Police officers, staff warned not to reveal police reports - IGP

Police officers and staff have been warned not to reveal or share investigation reports to the public or post them on social media as they can be investigated under the Official Secrets Act 1972.

Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said revealing police reports was an offence as the information was confidential and classified.

“Many police reports in various cases have been shared on social media and gone viral. If I find police officers or staff doing that, I will immediately take action under the Official Secrets Act.

“For instance, if the victim lodged a police report of a sexual crime and the victim narrates what happened, the person on duty who takes down the report reveals it on Whatsapp and the information reaches the media, this is an irresponsible act,” he told Bernama at Bukit Aman recently.

Abdul Hamid said the act of revealing the victim or complainant’s information could subject him to ridicule whereas a police report is confidential and cannot be revealed to the public.

He added any police officer or staff found to have done so can face disciplinary action including suspension.

He said police reports can only be shared by the police officer responsible for it only for case reference, and others who are not involved cannot do so.

“There is a police report that has gone viral on the social media, and when I checked with the director of the Crime Investigation Department in Bukit Aman (Datuk Huzir Mohamed), I asked him where is this case and how did the information spread.

“He said the victim revealed the police report on the social media,” Abdul Hamid said, adding that it was still an offence even if the victim was the one who leaked the police report.

- Bernama