Over 700 investigations launched after calls to Met Police anti-corruption service, as hotline goes live across UK
14 March 2024, 15:27
A hotline is being rolled out across the UK today - after it received 3,000 tip-offs prompting 700 investigations since it started a year and a half ago in the capital.
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The figures for the Metropolitan Police were revealed on Thursday as the police anti-corruption and abuse reporting was implemented across the country.
The Met first started using the service in November 2022, after many distressing scandals, such as Sarah Everard being murdered by serving officer Wayne Cozens, and ex-Pc David Carrick being revealed as a serial rapist.
Now, the service will be available for reports about all UK forces, online or by calling 0800 085 0000 - anonymous tip-offs are also allowed.
It will be run by Crimestoppers, an independent charity.
Information can be passed on about potential crimes, including police officers, staff or volunteers who may be:
- Accepting bribes
- Abusing their position
- Mistreating their partner
- Expressing homophobic, misogynistic, or racist attitudes
- Discriminating against disabled people.
“There does seem to be a lot of bent coppers around" says Adrian Dunbar
The details will then be forwarded to the relevant force to be assessed and may lead to an investigation.
For the Met, since November 2022, there have been 1,988 calls and 890 online reports.
867 pieces of intelligence passed onto the force.
From these figures, there have been 728 Met investigations, with the remaining 139 reports being passed on to other relevant forces.
Public confidence in the police has been shaken after Couzens’ and Carrick's crimes.
Other scandals have affected the Metropolitan Police's reputation, including when two officers were jailed for sharing images of the bodies of two murdered sisters, as well as offensive and disturbing messages shared with other officers in WhatsApp groups.
In November, Lady Elish Angiolini's independent review found multiple "red flags" that were missed about sex offender Couzens.
In 2023, Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley reported that two to three criminal cases against officers would be expected to go to court per week for many months.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Day, from the Met’s Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command, explains how the public have helped the Met to stop those abusing their position thanks to hundreds of reports that have come into the anti-corruption hotline run by Crimestoppers.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 14, 2024
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Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), said: "This reporting service will enable us to take action by giving the public a new, anonymous and confidential route to report corruption, criminality, or abusive behaviour within policing.
"We do not underestimate the impact recent events have had on trust and confidence in policing, including the appalling findings of the Angiolini report.
"We have made progress in strengthening procedures around misconduct and vetting, and forces are taking a proactive approach to finding and rooting out wrongdoing.
"However, we know there is always more to do to ensure that we meet the high standards rightly expected and deserved by the public.
"The vast majority of police officers and staff act professionally and with integrity in the fulfilment of their duties to protect the public. We must take tough action to purge policing of those responsible for wrongdoing, for now and for the future.
"This year, we checked our entire workforce for unknown allegations or concerns and will begin long-term screening to ensure that there is no place for corrupt or abusive officers and staff to hide in our forces."
Policing minister Chris Philp said: "Public confidence in our police has been severely damaged.
"There can be no stone left unturned in our efforts to clean up the workforce and culture, and rebuild trust.
"This anonymous helpline will give people the confidence to challenge the behaviour of officers who fall below the high standards the public deserve.
"This is alongside a broad range of continuous action being taken to root out officers unfit to serve and tighten vetting processes to ensure the right people are in policing."
