London’s police guilty of ‘systemic’ sexism, racism and homophobia, says mayor | New commissioner must have plan to deal with ‘real problems’ undermining trust and confidence, says Sadiq Khan

11 comments

  2. > The Metropolitan Police is facing “real problems” of systemic sexism, racism and homophobia within the service, London mayor Sadiq Khan has said.

    > Mr Khan said that the force’s new commissioner must have a plan to address these challenges in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer, the botched investigation of Stephen Port’s killing of gay men and misogynistic behaviour at Charing Cross police station and elsewhere.

    It’s fair to say the Met has had a few problems over the years, not least with claims of corruption going back decades:

    * [2014 – ‘Lorry load’ of Met corruption evidence shredded](https://archive.ph/XiDUS)
    * [2014 – dozens of rogue detectives in the employ of organised crime and operating with “virtual immunity](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive-secret-second-metropolitan-police-corruption-probe-revealed-9217620.html)
    * [2016 – Improperly shredding records of surveillance of campaigners, including a Peer](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jan/08/officer-claims-met-police-improperly-destroyed-files-on-green-party-peer)
    * [2018 – IOPC investigating corruption and racism claims](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-44915885)
    * [2022 – Metropolitan Police’s approach to corruption not fit for purpose](https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/news/news-feed/metropolitan-polices-approach-to-corruption-not-fit-for-purpose/)

    > Asked whether it was the case that the police investigated Partygate allegations less thoroughly than they might have done because they did not want to upset No 10, [Khan] replied: “I don’t know whether it’s true, but that perception has got to be addressed. Why? Because the police must police without fear or favour.”

  3. >It’s possible to recognise the dedicated, decent, brave officers we have in the police service but to also say we’ve got real problems – real problems that have been shown recently in relation to evidence of overt systemic sexism, racism, homophobia, discrimination, misogyny – which need to be addressed

    Well done ! He’s also been very honest about Dame Cressida, his expectations of the next Commissioner and the Partygate policing. London are lucky to have someone like him

  5. It is going to take a long time for things to get better and we will need to see both an increase in recruitment to cover the gaps that will appear, as well as improvements to the recruitment process to weed out those who hold discriminatory views in the first place. There also needs to be a better system for whistleblowers to use and better protection for them when they choose to blow the whistle.

  6. Changing the person in charge is not going to solve what is clearly a widespread culture. Those that have reported misdeeds have been ignored or removed from post, at every level the police will resist any attempt to change. Nothing short of the completely widespread and systemic replacement of the entire organisation will work since the barrel is rotted all the way through.

  7. Sadiq should really get in touch with London’s Police and Crime Commissioner to solve this then?

  9. The problem is that it’s a _left wing_ politician stating that there is _systemic_ issues in well established _institution_ which has a positive or neutral interaction with the _vast_ majority of people on a day to day basis.

    This has become par for the course in 2022. You can copy and paste this about nearly any institution in nearly any western or English speaking country and it wouldn’t be alien to the people living there.

    Take 10 minutes on social media or speaking to people on the ground and it’s not hard to see that people are quietly becoming indifferent at best and actively opposed at worst about these things as it doesn’t match up with their day to day lived experience.

    The left wing is _vital_ to the running of a well balanced democracy. It is _critical_ for ensuring the dignity of your average civilian. But it’s undermined itself in the last 10 years by screeching constantly about this and that “systemic” issue in order to appeal to smaller and smaller voting demographics and alienating not just their root demographics but any other majority demographic.

    The result will be that our societies are going to be dominated by the right and become unbalanced if this carries on much longer. You may be white working class and the largest and faster growing voting demographic in the UK but Labour and the left in general openly resent you so vote Tory.

  10. They could start by taking action against all those who have gone out of their way to interfere with Sue Gray’s investigation whilst intentionally sabotaging their own.

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