The Metropolitan Police is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic, a damning report on the UK’s largest police force concluded - but what did YOU think?
The 363-page report by Baroness Louise Casey, who spent a year investigating the force following the murder of Sarah Everard, identifies a number of cases where female, gay or minority ethnic officers were abused or mistreated by colleagues.
It revealed widespread bullying, racist attitudes and “deep-seated homophobia” in the force, with a fifth of staff with protected characteristics – for example, race, sexuality or disability – being victimised.
“Female officers and staff routinely face sexism and misogyny,” the report said.
“The Met has not protected its female employees or members of the public from police perpetrators of domestic abuse, nor those who abuse their position for sexual purposes."
Among the report’s findings included the harrowing testimony of an officer who said she was repeatedly raped by a colleague and tried to kill herself.
Other cases involved "initiation rituals", such as food-eating challenges, people being urinated on and a male officer who was allegedly sexually assaulted in showers.
Casey details how the use of broken fridges and freezers - which were used to store evidence by the sexual offences unit - led to the dropping of several rape cases. One officer said the detection rate for rape cases is so low that it has “basically been legalised in London.”
The Baroness said the “broken” force should be abolished if it does not change its “rotten” culture in the next five years.
We asked Mirror readers if they think the Met Police should be disbanded and 75 percent of responses voted for ‘Yes’.
A total of 1,044 people voted in our poll, and around 777 said it should be abolished following the blistering report.
Taking to the comments sections to voice their opinions, one reader wrote: “It's scary when you can't even trust the police, something drastic has got to be done. I was going to say I don't think disbanding is a good idea, but then I couldn't think of any other way to make things right.
“I just know it's going to end up costing the country a fortune what with inquiry after inquiry and then inquiry about the inquiry because the other inquiry wasn't detailed enough or something.”
A second added: “Recently there was a programme on the BBC about this and the only way forward is to sack the lot and start again! But with the brotherhood controlling most of the country how long would it be before we are back to square one???”
Another reader wrote: “The sooner the better, ” while a fourth shared: “Start at the very top where most corruption is.”
Some people suggested that each London Borough have its own police force and Chief Inspector as “there has to be a way to sort this mess out”.
Meanwhile, 22 percent of voters selected the option ‘No’ in the poll, and shared their thoughts in the comments section.
A reader explained: “You can't just disband a whole Police Force en masse; it needs massive reorganisation and much more rigorous recruitment. Get rid of the riff raff slowly but make sure those that take their place are honest, and much better trained.
“In the old days this would never have happened within a force - a few bad pennies but not the wholesale lies, deceit and corruption the Met seems to have sunk to. Even my ex policemen friends are shocked at the state of this force.”
“Disarm the Met and you'll have less policing around the London area, which is already terrorists by knife gangs. Fixing the problems with the Met is superior to completely disbanding it and anyone who thinks otherwise really needs to start living in the real world,” penned another.
One user highlighted that other issues need to be addressed first, they wrote: “Disbanding the Met will make no difference unless the very basic issues of pay and morale are addressed. Neither are attractive to the best possible recruits, and many must be thinking there’s little point in making arrests when criminals just walk free.
“The current system does not attract sufficient elite candidates that might join to serve and make a difference and seems more suited to attracting bullies that want a badge.”
Another suggestion by a reader involved splitting the Metropolitan Police into four areas - the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western metropolitan district.
They added: “Scotland Yard would remain as the administrative centre for the four operational districts. Responsible for policy, training, selection, procurement, and budget and still with a central police commissioner in overall charge of the Metropolitan force.
“This would elevate the four best qualified chief constables into running their own divisions but still with oversight from central command.”
Only 3 percent of respondents selected the option “Other”.
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