Topless cop email photo exposed as $500 proves too tempting

Adam Turner
Thursday, 22 March 2007 08:13

Opinion and Analysis

Yesterday I praised police officers for resisting the offer of $500 to leak to a website an unedited version of the topless photograph of Constable Melissa Scannell. It seems I spoke to soon.

Scannell faces disciplinary action after her boyfriend forwarded to colleagues the photo of her semi-naked whilst in uniform. Whilst an edited version of the image had been published by the Geelong Advertiser, the Victoria Police force appeared to close ranks and resisted the offer of a $AU500 reward from another website for the full image.

A day later the full photo is online, reportedly courtesy of a "female police colleague, who wishes to remain anonymous". It not stated whether the $500 reward was claimed, but it's a fair bet it was. Call me old-fashioned, but the thought of officers closing ranks in support of their colleague was encouraging after what started as naughty "get well soon" photo to her boyfriend quickly did the rounds of the police department. The boyfriend forwarded it to colleagues via Victoria Police's internal mail network. They forwarded it to friends, who forwarded it again and so on until it landed in the inboxes of top-ranking officers and ethical standards department detectives.

After initial reports Scannell was under investigation, police will not confirm whether her or her policeman boyfriend will face disciplinary action, reports the Geelong Advertiser. It seems Scannell's anonymous female police colleague walks away with $500 for her troubles.