under cover police officers and relationships

[5madthings]

Just listening to a discussion on the radio about under cover police officers who whilst under cover often have relationships as a way of infiltrating crime organizations etc.


Obviously the women have no idea the relationship isn't real and are often extremely hurt when they find out.

The police officer is saying that is ok because you have to lookat the bigger picture and it's ok for these women to get hurt if it means criminals are brought to justice.

My gut feeling is this is wrong, very wrong and if these women actually sleep with the officers then it's akin to rape. They are not properly consenting, it's all a lie/sham and I myself would feel horribly violated by this.

There had not been mention of any female officers doing this undercover but I would think it's the same in those circumstances as well.

So is this wrong or is it ok because of the 'bigger picture'.

[AuntieStella]

Undercover operations per se, yes, can be justified.

Lack of adequate operational control, absolutely disgraceful.

I'm sure I read somewhere that the official position is that sexual relationships are not an authorised part of such operations. Which suggests that operational control was seriously lacking at that time (and if failing in that area, where else was it wrong?)

And if any of the officers were married/in LTRs, did their RL partners condone this?

Disgraceful betrayals in many directions.

[hollie84]

It's very wrong, regardless of the "bigger picture".

The women whose consent was obtained by deception were not criminals. Even if they were, conning them into having sex with a police officer isn't reasonable. These undercover officers weren't even infiltrating crime organisations!

[scallopsrgreat]

It's all just so patriarchal isn't it that sex is used as a means to an end like this.

[PetulaGordino]

It is coercion

[JudysPriest]

It's so so wrong. How awful for the women involved too, and their children.

Consent by deception sums this up perfectly for me Hollie.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I think its a disgusting.It went on for quite some time and the police as an orgnisation were fully aware of what individual officers were doing.
Women were used to infiltate also and they weren't squeaky clean.

I personally believe its still happening.I think its naive to think otherwise.

I was involved in the core of one of the infiltrated protest organisations through the 80's, and we knew at the time there would likely be infiltration.Makes sense really.Its all confirmed beyond doubt now though.