Hundreds of police face sack as part of clean-up - UK top officer
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[January 17, 2023]
By Sarah Young
LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of officers in London are likely be sacked
for sexual and domestic abuse offences, Britain's most senior policeman
said on Tuesday as he sought to regain public trust after an officer
admitted being a serial rapist.
London's Metropolitan Police ("the Met"), which has been rocked by
scandals in recent years, was plunged into further crisis after David
Carrick, 48, admitted carrying out 24 counts of rape over almost two
decades while serving as a police officer while his colleagues missed
chances to stop him.
The case follows a series of revelations of serious wrongdoing at the
force, Britain's biggest with more than 43,000 officers and staff and
responsinbility for leading the country's response to terrorism and
issues such as extradition.
London Commissioner Mark Rowley, brought in four months ago to lead the
clean-up, said investigations were underway into about 800 officers over
1,000 sexual and domestic abuse claims. Many jobs will be lost as part
of the process, he said.
"I've got tens of thousands of fantastic men and women, but I've got
hundreds who shouldn't be here. I'm going to sort it out," Rowley told
the BBC on Tuesday.
"We're systematically reviewing every member of police staff and police
officer who we have any historic flags against, for being involved in
incidents involving domestic abuse or sexual violence."
CORRUPTION, RACISM AND MISOGYNY
Public confidence in the Met has been hit by revelations of its culture
of corruption, racism and misogyny.
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A Metropolitan Police officer stands on
duty in Westminster, London, Britain, October 1, 2021. REUTERS/Toby
Melville/File Photo
In recent years, one officer was jailed for the rape and murder of a
woman he abducted as she walked home and the courts then ruled
heavy-handed policing at a vigil in her honour was unlawful.
A serving officer was convicted of being a member of a neo-Nazi
group, two more were jailed for sharing pictures from a crime scene
after the murder of two sisters, while an inquiry into one unit
found discussions about beating women, with one officer messaging a
female colleague to say he would rape her.
The Met has been the subject of an independent review since 2021,
with initial findings concluding "radical" reform was needed in
relation to dealing with allegations of misconduct against officers.
The case of Carrick, one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders
who pleaded guilty to 24 counts of rape between 2003 and 2020,
prompted questions about the failure to spot what he was doing.
He had previously come to police attention over nine incidents
including accusations of harassment, assault and rape between 2000
and 2021 but was not charged with any offence.
Carrick had used his position of power to control and intimidate his
victims, telling them no one would believe their word against that
of a serving officer.
(Reporting by Sarah Young and Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Angus
MacSwan)
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