Policing under the spotlight: when every decision becomes a headline

Policing has always involved scrutiny. That’s nothing new. What is new is the intensity, speed, and permanence of that scrutiny. In 2026, policing doesn’t just happen on the street anymore — it happens on smartphones, social media feeds, livestreams, and rolling news channels, often before officers have even finished writing their first log. I’ve seen this shift first-hand.

Back in 2017–18, when I was working as an intelligence lead during the fracking protests near Blackpool in Lancashire, the operational challenges were obvious enough: public order, community tension, safeguarding protestors, protecting lawful business activity, and keeping officers safe. What was less visible at the time — but hugely influential — was the media environment we were operating in.

A familiar scene from the fracking protests

Picture a typical morning near Preston New Road. Protest activity is planned. Officers are briefed. Intelligence suggests increased numbers, a small group intent on disruption, and a high likelihood of arrests if lines are crossed. All standard stuff.

What changed everything was the presence of cameras — not just from the press, but from protesters themselves. Phones were up before officers even arrived. Livestreams were already running. Every movement was being framed, captioned, and interpreted in real time, often without context.

An officer steps forward to remove a protestor who has locked themselves on. It’s lawful. It’s proportionate. It’s necessary. But a 15-second clip later appears online showing only the moment of physical contact. No context. No build-up. No explanation.

By lunchtime, that clip is circulating with headlines questioning police aggression. By the afternoon, commentators are offering opinions based on seconds of footage rather than hours of planning. And by the next day, officers involved are aware they’re being discussed far beyond Lancashire.

That wasn’t poor policing — it was modern policing.

The pressure that never switches off

What moments like that taught me is this: policing today operates under a permanent microscope. Decisions that once would have been reviewed internally are now debated publicly, instantly, and often emotionally.

Body-worn video has improved transparency, but it’s also added pressure. Officers know that every word, pause, and facial expression may be replayed, slowed down, or clipped out of context. Add social media into the mix and you’ve got an environment where perception can outrun fact in minutes.

This isn’t just about protests. We’ve seen similar dynamics play out in:

• stop and search encounters filmed from one angle

• arrests during night-time economy operations

• domestic abuse call-outs where officers arrive mid-crisis

• public order policing at vigils, marches, and demonstrations

• high-risk pursuits and use-of-force incidents

  
  

In many of these cases, the first version of events the public sees is not the most accurate — it’s simply the fastest.

Accountability versus confidence

None of this is an argument against scrutiny. Policing must be accountable. Public confidence depends on transparency and challenge. But there’s a fine line between accountability and erosion of trust — particularly when officers feel that they’re being judged on fragments rather than the full picture.

One of the biggest risks I see now is hesitation. When officers start asking themselves, “How will this look on X?” before asking, “What’s the safest and most lawful thing to do?”, policing becomes reactive rather than confident. That’s not good for officers, and it’s not good for the public.

The human cost behind the uniform

What often gets lost in these conversations is the human impact on officers. Behind every viral clip is someone who will go home, check their phone, and see strangers debating their professionalism, motives, or integrity.

During the fracking operation over many months, I saw excellent officers become anxious, defensive, and second-guess decisions they’d previously have made instinctively and correctly. That’s not weakness — it’s the reality of working under constant observation.

Where do we go from here?

Policing under the spotlight isn’t going away. If anything, it’s intensifying. The challenge now is ensuring officers are supported to operate confidently, ethically, and decisively in an environment where visibility is total and forgiveness is limited.

That means:

• better public understanding of police decision-making

• clearer communication during incidents, not just after them

• police and political leadership that backs lawful, proportionate action

• and training that prepares officers for scrutiny, not fear of it

  
  

From fracking protests in Lancashire to everyday policing in 2026, the lesson is the same: policing doesn’t just need to be right — it needs to be understood. And that’s a challenge for the whole criminal justice system, not just those wearing the uniform.

Ken Kirwan Editor: Eyes on Crime