Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Is the Met beyond reform?
The guilty plea by serving Metropolitan police officer, David Carrick yesterday, in which he admitted 49 charges relating to 71 sexual offences including 24 rapes against 12 women, made him one of the worst serial rapists in the UK. And yet despite the alarm being raised several times, no action was taken by the police to deal with his crimes.
The Independent reports that all the crimes, which included patterns of sadistic and degrading abuse, were committed while he was a serving officer in Britain’s largest police force.
And, as if to underline the institutional failures within the Met, it was revealed after Carrick pleaded guilty that more than 1,000 serving officers and staff were subject to past allegations of sex offences and domestic abuse. Despite this, Scotland Yard warned that most would stay in post:
The force launched a review of cases that did not result in criminal prosecution or dismissals, codenamed Operation Onyx, after discovering Carrick had been allowed to remain in uniform even after the Met was alerted to reports of rape and domestic abuse.
It has so far uncovered 1,633 cases, involving 1,071 officers and staff, but Scotland Yard said being flagged by the probe was “not in itself a finding of wrongdoing or sufficient reason to remove an officer from frontline duties”.
“It is therefore likely that the majority of officers whose involvement in past incidents is being reviewed will not automatically be subject to restrictions,” a spokesperson added.
“There are already a number who are subject to risk management measures and this process is to confirm that these measures are sufficient.
“In the event that information was to emerge from a review that raised concerns then an officer or member of staff’s status would be reconsidered without delay.”
The extent of the breach of trust involved in this latest failure by the Met is shown by the fact that Carrick, like Wayne Couzens before him, served with the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command.
I saw on the news yesterday that the Speaker of the House of Commons has demanded assurances from the Met on this particular matter.
The Independent reports that all the crimes, which included patterns of sadistic and degrading abuse, were committed while he was a serving officer in Britain’s largest police force.
And, as if to underline the institutional failures within the Met, it was revealed after Carrick pleaded guilty that more than 1,000 serving officers and staff were subject to past allegations of sex offences and domestic abuse. Despite this, Scotland Yard warned that most would stay in post:
The force launched a review of cases that did not result in criminal prosecution or dismissals, codenamed Operation Onyx, after discovering Carrick had been allowed to remain in uniform even after the Met was alerted to reports of rape and domestic abuse.
It has so far uncovered 1,633 cases, involving 1,071 officers and staff, but Scotland Yard said being flagged by the probe was “not in itself a finding of wrongdoing or sufficient reason to remove an officer from frontline duties”.
“It is therefore likely that the majority of officers whose involvement in past incidents is being reviewed will not automatically be subject to restrictions,” a spokesperson added.
“There are already a number who are subject to risk management measures and this process is to confirm that these measures are sufficient.
“In the event that information was to emerge from a review that raised concerns then an officer or member of staff’s status would be reconsidered without delay.”
The extent of the breach of trust involved in this latest failure by the Met is shown by the fact that Carrick, like Wayne Couzens before him, served with the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command.
I saw on the news yesterday that the Speaker of the House of Commons has demanded assurances from the Met on this particular matter.
Given that Parliament is also an unsafe place for women at the moment, with the authorities refusing to take all necessary action to help staff there work safely, perhaps Lindssy Hoyle should put his own house in order at the same time.
Is the Met beyond reform? That still needs to be seen, but the signs are not good.
Is the Met beyond reform? That still needs to be seen, but the signs are not good.
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It's not just the Met.: https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/23127419.welsh-government-minister-gwent-police-toxic-culture-claims/
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