crime
Scotland Yard racism scandal: ex-official arrested
People gather for a vigil outside New Scotland Yard in 2021 following the murder of Londoner S Everard. photo
© Yui Mok/PA Wire/dpa
The Metropolitan Police in London does not rest. The loss of reputation due to sexist and racist misconduct by police officers is great.
Racist sayings about Harry and Meghan or about flood victims in Pakistan in a Whatsapp chat: BBC research that uncovered abysses in the London police has criminal consequences. As Scotland Yard announced, a man was arrested in connection with the events.
According to a report by the broadcaster, it is a former police officer who founded a Whatsapp group in which officers exchanged racist slogans. The man is said to have later worked at the Home Office, but was fired after the BBC research was broadcast.
Scotland Yard boss Mark Rowley, who took over from his predecessor Cressida Dick just a few weeks ago, announced drastic measures to get the problem under control. “I will be unscrupulous in removing from our organization these morally depraved officers and employees, including racists and misogynists,” Rowley said in a statement.
The Metropolitan Police have long been struggling with a catastrophic loss of reputation over sexist and racist misconduct by police officers. It hit rock bottom when, in March 2021, Londoner Sarah Everard was kidnapped, raped and murdered by a police officer on the pretext of arrest.