Met Police asked 'not to wear Union badge' after death of PC Phillips

Some officers were sent an instruction not to wear the charity badge following the death of PC Dave Phillips, it is understood

Met Police have been asked "not to wear a Union badge" in tribute to fallen colleagues because it breaches uniform policy, the police federation said.

Some officers were sent an instruction not to wear the charity badge following the death of PC Dave Phillips on Monday, the federation's chairman said.

PC Phillips died after being struck by a truck in Wallasey, Merseyside.

A Met spokesman said the badge was not on the approved list but supervisors could allow it at their discretion.

The grey Union Jack badge with a thin blue line running through it is produced by the Care of Police Survivors charity.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, said he personally did not have an issue with officers wearing it, the Sunday Express reported.

"The Metropolitan Police Service has a dress-code policy to clarify the dress standard expected from all staff, whether they are wearing uniform or plain clothes," a force spokesman said.

The approved badges that Met officers can wear include the Police Memorial Day badge, the Royal British Legion's Remembrance Day poppy and the Help for Heroes badge or wristband.

The police spokesman said there was some flexibility, however, as supervisors also had it within their power to permit other badges to be worn at their discretion because different causes emerged at different times.

John Tully, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation that represents rank and file officers, called for a "common-sense" approach.

PC Keith Blakelock was trying to protect firefighters tackling a blaze in Broadwater Farm, Tottenham when he was repeatedly stabbed

He told the BBC he was made aware on Tuesday of "an instruction that was cascaded down from senior officers" reiterating the Met Police's uniform regulations, but he did not think it should be enforced on this occasion.

He said: "I felt the circumstances were such that common sense should allow this badge to be worn. It was in the context of police attending the memorial service for PC Keith Blakelock and having lost another colleague who died in service earlier this week.

"Morale is pretty low at the moment, and this has the dual purpose of raising money for charity and for paying tribute to fallen colleagues."

PC Dave Phillips was struck by a pick-up truck that mounted a central reservation in Wallasey, Merseyside

Mr Tully said it was unclear who had authorised the instructions to be sent out to officers recently and said the federation had not had sight of the exact wording, but posts had appeared on social media from Met officers using pen names complaining they had been instructed not to wear the Union badge.

He said the death of PC Phillips was devastating and had a profound impact on police officers across the country.

"This death is more unusual because he died while directly serving the public. I think that is why there has been a strong reaction to this. The charity has raised more than £140,000 for his family and it's still rising," he said.

The badge sold out online on the charity's website earlier.