Police in London (Met) have been given a hard beating in an independent report to be published on Tuesday. Britain’s largest police force is racist, misogynistic and homophobic and incapable of self-policing, the report concludes.
The report was commissioned by former Metropolitan Police Chief Cressida Dick after a member of the force was sentenced to life in prison in 2021 for the rape and murder of Sarah Everard. Subsequently, after more cases of misconduct against women were reported, the broader work culture within the Met was investigated.
“There is institutional racism, sexism and homophobia. Both inside the organization, in the way officers and personnel are treated, and outside the organization, in the way communities are controlled,” the 360-page report read. According to the conclusions, the police have seriously wronged “women and children”.
Radical reforms needed
The independent inquiry was led by Louise Casey, Member of the British House of Lords. She said she found “serious” flaws at the Met that she says need “radical reform”.
The conclusions about racism within the London police force are not new. As early as 1999, after the murder of black teen Stephen Lawrence, institutional racism was found within the force given the way the murder was investigated. According to the researchers, few lessons have been learned from this, mainly because the problems within the force are trivialized or even denied.
“Any way you look at it, whatever label you give it, there is undeniable prejudice and discrimination,” Casey told reporters ahead of the report’s release.
Police Commissioner Mark Rowley apologized. “The conclusions in this report are clear, we have let the Londoners down. I’m very sorry. The report evokes a whole range of emotions: anger, frustration and shame. But we are also determined to do something about it.”
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