London police riven with institutional 'racism, misogyny'
3 Min Read
The Metropolitan Police, known as the Met, has been found institutionally racist by an inquiry into the Met's performance.
-
Police officers walk past New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service in London, UK on March 15, 2021. (AFP)
London's Metropolitan Police Service, the biggest police force in Britain, is riddled with deep-seated racism and misogyny, according to a report. The review noted that London police have lost the public's confidence, stressing that it must "change itself" or risk being broken up.
An expert on victims' rights and social welfare who led the review, Louise Casey, said, "It is not our job as the public to keep ourselves safe from the police. It is the police's job to keep us safe as the public."
"Far too many Londoners have now lost faith in policing to do that," she added.
The findings came 24 years after another inquiry found that institutional racism was a key factor in why the Met failed to investigate the murder of Black teenager Stephen Lawrence.
The study was commissioned after a serving officer raped and killed a young marketing executive in March 2021, Sarah Everard, sparking a national outcry. A series of scandals that have recently hit the Metropolitan Police included the mentioned case.
#Britain's police watchdog has called for an explanation for the rampant misogyny and "disgraceful" behavior after a newly published report cited widespread bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination. pic.twitter.com/VzlZT86Ci0
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 7, 2022
The 363-page review revealed that the organization didn't treat violence against women as seriously as other incidents of violence. "The de-prioritization and de-specialization of public protection have put women and children at greater risk than necessary," the review said. "Despite some outstanding experienced senior officers, an overworked inexperienced workforce polices child protection, rape, and serious sexual offenses."
Widespread bullying and discrimination in the department were also reported in the review, stressing that "female officers and staff routinely face sexism and misogyny."
Casey revealed that the Met had allowed officers to remain on the job even after they were accused of domestic abuse or racial harassment, according to a preliminary report released in October.
Read next: Dozens of UK police officers disciplined over sexual offenses
Earlier this year, hundreds of London police officers were likely to be fired for sexual and domestic abuse offenses, Britain's police chief said on January 17th, as he fought to recover public faith after an officer admitted to being a serial rapist.
The Metropolitan Police was thrown into further disarray after David Carrick, 48, admitted to carrying out 24 counts of rape while serving as a police officer while his colleagues missed opportunities to stop him.
The prosecution comes after a string of revelations of significant wrongdoing within the force, Britain's largest, with over 43,000 officers and personnel responsible for leading the country's response to terrorism and issues like extradition.
