ACPO lead on communications, Chief Constable Andy Trotter, said: "We advise forces, working with the CPS, to name those who have been charged and that position will not change.
"When an individual has been arrested our current guidance is not to name them and we will only release the name for the prevention or detection of crime, or if there is a serious public interest.
"ACPO is working on new guidance to provide clear direction to avoid inconsistencies where some police forces confirm details of an arrested individual if journalists have gathered the information from other sources.
"This does not affect what media themselves choose to publish."