Northumbria forces unfriending

Northumbria Police has declined to comment on claims that former detective constable Rachel Fletcher has been designated a Notifiable Inappropriate Association (NIA), meaning former colleagues may be required to report any continued contact with her.

Fletcher was dismissed for gross misconduct earlier this month after comments she made were found to be sexist towards men and transphobic. She was also placed on the College of Policing barred list, preventing her from working in policing again.

Earlier today, Fletcher posted on X: “To ensure my scold’s bridle is fastened tightly, my ex-colleagues and friends from work are now banned from keeping in touch with me on account of my dismissal for gross misconduct. Some have had to send goodbye messages today.”

An NIA designation means serving officers who wish to remain in contact with someone deemed an inappropriate associate may be required to declare the relationship to their force and can be advised to end it. Such measures are generally used to protect policing from associations with people involved in criminality or other conduct considered likely to pose a risk to the integrity or reputation of the service.

Fletcher, who posts on X as @rachelsfletcher, told TERF Times she understood the measure was standard for those dismissed for gross misconduct, but believed its application in her case was disproportionate.

“One of my friends emailed the counter-corruption unit to check and they advised them that I would be an NIA if they were to stay in touch by any means,” she said.

When asked whether Fletcher had been designated an NIA, and the reason for doing so, Northumbria Police declined to comment. Instead, the force referred TERF Times to the findings of her gross misconduct hearing.

Fletcher, who was dismissed without severance, can be supported here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rachel-fletcher-fired-for-opposing-unlawful-police-searches