Sexism, racism and homophobia in the London police. In an independent report, London police are accused of turning a blind eye to the abuse and failing “to protect its employees or members of the public from police officers who commit domestic violence, or from those who abuse their position for sexual purposes”. In this 363-page report published on Tuesday, the author of the report, Louise Casey, also denounces the ill-treatment of officers from minorities, calling for a “general reform” of the institution already in crisis after a series of scandals. .
This report was commissioned after the murder of Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old Londoner raped and killed by a police officer, Wayne Couzens, who arrested her on a pretext in 2021. This murder traumatized the British.
The Met Police – the nation’s largest police force with more than 43,000 officers and staff – has been mired in a series of sex scandals and crimes for years, fueling a serious crisis of public confidence.
For a “fundamental change”
The author of the report, which calls for a “fundamental change”, considers that the investigation is “rigorous, tough and without complacency”. According to her, violence against women and girls has “not been taken seriously in terms of resources and priorities”.
The long investigation depicts in particular how evidence in rape cases (urine or blood samples for example) could not be used after being stored in overloaded refrigerators – sometimes closed with straps – or downright broken down.
Furthermore, “despite the presence of a few experienced senior officers, it is an inexperienced and overworked staff that deals with child protection, rape and serious sexual offenses”, notes Louise Casey.
The Everard case was followed by several other scandals and reports exposing racism and sexism in the London police. Under pressure, Chief Constable Cressida Dick eventually resigned in early 2022.
“Overwhelming Evidence”
The crisis of confidence was further aggravated when David Carrick, a 48-year-old police officer, pleaded guilty in January to 24 rapes and multiple sexual assaults against twelve women between 2003 and 2020. He terrorized his victims by highlighting his functions.
The Met said at the time that 1,633 cases of alleged sexual assault or domestic violence involving more than a thousand officers and agents over the past ten years would be re-examined.
In the meantime, Louise Casey notes “not being able to assure” that there are no more criminals such as Wayne Couzens and David Carrick in the ranks of the London police.
She also points out that women working in the police are “victims of sexism on a daily basis” and that a “deep-rooted homophobia” reigns within the Met. “I accept his diagnosis on racism, misogyny and homophobia within the organization, as well as systemic, managerial and cultural failures”, reacted the chief of the London police, Mark Rowley, presenting again excuses. “The evidence is overwhelming,” said London Mayor Sadiq Khan.