David Carrick is one of the worst sex offenders in modern criminal history, responsible for 85 crimes against 12 women, whom he terrorised through violence, abuse, coercion and humiliation. But the deeper horror of the case of the Met police officer, sacked on Tuesday, is not its singularity but the chilling fact that this is familiar terrain. The force is now investigating claims of domestic and sexual abuse against 800 officers. This is only the latest in a litany of scandals exposing misogyny, racism and homophobia, and raising questions about its ability to protect the public.
Carrick’s position – particularly following his promotion to the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command, an elite armed unit – was not incidental to his crimes, but enabled them: he traded on his status to silence his victims. It is remarkable, as well as admirably brave, that one persisted. His recruitment and promotion also ring alarm bells about the vetting procedure. One incident took place before he joined, another during his probation period.
Even worse, repeated serious allegations made about him to the Met and other forces did not hinder his career. This was not just a matter of failing to spot a pattern, as the Met have said. It is staggering that Carrick was not suspended even when arrested in 2021 – following public outrage over the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by another Met police officer. It is also hard to believe that colleagues had no concerns about a man they nicknamed “bastard Dave”. Last autumn, a report by Louise Casey exposed massive failings in the Met’s approach to rooting out wrongdoing, warning of “systemic” racism and misogyny. Her next report, due soon, is likely to call for radical change; the new Met commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, says he is “up for that”.
Sir Mark appears to understand the problem, acknowledging that his promises will not reassure women and that trust will only be rebuilt through real change. The decision to recheck all 45,000 officers and staff for previously missed offending is welcome and necessary; one can only hope procedures work better this time. As he says, it must also be made easier to sack officers who have broken the law.
But past efforts to reform the Met have run into the ground due to resistance. The service is still in special measures. It is failing the public not only through the prejudices that exist in its workforce but also through its ineffectiveness in fighting crime – though these matters are hardly unconnected. The many officers horrified by the actions of violent, predatory or bigoted colleagues are themselves betrayed and put at risk by the failure to root them out, in a system where whistleblowing is more likely to lead to ostracism than acclaim.
The question is whether others in the organisation share Sir Mark’s priorities, and whether the government holds police to account, as it has failed to do in recent years. It took the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to effect the removal of the previous commissioner, Dame Cressida Dick, who appeared to be in denial about the problems. His decision has been vindicated. Rishi Sunak has acknowledged that public trust has been shattered, yet his priority this week was to hand police increased powers. Instead of using them as a wedge issue in culture wars, ministers should ensure they are fulfilling their most fundamental duty: to protect the public.
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