Metropolitan Police Federation

Officers threatened with punishment for showing support for armed forces

Police officers on duty at Heathrow Airport have been threatened with punishment by senior officers for showing their support for our heroes and heroines in the armed forces (writes Met Police Federation Chairman Peter Smyth).

As the country mourned the deaths of young soldiers and saluted the heroism of the men and women fighting in Afghanistan, Met officers at the airport were ordered to TAKE OFF small, one-inch square Union Flag badges - which they were also selling to raise money for Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion - because someone had complained they were OFFENSIVE.

Earlier, on Armed Forces Day, police officers were told to strike the Union Flag from the flagpole above the airport police station, upon which they had hoisted it, because was not an "approved" ensign.

These orders from senior officers are legal and must be obeyed. They are, however, also completely crass.

Many police officers are themselves former Servicemen and women. Some have children and friends currently serving in the armed forces.

Personnel serving in the armed forces pass through Heathrow, but are being denied any boost to morale they might get from a very modest display of support by the Metropolitan Police.

It is not even as if the wearing of "unofficial" badges is without precedent. Met officers who took part in this year's London Pride march wore discrete insignia appropriate to the event, such as lanyards and badges, with official tolerance, if not approval.

The decision to forbid police officers from joining the rest of the country in showing support for those who are fighting for their country is nothing less than shameful.