N環球 
London Met fires Special Constabulary chief for photographing intimate images on work phone
Special Chief Officer James Deller was dismissed after an accelerated misconduct hearing found he used his police-issued phone to photograph intimate images of a woman sent to his personal phone via WhatsApp's view-once feature.
Why it matters
The Metropolitan Police has dismissed Special Chief Officer James Deller, the head of its Special Constabulary — the force's volunteer officers. It is one of the most senior misconduct dismissals in the London force in recent years.
Full report
Investigators found that in July and August 2025, Deller used his police-issued work phone to photograph intimate images of a woman that had been sent to his personal phone via WhatsApp's "view once" feature, sent copies back to his personal device, then deleted them from the work phone. The conduct was upheld at an accelerated misconduct hearing on Friday (Oct. 9), and Deller was dismissed.
The misconduct came to light during a week-long internal Met operation using lawful business monitoring and Palantir's Foundry AI system, targeting professional misconduct and corruption within the force. Commander Pete Stevens said the vast majority of Met officers serve with dedication, and robust action must be taken against the small minority who abuse their position and undermine public trust.
Background
Palantir's role in UK public services remains controversial; the company is currently suing London Mayor Sadiq Khan's office after he blocked a £50 million police contract.
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