News outlets demand access to a hearing about police misconduct related to Valdo Calocane before Nottingham.
The news groups are advocating for transparent reporting and the revelation of the officers’ names. Their request follows revelations of failures by multiple police forces, both before and after the attacks. These failures include Nottinghamshire Police staff accessing case details inappropriately.
Leicestershire Police is under scrutiny for a poor investigation of Calocane’s earlier assault. Furthermore, Nottinghamshire Police failed to arrest Calocane on a warrant for assaulting an officer. It was also revealed the media had to sign NDAs for details families didn’t know.
Speaking for the families, Barnaby’s mother, Emma Webber, expressed unhappiness about the secrecy surrounding the proceedings. She highlighted the struggle to even secure an invitation, limited to one person per family, who are relegated to a separate room. They are barred from sitting in the meeting itself, asking questions, or raising points.
The families are dissatisfied with both the police watchdog report and the plan for a secret meeting. They criticize the police force for a lack of direct contact and the imposition of a non-disclosure agreement.
Nottinghamshire Live’s editor underscored the need for transparency, emphasizing that families deserve respect and honesty, claiming that the family was denied from proper attendance to the hearing, calling it a disgrace. She believes transparency is critically lacking in public bodies, urging the police to allow media access and for Leicestershire Police to name the involved officers.
Leicestershire Live’s editor echoed the call for a rethink on the hearing, emphasizing that public trust hinges on police accountability, which is achieved through transparency. The editor implores the police to reconsider barring the press, which serves as the public’s eyes and ears.