An investigation on Tuesday highlighted racist, misogynistic and discriminatory behavior within Scotland Yard. The police in London (United Kingdom) have been at the heart of the turmoil for several months, especially after the rape and murder of a resident by a police officer.
“Shameful” behavior according to the police
The IOPC reviewed thousands of messages shared on social media, “many of which were highly sexualised, discriminatory or referred to violence”. They included in particular direct allusions to rape, homophobic or racist terms or references to Auschwitz.
“The behavior we have uncovered is shameful,” the regional director of IOPC, Britain’s police force, said in a statement. The teams involved in these behaviors have been disbanded “but we know from other recent cases that these issues are not isolated or a thing of the past,” the official added.
An investigation by the IOPC found that police officers exchanged highly offensive racist, sexist and homophobic messages with claims that it was “banter” becoming a cover for bullying and harassment.
Sadiq Khan said he was “utterly disgusted” by the findings.@SadiqKhan pic.twitter.com/r0Ca04abEA
— London Live (@LondonLive) February 1, 2022
Very low trust in the police
Of the 14 London police officers targeted, nine are still active. They downplayed the posts by putting them down to joking. The investigation was opened in 2018 against a police officer suspected of having had sex with a drunk person in a police station. It was later expanded.
The mayor of London said he was “disgusted” by these “totally unacceptable” behaviors. These revelations “will further damage public confidence in the police”, Sadiq Khan said. The Metropolitan Police said they were “deeply sorry”, acknowledging the blow to public trust. One official recognized “the need for real change”.
After the rape and murder of Londoner Sarah Everard by a police officer in March 2021, the police were accused of ignoring a whole series of warning signs about the behavior of this officer. She had also been singled out for her forceful intervention to disperse a rally in tribute to the victim, or after two police officers took a selfie at the crime scene.