After a rigorous assessment by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, Lee Freeman, it seems the Met police have “failed.” Here’s why.
The Public Is Concerned
The public has voiced their concerns and complaints about the Met Police on various occasions. Concerns include handling cases and dealing with victims and offenders. There were reportedly many discrepancies in the cases linked to Stephen Port, which allowed him to commit more violent acts of crime.
Unfortunately, that was not the only case that was reportedly poorly handled.
“Fail Victims”
Rape survivor Julianna Terlizzi said in an interview that the poor assessment of the Met was “no news” to her and other rape victims. “Until they start taking complaints seriously to identify and remove officers who are ‘not fit to serve’ the Met will continue to fail victims,” she said.
Things Need to Change & Improve
HM Inspector Constabulary Lee Freeman is not impressed by the Metropolitan police. After assessing their performance in several areas, he considers the Met “inadequate” with a dire need for “improvement.”
What’s Causing the Trouble?
UK police have been recently called out for underperforming in their duties after a top inspector assessment. According to reports, the police were found to be inexperienced with certain situations and swamped with workloads that might not even fall within their skillset and knowledge.
Troubling Assessment?
The assessment covered various factors where the forces were either inadequate, needed to improve or were adequate. There wasn’t a single “good” or “outstanding” featured. These are some of the reasons why the assessment was so troubling.
Poor Scoring
The Met Police scored adequate in one area, inadequate in two, and requires improvement in four areas. According to HMICFRS (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services), the Met Police have many areas to improve, including their response to 101 calls and “vulnerability at the first point contact.”
Not the First Time
It’s not the first time the Met has been under scrutiny for bad performance. The force has been in Engage by the HMICFRS since 2022.
Despite Doing Better Previously, Engage Still Needed
The Met might have done better in their previous Police Efficiency Effectiveness and Legitimacy (PEEL) inspection, scoring one “good,” three “adequate,” five “requires improvement,” and one “inadequate.” However, Engage is still needed to help improve and iron out any concerns.
Intervening for the Better
The independent HMICFRS Engage intervenes when police forces are not delivering on their promise to serve and protect the public. They are also there if forces are underperforming.
Monitoring “Underperforming” Police Force
The monitoring process begins once the HMICFRS finds discrepancies in the police department’s performance.
Engage HMICFRS
Engage HMICFRS “inspects and reports the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces.” these steps are taken in the public’s interest.
Strict Steps for the Better
Action takes place to mitigate the problems and find solutions. In this instance, the Engage program helps to identify and resolve issues within the force. The police force under Engage will remain under close surveillance until things improve.
Crime Investigations
Crime investigations were particularly bad, falling under the inadequate category. The findings showed that the Met assigned crime investigations to rookie officers with minimum investigative skills and experience.
No Supervision of Inexperienced Cops Assigned
The assessment revealed that there was also no supervision for many of these investigations. Moreover, junior officers were doing excess work for which they weren’t adequately experienced, let alone trained.
Too Many for One Officer
Other assessment findings also showed that officers were often assigned several cases to investigate and process. However, this would usually leave the officer split and unable to fully focus on resolving one case at a time.
Managing Offenders & Suspects
The assessment showed an inadequate result for “managing offenders and suspects.” The findings revealed that officers “lacked training” in using The Violent and Sex Offenders Register (ViSOR). This register was vital to the safety of victims and the public as it lists various crucial details about the offender.
Serious Concerns
HM Inspector Freeman has said he has “serious concerns about how the force is currently investigating crime and managing offender and suspects.” Freeman also mentioned having concerns about the way the Met reduces and manages crime prevention.
Met Transformation
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed her concern about how bad things were at the Met Police. She said that the issues found in the assessment had to “be addressed in The Met Transformation Program,” according to The Guardian.
High Standards From Those Entrusted to Protect
The Home Secretary added that the people of London must “expect the highest standards from those they trust with keeping them safe.”
London’s Mayor Speaks Out
London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan said there was still a “long way to go,” but taking these steps confirmed that they were “heading in the right direction.”
He also confirmed that he was “confident” that Sir Mark Rowley, the commissioner, could “turn this around.”
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Yau Ming Low.