to handle appropriately communication with the media and the public. It also described the release of personal details regarding Nicola as "avoidable and unnecessary."

Nicola disappeared on 27th January 2023 in St Michael's on Wyre with a huge missing persons investigation being carried out over the following three weeks.

READ MORE: What happened to Nicola Bulley?

What has the report into the Nicola Bulley investigation found?

The report, commissioned by the Police and Crime Commissioner and carried out in conjunction with the College of Policing, has found that the actual investigation and search was carried out well, and had been given the appropriate resources.

The author of the report found that the search was carried out to a "high standard," and the force was praised for drawing on national expertise in search & rescue operations.

However, Lancashire Police has been criticised for failing to define the investigation as a critical incident, stating that this caused several challenges for the investigation.

The report is critical of the release of personal information about Nicola's vulnerabilities, saying that despite it being lawful to disclose it to the public, it was "avoidable and unnecessary." Details of Ms Bulley's struggles with alcohol and peri-menopause were disclosed by police after with the review finding Lancashire Police should have given non-reportable background briefings to accredited journalists to shape responsible reporting, without releasing personal information.

It stated:

"Once control of the media narrative had been lost, Lancashire Constabulary faced an extraordinarily difficult task in regaining it. Their attempts to do so eventually led to the unnecessary public disclosure of sensitive personal information about Nicola Bulley, which was widely criticised."

Particular issues were noted surrounding communication, noting that the press team at Lancashire Police logged more than 500 media calls and 75,000 inbound social media comments over a period of around a month.

The report says the force's communications was impacted by a number of factors, including:

• A global social media frenzy, including amateur ‘detectives’ posting content to social media
• A search specialist involved in the case undertaking independent
• Media activity
• Limited coordination of police and family media activity
• A search process that was lengthened and complicated by tidal flows and difficult river conditions

What is the police's response?

Lancashire Police has welcomed the review, and says it will take the report findings to highlight any learning and best practice that can be applied in future.

The force is also pleased that they have been commended for the investigation generally, particularly the role of the Family Liaison Officers who assisted Nicola's family.

Deputy Chief Constable Sacha Hatchett, the lead Chief Officer for organisational learning, standards and conduct said:

“Whilst the review has been published today, it is important to remember that at the centre of all this is Nikki and her family. They have been our priority throughout and our thoughts remain with them as they continue to deal with the grief of losing the person they loved most dearly."

“We have some of the most experienced staff in policing who put others first and the report reflects their outstanding dedication and professionalism; their focus was on finding Nikki and bringing her home to her family."

Social media, and the role of citizen journalism, remains an issue.

DCC Hatchett added:

"It had a detrimental effect on the family, the investigation, and our staff along with influencing wider media reporting. This impact also extended to many residents in the village of St Michaels, many who were targeted and had their businesses affected. Any police force could face what we did, and we must draw on the learning nationally.”

What recommendations have been made?

The College of Policing has made a number of recommendations, including:

• Ensuring more training on when to declare critical incidents
• More training on liaising with the media, including reviewing statements made during press conferences to ensure the accuracy of comments made
• The College of Policing and the NPCC should consider how confidence between the police service and the media can be rebuilt
• The College of Policing should amend guidance to reflect the differences between mainstream, regulated professional media and social media

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