The Metropolitan Police has fired the head of its Special Constabulary after it was found he had used his work phone to copy intimate images of a woman. Special Chief Officer James Deller, who led the force’s volunteer officers, was removed from his position after an accelerated misconduct hearing on Friday.
How the misconduct was uncovered
Investigators used lawful business monitoring and Palantir’s Foundry system, which uses artificial intelligence (AI), to uncover the misconduct. They found that in July and August 2025, SCO Deller had used his police-issued device to photograph intimate images of a woman sent to his personal phone. The original images were sent using WhatsApp’s ‘view once’ feature, which makes images disappear after they have been opened. He then sent copies back to his personal device before deleting them from his work phone.
The misconduct came to light during a week-long operation using advanced technology targeting professional misconduct and corruption within the Met. Deller was initially suspended pending an investigation which led to his dismissal earlier this week.
Official response and consequences
Commander Pete Stevens said: ‘The vast majority of Met officers and staff serve London with dedication and integrity, and they rightly expect robust action against the small minority who abuse their position and undermine public trust.’
He added: ‘That is particularly true of those who serve in the Special Constabulary. They are volunteers who selflessly give up their time to keep London safe. They deserve to be led by people who demonstrate the highest standards in all parts of their lives. SCO Deller failed to meet that bar. He let himself down, but more importantly, he let the Special Constabulary down. His actions were an abuse of the trust put in him, and it is right that he is no longer able to serve in policing.’
SCO Deller will be added to the College of Policing’s barred list, making him ineligible for future police service.
Context on Palantir and its contracts
Software company Palantir, founded by tech magnate Peter Thiel, holds contracts with a number of UK public sector bodies including the Met, the NHS and the Ministry of Defence. The US tech giant’s involvement in UK public services has been controversial due to concerns over data use and privacy, as well as the company’s links to ICE in the US and the use of its technology in global conflicts. Palantir is currently suing London Mayor Lord Sadiq Khan after he blocked a £50,000,000 deal with the Metropolitan Police.
In May, Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes told the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee that officers were not under any ‘additional surveillance in the workplace’ after the force used AI in a bid to root out bad behaviour. He said the force had weighed the reputational risk of using the ‘divisive’ technology, which he said identified ‘unacceptable, dishonest, corrosive behaviours’ from officers.
