Auditor SHUTS DOWN Aggressive UK Cop Calling Him a Disease

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]None of your Well, no, I'm fine. Do you want us to contact anyone to help you?

[00:00:05]>> Well, I didn't ask you help.

[00:00:06]>> Are you sure? Is there anyone we can contact to help you?

[00:00:08]>> I didn't ask you help. You just stop me going about my business.

[00:00:11]>> You want yourself to be stopped and I'm talking about I'm going about filming quite happily.

[00:00:15]>> What happened, mate?

[00:00:16]>> What are you talking about?

[00:00:17]>> You're the probably the most boring person I've come across.

[00:00:19]>> Am I? Right. Okay. You're very unprofessional, mate. I'm a disease. I'm a disease. You identify yourself public servant Romeo. Have a nice >> wish.

[00:00:30]>> Welcome back to the channel. Today we are reviewing a highly contentious interaction captured by the YouTube channel The Laughing Auditor. The footage takes us to the mall in London, an iconic public highway and a high security zone near Buckingham Palace.

[00:00:43]What begins as a seemingly standard consensual encounter with the Metropolitan Police quickly escalates into a masterclass in professional misconduct. As you're about to see, the auditor is approached by two officers.

[00:00:54]While the first officer attempts a polite, tactical engagement, the situation takes a dark turn when his partner abandons the College of Policing's code of ethics entirely, choosing to hurl personal insults, including calling a law-abiding citizen a disease. In this video, we're going to break down the footage piece by piece.

[00:01:09]We will look at the legal right to film in public, the stop and account rules in the UK, and the specific regulations that these officers are sworn to uphold.

[00:01:17]It's a fascinating look at how a single officer's ego can sabotage the reputation of the entire force. Let's head over to the mall and see how it unfolded.

[00:01:24]>> Front office. Um, you got two parks. You got to my left green park and further up here. Hello.

[00:01:31]>> How's things?

[00:01:32]>> How you doing?

[00:01:32]>> Good. You're a tourist, are you?

[00:01:34]>> Pardon?

[00:01:34]>> You're a tourist?

[00:01:35]>> I don't answer questions.

[00:01:36]>> Sorry.

[00:01:36]>> I don't answer questions.

[00:01:37]>> I thought you have to, but you've stopped for talk to me.

[00:01:39]>> What?

[00:01:40]>> You stopped to talk to me, haven't you?

[00:01:41]>> No, you stopped me. That's what I was doing.

[00:01:46]>> How can I help you?

[00:01:48]>> My calling to talk to me about you. You keep filming all around the palace.

[00:01:52]>> Yeah, I do.

[00:01:52]>> That's why I asked if you're a tourist.

[00:01:54]>> What does it matter?

[00:01:55]>> Oh, it's just a question, isn't it?

[00:01:57]>> Is it really? Okay.

[00:01:58]>> It's just a question. That's all it is.

[00:01:59]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:02:00]>> I take you do a lot of filming, do you?

[00:02:02]>> You film a lot of secure sites, a lot of police officers.

[00:02:05]>> Just don't answer the questions, my friend.

[00:02:09][laughter] >> So, do you mind identifying yourself, please?

[00:02:14]>> Sorry.

[00:02:15]>> Do you mind identifying yourself, please?

[00:02:17]>> You're not being searched, are you?

[00:02:18]>> Right. Okay. So listen to your colleague. Don't interrupt your colleague.

[00:02:23]>> So I'm ask I'm asking I'm asking you I'm asking you what none of your business.

[00:02:28]How about that?

[00:02:31]>> What? So identify yourself please. Ask your code of practice. I'm asking you both to identify yourself.

[00:02:37]>> You're not going to w this up or anything like that. You're actually boring me.

[00:02:40]>> Well then you got nothing better to do to to overly deliberately >> get in your car and join up now. Aren't you? No. You're getting upset. You're getting upset.

[00:02:48]>> Wound up now.

[00:02:49]>> No, I'm not getting up. What's the problem? Why you >> none of your What? No, I'm fine. Do you want us to contact anyone to help you?

[00:02:56]>> Well, I didn't ask you help.

[00:02:57]>> Are you sure? Is there anyone we can contact to help you?

[00:03:00]>> I didn't ask you help. You just stop me going about my business.

[00:03:02]>> You want yourself to be stopped and I'm >> What are you talking about? I'm going about filming quite happily.

[00:03:07]>> Mate, what are you talking about?

[00:03:08]>> You're the probably the most boring person I've come across.

[00:03:10]>> Am I? Right. Okay. You're very unprofessional, mate.

[00:03:13]>> I'm a disease. I'm a disease. Right. You identify yourself. Public service.

[00:03:18]Romeo. Have a nice >> What's your name? Where you based?

[00:03:23]>> Identify yourself, please.

[00:03:24]>> The video opens at the mall in London, a high security area, but a public highway nonetheless. We see a metropolitan police vehicle pull over. The first officer approaches with a smile and a thumbs up. His tone is polite and non-confrontational. However, the auditor is under no legal obligation to answer to them. In the UK, there is no general stop and account power that requires a citizen to state their business unless the officer has a specific statutory reason, such as section 50 of the Police Reform Act 2002 regarding antisocial behavior. The officer's follow-up about filming secure sites, hints at the Terrorism Act 2000s, specifically section 43, stop and search, or section 58A, eliciting information. However, for these to be invoked, the officer must have a reasonable suspicion. then enters the second officer. This is where the interaction fails. When the auditor asks for their identification, a standard request under the College of Policing's code of ethics, the second officer becomes dismissive and derogatory. He tells the auditor he is boring and to jog on under the code of ethics, respect and courtesy. Officers are expected to act with self-control and tolerance. The most egregious moment occurs when the second officer calls the auditor a disease. This is a blatant violation of the standards of professional behavior.

[00:04:41]Specifically, it breaches the requirement for authority, respect, and courtesy. Citizens pay the wages of these public servants, and being called a disease while filming legally could be a grounds for a formal complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

[00:04:55]>> Look, my name >> You can read it.

[00:04:58]>> I've got an issue. PS9.

[00:05:00]>> PS9. Why don't you tell me to put your camera on? It >> is on.

[00:05:04]>> You didn't tell me that though.

[00:05:05]>> It is on.

[00:05:06]It was nice to meet you. I know exactly what you're trying to do. It >> wasn't nice to meet you. You started off okay. He is an absolute joke.

[00:05:13]>> Absolute joke. He's in the wrong job.

[00:05:14]He's in the wrong job.

[00:05:15]>> Talk to me.

[00:05:16]>> You need to tell him his neck.

[00:05:17]>> Come here. Don't talk to him there. Talk to me. So, at the end of the day, right, I know exactly what you're trying to do.

[00:05:21]You're not what I'm doing trying to do.

[00:05:23]>> I have a civil conversation so long as everybody remains polite.

[00:05:26]>> He's called me a disease.

[00:05:28]>> Are we having a civil conversation?

[00:05:29]>> Do you think that's acceptable?

[00:05:31]>> Are me and you having a civil conversation?

[00:05:32]>> We were. Yeah, >> exactly. Simple. But do you I'm asking you a question. Do you think what he said is acceptable?

[00:05:37]>> I have no concerns about you. I don't think you're around here doing anything outrageous.

[00:05:41]>> So why is he talking to me like that?

[00:05:43]Who do you think he is?

[00:05:44]>> A police order, which is fine. That's why I asked you if he's a tourist.

[00:05:47]You're filming. Loads of people filming around.

[00:05:48]>> Okay, but I don't need to answer your question. So I get what you're saying.

[00:05:50]I'm just talking to you.

[00:05:51]>> Yeah, I understand that. But no, I don't >> at the end of the day, I'm going about filming. You have stopped me from conducting my lawful business. All right. So I'm not obligated to answer questions. Well, no, you not stop me filming. I'll give you that. But you know exactly where we're coming from cuz it's your first time doing it.

[00:06:07]>> No, I don't know where you're coming from. I don't know. And you should have told him 90 neck.

[00:06:11]>> Stoping you filming.

[00:06:12]>> No, but you're allowing that man to try and bully members of the public.

[00:06:16]>> Talk to me, please.

[00:06:17]>> No, I'm asking you to I've asked you several questions to address your colleagues behavior. This is what the issue is is because you allow your colleagues to get away with absolute muck like that.

[00:06:26]>> Talk to you.

[00:06:26]>> He's in the wrong job.

[00:06:27]>> I want to talk to you.

[00:06:28]>> I'm not happy.

[00:06:29]>> You want to talk to me? Yeah, I do want to talk to you, but I want to talk to you about the way your colleague behaved and I want you to address it.

[00:06:34]>> Right.

[00:06:35]>> Listen to me.

[00:06:36]>> I'm trying to talk to you, but I can't talk to you by shouting over me. Right.

[00:06:40]>> I know what you're doing, but you know what we're doing. Educating people here.

[00:06:43]Let's have a >> now.

[00:06:46]>> Okay.

[00:06:47]>> You know for a fact I'm not going to stop you filming.

[00:06:50]>> I know you're not 100%.

[00:06:52]>> You start filming cameras in the palace.

[00:06:55]The auditor is now engaging with the first officer following that appalling disease comment. Notice the auditor's tactic here. He asks for the shoulder number. When the officer simply points to it, the auditor claims he has poor eyesight to force a verbal identification. The officer remains calm and provides his details, maintaining a much more professional demeanor than his colleague. He is clearly trying to damage control the situation by isolating the auditor and keeping the conversation one-on-one. However, look at the deflection. When the auditor repeatedly asks if calling a citizen a disease is acceptable, the officer refuses to answer, simply stating, "Me and you are having a civil conversation." Under the College of Policing Code of Ethics, specifically the challenging and reporting improper conduct standard, officers have a positive duty to challenge or report the conduct of colleagues that falls below professional standards. The officer then shifts to a patronizing tone, claiming he is educating the auditor. This is a classic consensual encounter trope.

[00:07:50]Legally, there is no requirement for a citizen to receive education from a police officer while lawfully filming on a public highway. The officer admits they aren't stopping him from filming, which they can't as per the Met's own photography advice. Yet, they continue to linger and probe.

[00:08:04]>> We're getting a little bit concerned and is maybe something there. This is why we need to speak to you to say actually, is this a normal bloke going out his business, a tourist filming, or is he a terrorist hostile rec? And you know that.

[00:08:17]>> What's hostile reconnaissance?

[00:08:18]>> You know it. We know this inside out.

[00:08:19]>> It's hostile reconnaissance. Define it.

[00:08:22]>> Come on. Come on. Play the game.

[00:08:24]>> Money. I'm not playing this game.

[00:08:25]>> Do you know what it is?

[00:08:26]>> I do know what it is. I do know what it is. And I'm not going to play this game.

[00:08:29]>> Educate me.

[00:08:29]>> I'm not going to play this game. Educate me.

[00:08:31]>> I have no concerns about you. I don't think you're >> I've got concerns about me.

[00:08:35]>> I don't think you're here doing hostile reason. I think you were here purely to get a ride from >> No. So, what would have happened is if you hadn't stopped me. Yeah. I'd have carried on and then I'd have went about my business. that that so if you know around >> I know yeah I've I've done a whole circuit off it I'm almost finished cuz I started down there so I'm almost finished >> but no no let me finish speaking because this is where you get it wrong like you think I'm out for a reaction it's the opposite >> all right so what you here for >> I'm here to to film and go about business and if you hadn't stopped me >> that would have been the end of it but what's happened is you stopped me and he's acted like an absolute pill >> absolute bobage >> can we talk You look embarrassed yourself, mate.

[00:09:18]>> Look, >> you're man.

[00:09:21]>> Wind's your neck and shut up. Shut up.

[00:09:23]Job on.

[00:09:24]>> There's there's thousands of people here.

[00:09:25]>> Exactly. Fine. Have you stopped all them?

[00:09:27]>> Fine.

[00:09:28]>> No, we want to stop the people who are walking around with their face covered who are filming fences and gates and filming cameras cuz that gives us a bit of concern. So, you know what? Let's speak to this bloke to see anything dodgy about him. But I can see by talking to you, you're just listen to me. Look at me. You're just a normal bloke walking around trying to get a reaction. I'm not trying to get a reaction at all. That's your opinion.

[00:09:47]But you're wrong. If you I'm allowed an opinion.

[00:09:49]>> If you left me at technically >> and you're allowed no not in your duties, you're not within your opinion.

[00:09:55]>> Yes.

[00:09:56]>> And I don't know as a private citizen.

[00:09:58]>> I've spoken to you.

[00:09:59]>> I've got no concerns.

[00:10:00]>> I've got concerns though. I've got concerns because that man called me a disease. He doesn't know me and you've not challenged it. This is what the problem is. So, what's going to happen?

[00:10:09]>> As we continue this encounter, notice the officer attempts to justify the stop by bringing up hostile reconnaissance.

[00:10:15]This is a term frequently used by the police to justify stops under section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000. However, look at how the officer handles the auditor's request for a definition. Instead of providing a clear legal threshold, he says, "I'm not going to play this game."

[00:10:30]If an officer is going to use highle security terminology to justify stopping a citizen, they should be prepared to explain exactly what that entails.

[00:10:38]Refusing to define a term used as a pretext for a stop is a sign of a weak legal position. The officer then attempts to undermine the auditor by claiming he is just a normal bloke trying to get a reaction. This is a classic attempt to dismiss the audit as a mere provocation. While audits are designed to test police knowledge and patience, seeking a reaction is not a criminal offense. Under the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 10, the auditor has a right to freedom of expression, which includes filming in public to hold public institutions accountable. The auditor remains remarkably focused, consistently returning to the central issue, the disease comment made by the second officer. He correctly points out that by failing to challenge this behavior, the officer is effectively endorsing it.

[00:11:18]Under the standards of professional behavior, challenging and reporting improper conduct, officers are expected to uphold the integrity of the service by calling out misconduct.

[00:11:27]>> But what's going to happen is it's >> if you think this is an audit, if that's what you think it is, >> then you'll know that that people go on to social media sites to watch audits, right? And do you think his behavior is really shedding your your police force in a good light? It's not good. I'm trying to have a conversation with you and you're talking over me.

[00:11:44]>> No, we're not. No, we're not.

[00:11:46]>> I've not said.

[00:11:46]>> No, I'm not talking over you.

[00:11:49]>> I'm not talking over you at all.

[00:11:50]>> You have been talking over me.

[00:11:51]>> I'm trying to >> Okay. And >> I'm fine. Right. We're going to go now.

[00:11:55]>> Yeah. You need to have a word with him.

[00:11:57]>> Quite frankly, >> you need to have a word with him.

[00:11:59]>> Quite frankly, >> why didn't you tell me your camera was on?

[00:12:03]>> Right.

[00:12:05]Why didn't you tell me your camera was on?

[00:12:07]>> You never answered me either. Why didn't you tell me your camera was on? We're going to go cuz I've got no concerns.

[00:12:13]>> I've got concerns.

[00:12:14]>> Right.

[00:12:15]>> I've got concerns.

[00:12:16]>> You know who we are. You give me your numbers. You can see my numbers.

[00:12:20]>> Supposed to have three three points of ID. You know that when you go to practice, >> we have three points of ID.

[00:12:25]>> Yeah. When you identify a member of public, it's in your It's in your policy.

[00:12:28]>> Are you named?

[00:12:32]>> Am I talking to you?

[00:12:33]>> Are you practicing something?

[00:12:34]>> Am I Am I talking to you? Shut up, man.

[00:12:36]Get in your little car and jog on, fat boy.

[00:12:40]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:12:41]>> You get a grip, mate.

[00:12:42]>> Take care. This is the way. This is to me. Enjoy the rest of your day.

[00:12:45]>> You need to have a word with him. He's embarrassed himself.

[00:12:48]>> Shut up.

[00:12:50]>> Absolute muppet.

[00:12:53]>> Bye.

[00:12:56]What an absolute joke. Let's just get the registration.

[00:13:02]He's completely embarrassed himself.

[00:13:06]Completely embarrassed himself, guys.

[00:13:08]Like, so the first guy like he was in he was okay. Very good sort of deescalation, I'd say. Um or he was very trying very hard to sort of deescalate, but I wasn't having it. Um his colleagues and I don't call me a disease, you know, and uh and [laughter] I can call many things, guys.

[00:13:28]That's the first time I've heard that one. And uh and yeah, >> as the interaction draws to a close, we see the officer making a strategic exit.

[00:13:40]He realizes that without a legal basis for a stop, and with his colleagueu's behavior becoming a liability, it is time to disengage. It is commendable the officer maintains his composure until the end. This is how a professional officer should handle a non-criminal encounter, even when the citizen is being persistent. However, the tone shifts significantly when the auditor lashes out, calling the second officer a fat boy as they walk back to their vehicle. While the auditor was understandably insulted by being called a disease earlier, descending into name calling and body shaming generally weakens the moral high ground of an audit. From a strategic perspective, an auditor is usually more effective when they remain calm and professional, letting the officer's own misconduct speak for itself. The auditor correctly captures the vehicle's registration and the officer's shoulder numbers. He notes the irony. One officer is trying his hardest to be professional, while the other is actively sabotaging the Met's public image. This video serves as a perfect case study for the IOPC, Independent Office for Police Conduct.

[00:14:36]It's not just about the lack of legal grounds for the initial stop. It's about the culture of contempt displayed by the second officer. If an officer cannot handle being filmed on a public pavement without resorting to insults, they are fundamentally ills suited for frontline policing in a modern democracy.