Under cover op

If I was facing a work disciplinary hearing (don’t count your

chickens – Ed.) I wouldn’t want the details splashed all over the newspaper. But there again I’m not a police officer and I haven’t had an alleged relationship with a criminal and, again allegedly, checked his details on the police computer for no “police reason’’. Like it or not, such scrutiny goes with the territory. Cambridgeshire copper DC Nina Bartlett faced just such a situation. Her hearing was due to be in public and invitations to attend were sent to members of the press. However, the constable’s lawyer successfully argued that the hearing should be behind closed doors. Whether you agree with that decison or not – and in classic Catch 22 style we the public are not given the information needed to form an opinion – it’s about as transparent as a house brick.