Owami Davies
(Picture: Metropolitan Police)The Met Police has branded suggestions of racial bias in its handling of the Owami Davies missing persons case “unsubstantiated”.
The student nurse, 24, was found safe in Hampshire on Tuesday - after her disappeance from her hometown Grays, Essex, ignited a two-month search.
The case was initially dealt with by Essex Police before being handed over to the Met when it became clear Owami had travelled to London.
The force faced criticism from some quarters, with accusations it was slow to react and to find Owami, and that her race had played a part in this.
It is clear the Met Police have two tiers of policing. Both separate both unequal. Owami Davies and Sarah Everard's disappearance are almost the same. One difference is one woman is Black the other white. Please spare me with your 'we are committed to being anti-racist' rhetoric.
— Michael Morgan (@mikewhoatv) August 18, 2022
On August 3, the Met released an image of the wrong woman as part of a public appeal to find her, before rectifying the mistake later that day.
But in a statement issued on Thursday, Met Commander Paul Brogden said: “Any commentary – including from former police officers – that suggests our response to Owami Davies’ disappearance was insufficient or motivated by racial bias is unsubstantiated and based on speculation.
“It does a disservice to the tireless work, over many weeks, of the officers involved.”
He added that the case was among the Met’s largest missing persons investigations in recent years, and involved “a significant number of officers including specialist detectives with expertise in complex cases”.
“We are very pleased that their extraordinary efforts, with the assistance of the public and the press who shared our appeals, resulted in Owami being found,” he said.
“We always review significant cases to learn and improve and we are doing so in this instance alongside our colleagues from Essex Police. We will be transparent about any lessons that emerge.”
Watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed on Wednesday it will take no further action after it emerged police had contact with Owami after her disappearance was reported.
But the Met Police and Essex Police are set to carry out a review of their handling of the case - to see if improvements can be made for future missing persons investigations.
