London: New official guidance issued on Wednesday will require police forces across the UK to reveal the ethnicity and nationality of suspects charged with a crime as part of a drive to counter misinformation spread through online channels.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing said they have developed the update especially for high-profile and sensitive investigations and operations, with officers “encouraged” to disclose the additional information when there is a “policing purpose to do so”.

The purpose highlighted by the law enforcement bodies includes reducing the risk to public safety where there are “high levels of mis or disinformation about a particular incident, or in cases of significant public interest”.

“We have to make sure our processes are fit for purpose in an age of social media spe­culation and where information can travel incredibly quickly across a wide range of channels,” said NPCC Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya. cops get ‘Live Facial Recognition’ vans

A greater number of Live Facial Recognition vans will begin circulating IN the UK to locate suspects of serious crimes. “No one should feel unsafe leaving their homes. From today, every neighbourhood IN England and Wales has named, officers to tackle crime in our communities,” said PM Keir Starmer.