bots
17-10-2022, 06:11 AM
Hundreds of Met Police officers have been getting away with breaking the law and misconduct, a damning report has found.
Baroness Louise Casey found many claims of sexual misconduct, misogyny, racism and homophobia were badly mishandled.
One serving officer had 11 misconduct notices for allegations involving assault, sexual harassment and fraud.
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the findings showed hundreds of his officers should have been sacked.
The Met is investigating more than 600 domestic and sexual abuse allegations against its officers, the BBC has been told.
The interim report on misconduct procedures and the culture in the Met also found misogyny and racial disparity across the force's internal disciplinary system, with a "systemic bias" against black and Asian officers.
Author Baroness Casey said: "We have heard repeatedly from colleagues that they feel and believe, and actually have given us case examples of where people are getting away both with misconduct but also criminal behaviour."
According to the report, some 1,809 officers - or 20% of all those facing allegations - had more than one complaint raised against them, with 500 of those facing between three to five separate misconduct cases since 2013.
And yet Baroness Casey's team said that less than 1% of officers facing multiple allegations had been dismissed from the force, with one continuing to serve despite facing multiple serious allegations - including corruption, traffic offences and "failure to safeguard while off duty".
Sir Mark admitted it had been hard not to shed a tear at how people had been treated when they had complained about the conduct of fellow officers and nothing had happened.
Asked how many officers or staff should have been sacked for their behaviour, he admitted only between 30 and 50 people are sacked a year and that was not enough.
He said: "There must be hundreds of people who shouldn't be here who should have been thrown out."
In a written reply to Baroness Casey, the commissioner said he was "appalled by the extent of the findings you expose".
He added: "I am sorry to those we have let down: both the public and our honest and dedicated officers."
The report was commissioned in the aftermath of the rape, kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard by serving Met PC Wayne Couzens.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-63277161
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This has been blatantly obvious for decades
Baroness Louise Casey found many claims of sexual misconduct, misogyny, racism and homophobia were badly mishandled.
One serving officer had 11 misconduct notices for allegations involving assault, sexual harassment and fraud.
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the findings showed hundreds of his officers should have been sacked.
The Met is investigating more than 600 domestic and sexual abuse allegations against its officers, the BBC has been told.
The interim report on misconduct procedures and the culture in the Met also found misogyny and racial disparity across the force's internal disciplinary system, with a "systemic bias" against black and Asian officers.
Author Baroness Casey said: "We have heard repeatedly from colleagues that they feel and believe, and actually have given us case examples of where people are getting away both with misconduct but also criminal behaviour."
According to the report, some 1,809 officers - or 20% of all those facing allegations - had more than one complaint raised against them, with 500 of those facing between three to five separate misconduct cases since 2013.
And yet Baroness Casey's team said that less than 1% of officers facing multiple allegations had been dismissed from the force, with one continuing to serve despite facing multiple serious allegations - including corruption, traffic offences and "failure to safeguard while off duty".
Sir Mark admitted it had been hard not to shed a tear at how people had been treated when they had complained about the conduct of fellow officers and nothing had happened.
Asked how many officers or staff should have been sacked for their behaviour, he admitted only between 30 and 50 people are sacked a year and that was not enough.
He said: "There must be hundreds of people who shouldn't be here who should have been thrown out."
In a written reply to Baroness Casey, the commissioner said he was "appalled by the extent of the findings you expose".
He added: "I am sorry to those we have let down: both the public and our honest and dedicated officers."
The report was commissioned in the aftermath of the rape, kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard by serving Met PC Wayne Couzens.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-63277161
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This has been blatantly obvious for decades