Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley
(Picture: PA Wire)The Met has launched a free hotline for members of the public to anonymously report rogue officers and police staff in the force.
The hotline, thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, will be manned by staff from the independent charity Crimestoppers. Tips are then passed onto a Scotland Yard anti-corruption squad.
It comes after the force’s top officer, Sir Mark Rowley, candidly admitted last week there were around 100 of his own officers who were on restricted duties because they could not even be trusted to talk to members of the public.
Commander James Harman, head of the Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command, said: “There are tens of thousands of people at the Met who work hard to fulfil our duties honestly with integrity.
“Nothing upsets our good people more than knowing there are officers or staff abusing their powers and letting the public down.
“It is so important that the good majority at the Met can trust their colleagues, and that the public know there are clear systems in place where appalling behaviours will be challenged and addressed robustly.
“We are therefore taking this exceptional step to identify and remove anyone who corrupts our integrity from the Met.
“We want to reassure the heroic majority within the Met to know that corrupt colleagues will be rooted out, but also for the public to see how seriously we take abuses of power and how determined we are to rebuild trust and confidence in the Met.”
Behaviours the public are being urged to call the hotline about include officers being racist or homophobic, abusing their position of power for sex or personal benefits, or for displaying abusive behaviour towards people close to them such as spouses or their children.
Calls to the hotline are free, and the behaviour can be either whilst the officer or staff member is on-duty or off-duty.
Those blowing the whistle on corrupt officers can also choose to leave their details if they wish to receive updates on the case.
Once a tip about a corrupt officer has been made, the information will be passed to specialist detectives to begin an investigation, take steps to safeguard someone at risk or in danger, or record the information to inform future investigations.
Commander Harman, added: “The public can help us by sharing any information they have. We know that trust in us has been impacted and that is why we have asked the independent charity Crimestoppers to manage the hotline.
“If you have information about a police officer or member of staff who works for the Met and is corrupt, abusing their position and power, please call the hotline on 0800 085 0000 so we can act.”
The Met has been rocked by a series of scandals, including the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by Met officer Wayne Couzens, to the uncovering of racist and misogynistic conduct of some officers at Charing Cross police station.
Sir Mark, who took over as Commissioner in September after Dame Cressida Dick was ousted, has vowed to clean up the force, pledging “More Trust, Less Crime and High Standards”.
