Investigative report shocked: 100 creepy police officers in London are still on regular duty

Shocking report

She reported a colleague as a rapist – but a London police officer had to work with this man. A Muslim police officer had stuffed ham in his boots, a Sikh boss had his beard cut, gay police officers preferred to avoid their colleagues, young policewomen had to eat whole pies as an induction ritual before vomiting. What sounds like isolated cases has a system: A new investigative report has ruthlessly exposed a violent culture in London’s police force.

The Metropolitan Police (Met) is “institutional racist, sexist and homophobic”said ex-government official Louise Casey, who was commissioned for the report. The agency has failed to protect women in uniform from sex offenders, both inside and outside the Met. “It is not our job as a public to protect ourselves from the police. It’s the job of the police to protect us citizens.”said Casey, who is an independent member of the House of Lords.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his displeasure. Confidence in the police has been seriously damaged, the Conservative head of government said in a BBC interview on Tuesday. Does that also apply to him? “Everyone’s Trust”emphasized Sunak.

Everard’s murder shattered the police’s reputation

The Met hasn’t come out of the crisis in years. Sarah Everard’s case is symbolic. The fact that a police officer kidnapped the 33-year-old in March 2021 using his service ID card and then raped and murdered him deeply shook the reputation of the bobbies – the friendly nickname of the British security police that tourists like to pose with. It was this case that Casey was hired to do the report.

But even after that, new scandals kept coming to light. As recently as February, an officer serving in the same unit as the Everard killer was sentenced to at least 30 years in prison for repeatedly raping and abusing a dozen women over a nearly 20-year period. When asked if there might be similar abusers at the Met, Casey replied:

It was only announced on Monday that more than 100 police officers who are being investigated for sexual misconduct are on regular duty. Casey’s 363-page report makes it clear that violence against women and girls was not taken as seriously as other forms of violence – Bullying is also widespread within the Met.

Deep-seated homophobia and racism

But that’s only part of the painful truth. The agency is also institutionally racist, Casey stressed. This means that the situation has hardly changed since an investigation in 1999. After all, there is a “deeply rooted homophobia” at the Met, Casey judged. Her report was “drastic, stern and unforgiving”.

In addition, there are hardly conceivable employment conditions. Officials should store their evidence in “overcrowded, dilapidated or broken refrigerators and freezers”. Some devices are so full that they have to be strapped in. In one case, a lunch box was found in the same refrigerator as a sample from a rape case. In another, a refrigerator broke, rendering evidence stored there useless. Most of the workforce is overworked and inexperienced.

The clear-up rate for rapes and burglaries is appalling, according to a research report by the regulator HMICFRS in the autumn. But the number of criminals in uniform is high. Recruitment is insufficiently monitored – probably also because, after a number of years of drastic cutbacks, hiring is on a large scale again.

Chief Constable must act

More than ever, London Police Chief Mark Rowley has a job to do. Since taking office, the commissioner, who headed the Met for six months, has made it clear that he will take rigorous action against corrupt and violent police officers. “We have racists, misogynists and homophobes in the organization”, Rowley now confessed. “We’ve already suspended people. We’re investigating people. We’re throwing them out,” he told Sky News.

With the latest report, the Met is finally being scrutinized and beforehand there was talk of a “last chance”. Now Enlightener Casey called for a “complete overhaul” of the authority. In the Times newspaper, she stressed:

Casey’s conclusion: “The future of policing and the public’s consent to control it depends on it.” (saw/sda/dpa)