In a recent inquiry, undercover police officer Jim Boyling disclosed that the Metropolitan Police had a tacitly accepted 'don’t ask, don’t tell' policy that allowed officers to manipulate women into sexual relationships without oversight. Boyling, who infiltrated environmental and animal rights groups for five years, recounted how his superiors ignored these unethical practices, enabling him and others to maintain deceptive relationships with women that lasted for years.

The unsettling revelations were not limited to the officer's experiences alone; the women involved expressed profound emotional distress caused by his betrayals. Boyling admitted that he never considered whether the women would have willingly entered a relationship with him had they known the truth about his identity as a police spy. Instead, he perceived their consent as irrelevant, believing that they would never discover his true role. This mindset highlights a troubling aspect of the culture within the police force at that time.

Furthermore, Boyling's actions, which garnered initial praise from senior police and the Home Secretary for effective intelligence gathering, now bring into question the ethical boundaries of undercover operations. The inquiry into these practices is ongoing, shedding light on systemic issues within law enforcement agencies regarding their treatment of personal relationships in undercover work.