Important to review Nicola Bulley case, says PCC – BBC

A police boss said it was important to review a force's handling of the Nicola Bulley case to understand how the narrative got so "out of control".
The disappearance of the mother-of-two sparked a major search operation but it also attracted dozens of amateur social media sleuths to travel to the area.
Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden has ordered a review of the police investigation.
He said he hoped "lessons can be learned" from the "tragic case".
Ms Bulley, 45, disappeared while walking her dog by the river in St Michael's on Wyre after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.
A major search operation got under way but it was 23 days before her body was found in the river one mile away from where she was last seen.
"We are bringing in the College of Policing to look at [the case] and provide that assurance for the public about how, on a case where the police theory around what had happened had been proven to be correct all the way along, did the narrative go so national and international and get out of control?
"How did the police lose control of that narrative around what was actually happening on the ground?"
"It was lost that we were searching for a missing mother, missing partner, missing sister," Mr Snowden told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"That got lost in the narrative in what became almost like a social media pile-on in parts around who could be the next best detective to come up with all these different increasing theories.
"A lot of them had absolutely no base in any reason or fact."
The investigation into Ms Bulley's disappearance attracted widespread speculation as well as criticism of the police response.
Lancashire Police came under fire after revealing Ms Bulley's struggles with alcohol and perimenopause three weeks after she vanished.
But Mr Snowden said the vast majority of people that he had spoken to "think the police did a good job against all the difficult circumstances".
"I don't feel that this has brought a collapse in confidence of policing," he said.
"At the end of the day, the police were right all the way along.
"It was the narrative that was lost not the actual police investigation."
The review by the College of Policing will focus on the investigation and search, communication and public engagement, and the releasing of personal information.
"It's important that we do a review and learn lessons not just for Lancashire but for national policing as well," he said.
"How do the police maintain control of the narrative when everybody wants to fill air time and column inches in particularly what became a sensationalised story?"
A separate investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct is also under way into a police visit to Ms Bulley's home weeks before her disappearance.
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]
Police conduct over Nicola Bulley to be reviewed
Police watchdog to probe Nicola Bulley police visit
Nicola Bulley remembered with mural and gathering
Nicola Bulley family statement in full
Nicola Bulley was centre of our world – family
Nicola Bulley family 'agony' after a body is found
Police looking for Nicola Bulley find body in river
Bulley case criticism 'unfair' – ex-police chief
Why TikTok sleuths descended on Nicola Bulley’s village
Police to face questions over Bulley disclosures
College of Policing
Lancashire Constabulary
Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner
The Lathums sell out Preston Blitz
NHS Warfarin portacabin set up on Fleetwood seafront
Public warned to expect 'significant service disruption' ahead of upcoming NHS industrial action
Punch Bowl: Five people fined £45,875 for illegally demolishing pub
Police deal with crash close to pub on Burnley Road
Start date confirmed for The Great Celebrity Bake Off 2023
Mexico cartel turns in own men over US kidnappings
Deadly shooting at Hamburg Jehovah's Witness hall
Ukraine hit by hypersonic missiles in new barrage
Michelle Yeoh eyes an Oscar for 'unseen' communities
How the US power grid is a target for the far right
Quiz of the week: Why was cheese in the news?
Afro-soul star Libianca set for UK chart first
The Afghan woman who won a gold medal in India
Africa's top shots: Cool frames and gold nuggets
The false claims fuelling Tunisia migrant tension
The driver of the 'insect apocalypse'
Why Russia’s energy war strategy isn’t working
The university that changed the world
11 of the best films to watch in March
Why scraping burnt toast may be wise
© 2023 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.

source