Can our posting attorney answer this question please? What are the legalities for LE in terms of saying someone is a suspect, and/or a POI? How does that work?
I'm not an attorney but had a career in Criminal Justice.
LE follows the Authorised Professional Practice guidance produced by the College of Policing.
There are occasions where information can be proactively released if it would aid an investigation. This information can include:
The allegation/ offense
The date information received
Which unit is investigating
Any arrests
Any interviews under caution (this means Once police have grounds to suspect someone of an offense, the person must be
cautioned before being asked any further questions. Unless this is done, the suspect's answers, or silence, cannot be used in court.)
Any bail to return, charges, and/or relevant appeal points.
Unless there is an exceptional circumstance or legitimate policing purpose, the police should not name those who are suspected of a crime. However, the police can release details of the nature, date and general location of the alleged offence. The police can also release an arrested person’s gender, age, the town or city where they live and disposal (i.e. whether they have been released pending further investigation or whether no further action should be taken). These exemptions do not apply where the release of this information would have the effect of confirming a suspect’s identity.
The police do not prevent the media from attempting to identify a suspect by outside sources but if the media put a name to the police in an attempt to confirm whether an arrest has been made, then the police should neither confirm nor deny.
When a person is charged the police will name a suspect unless there are reporting restrictions in place or exceptional or legitimate policing purposes. When the investigation is into a crime of a serious nature (the examples given are investigations into rape or murder) the police will take a proactive approach in releasing charging information.