The London police officer is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. This is the conclusion of an independent investigation report that was published on Tuesday night. Violence against women and girls was not taken seriously. The report’s author, Louise Casey, called on the Metropolitan Police (Met) to make sweeping changes.
“It’s not our job as the public to protect us from the police. It’s the job of the police to protect us citizens,” Casey said. “Far too many Londoners have lost confidence in the police to do this.”
The 363-page report is drastic, tough and ruthless, said Casey, an independent MP in the House of Lords. So there is widespread bullying in the authority. “Female civil servants and employees are routinely confronted with sexism and misogyny,” it says. “The Met has not protected its women employees or members of the public from perpetrators in the police force who use domestic violence, nor from those who abuse their position for sexual gain.” There are also racist officials and employees and “deep-seated homophobia,” Casey said.
The report was commissioned after a police officer kidnapped 33-year-old Londoner Sarah Everard using his ID card in March 2021, then raped and murdered her. Even after that, scandals came to light. In February, an officer was sentenced to decades in prison after nearly 20 years of repeatedly raping a dozen women.