Why the Post is publishing details from police briefing with non-disclosure clause
THE Post has today decided to publish details from a non-disclosable briefing with police which detailed further information on their contact with triple killer Valdo Calocane.
As editor, I wanted to explain to you, the reader, why we have taken this step – something we have never done before.
In terms of the background, as you may have read, we were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before a briefing with Chief Constable Kate Meynell last week. We’ve never been asked to do this with any public body in Nottinghamshire before, and we’ve had plenty of off-the-record steers and conversations. Police have since said this is standard practice and in line with their professional standards.
We felt we had no choice but to sign and go along to the briefing as we were told we wouldn’t be allowed in without that written confirmation. Had we not attended, we would not have been able to consider whether there would be a public interest in reporting any new information. Content Editor Jamie Barlow attended for us, along with reporters from other media outlets.
The information given out in the briefing revealed that police had in fact had more contact with Calocane than they had previously said in public. We were told the briefing was to help reporters with accuracy when reporting on the investigation – but these details are new, not context on information already reported or guidance.
We take the confidentiality of sources and off-the-record conversations very seriously, and we use them frequently to help shape our stories in a way that accurately reflects the situation at hand. We are not breaching a written agreement lightly or without many hours of legal advice – we believe this is the only way this information can come to light. It raises more questions about Nottinghamshire Police’s contact with Calocane and what more could or should have been done.
We were told the briefing was to help reporters with accuracy when reporting on the investigation – but these details are new, not context on information already reported or guidance.
At the heart of this are three families whose lives have been destroyed by the actions of a man who should not have been roaming our streets. We all need to know if the police have failed in their duty to protect the public, and it is important all the information is laid bare. Policing can only work if there is public trust, and at the moment that is rapidly being eroded.