Met Police fires volunteer chief after Palantir AI probe uncovers intimate image copying

The Met said investigators used lawful business monitoring and Palantir's Foundry system, which uses artificial intelligence, to uncover the misconduct.

Investigators found that in July and August 2025, Deller used his police-issued phone to photograph two intimate images that had been sent to his personal phone. The pictures had been sent using WhatsApp's "view once" feature, which makes them disappear after they are opened. He then sent the copied images back to his personal device before deleting them from his work phone.

The misconduct was discovered during a week-long operation called Project Galatasaray, which used the AI technology to identify corruption and professional misconduct within the Met.

Deller will be added to the College of Policing's barred list, meaning he will not be able to serve in policing again.

Commander Pete Stevens said: "SCO Deller failed to meet that bar. 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."

Stevens added: "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."

Analysis

Why This Matters

The case is among the first public outcomes of Project Galatasaray, a week-long AI-assisted sweep for corruption inside the Met, signalling how the force is using Palantir's technology to police its own ranks.
It shows that attempts to hide misconduct, including messages designed to disappear, can still be recovered through lawful monitoring of work devices.
The dismissal is likely to sharpen debate over police accountability and the growing use of AI surveillance in British policing.

Background

Palantir's Foundry is a data analytics platform that allows organisations to combine and interrogate large datasets, and the Metropolitan Police has used the system to scan for corruption among its officers and staff. Deller led the Special Constabulary, the Met's volunteer officers who give unpaid time to frontline policing. The force has said the vast majority of those officers serve with dedication and integrity, and it has framed the AI-assisted operation as a way of rooting out the small minority who abuse their positions.

Key Perspectives

The Metropolitan Police: Through Commander Pete Stevens, the force said Deller's actions were an abuse of trust and that robust action against the small minority who abuse their position protects public confidence in the wider service.

Backers of AI-assisted oversight: The case demonstrates the value of data analytics in detecting misconduct that might otherwise go unnoticed, including attempts to delete evidence from work devices.

Privacy and civil liberties critics: Skeptics of police use of AI monitoring are likely to question the scope of lawful business monitoring, how long data is retained and whether the technology could be extended well beyond corruption detection.

What to Watch

Whether Project Galatasaray produces further misconduct findings from the week-long operation.
Any renewed scrutiny of the Met's use of Palantir's Foundry and the boundaries of officer device monitoring.
Deller's addition to the College of Policing barred list, which permanently prevents him from serving in policing.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Background

Key Perspectives

What to Watch

Sources