MPS Commissioner promises officers guilty of racism, misogyny and excessive force will be ‘fast-tracked’ out of the force

Secretly filmed footage at Charing Cross police station showed officers “bragging about excessive use of force”, and making discriminatory and misogynistic comments.

Sir Mark promised that where there is “incontrovertible evidence” of inappropriate behaviour they will be “fast-tracked on a path to likely dismissal”.

Responding to the Panorama investigation screened on Wednesday night (October 1), the MPS Commissioner said: “The behaviour depicted in this programme is reprehensible and completely unacceptable.

“Officers behaving in such appalling, criminal ways, let down our communities and will cause some to question if their sons and daughters are safe in our cells, and whether they would be believed and respected as victims of crime. For that, I am truly sorry.

“In line with our uncompromising approach, within 48 hours of these allegations being received, nine officers and one staff member had been suspended, with two more officers removed from frontline duties.

“It’s my expectation that for those involved, where there is incontrovertible evidence of racism, misogyny, anti-Muslim sentiment or bragging about excessive use of force, they will be put on a fast-track hearing within weeks and on a path to likely dismissal. We stand ready to work with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to make this happen.

“We have disbanded the custody team at Charing Cross, made changes to local leadership and have begun wider work to identify any other areas of concern in detention teams across the Met.”

The IOPC has already started an investigation into allegations relating to the behaviour of 11 current or former MPS officers and one staff member based at Charing Cross police station in central London.

The allegations include excessive use of force, making discriminatory and misogynistic comments, and failing to report or challenge inappropriate behaviour, and are alleged to have occurred both on and off duty between August 2024 and January 2025.

The IOPC’s investigation followed a mandatory conduct referral from the MPS relating to the conduct of nine serving officers, a former MPS officer and a serving designated detention officer.

It also received a referral from another force relating to the conduct of a former MPS officer who was previously based at Charing Cross and has since transferred.

Si Mark added: “As Commissioner, I have been candid about the systemic, cultural, leadership and regulatory failings that have allowed misogyny, racism and a lack of public service ethos to put down deep roots.

“We are part way into conducting what is already the biggest corruption clear-out in British policing history. We are relentlessly arresting and sacking officers and staff with 11 forced out each week – more than triple the rate of the previous weak approaches that left this toxic legacy behind.

“This progress stands on the determination of the good majority of our people who have stepped forward and reported wrongdoing at three times the rate. We are all committed to  relentlessness until that job is finished.

“Having cleared out huge volumes of unsuitable staff over recent years, we are now probing deeper into the corrupt networks and cliques our actions have driven underground.

“We are hardening our policies such as bringing membership of secret societies into the light, and deploying AI and analytical intelligence technologies to spot early signs and troubling trends in our staff’s behaviour.

“The vast majority of our people join policing with a vocational sense of public duty. We’ll support even more staff to report wrongdoing and we will equip and develop our leaders to help them succeed in driving lasting cultural change. Those who can’t or won’t improve should expect to leave.”

Rachel Watson, Director General of the IOPC, said the behaviour of officers shown on Panorama was “deeply troubling” and it is her intention that the IOPC’s investigation will enable the MPS to hold fast-track disciplinary procedures as soon as possible, where there are clear breaches of professional standards.

She added: “The documentary showed some appalling examples of officer conduct; it was policing at its worst and will have left viewers shocked by what they saw.

“We are leading the investigation into these officers and have already made good progress. We have identified a number of officers for whom we believe quick-time disciplinary procedures can be initiated.

“There is clearly no place in policing for people displaying the attitudes, behaviour and culture we saw last night. The public would rightly expect swift action to ensure they are removed from service.

“Where there is sufficient evidence to establish an officer’s actions constitute gross misconduct, and it is in the public interest, they can and should face fast-track proceedings at which they can be dismissed at the earliest opportunity. Our investigators are conducting urgent assessments of those matters in line with proper processes.

“We are repeating our request to the BBC to provide us with any relevant un-transmitted material, which we need for our investigation and misconduct processes. Its cooperation will assist us to progress these matters swiftly.

“It is in everyone’s interest that any officers found to have committed very clear misconduct breaches are dealt with in a timely and robust manner.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “The disturbing scenes in this footage are sickening. I welcome the IOPC fully and urgently investigating all the issues raised in this report.

“It is right that the Metropolitan Police have condemned this, and we fully support their pledge to root out those unfit to serve the public. I know this is a top priority for the Commissioner.

“We have given police chiefs the powers to automatically sack officers who fail background checks and dismiss those guilty of gross misconduct, and we expect them to be used.”

Marina Ahmad AM, chair of the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, said: “Last night’s BBC1 Panorama programme will have sent a chill through the spine of any law-abiding Londoner.

“What appears to have been common practice at Charing Cross police station is shocking and I know my colleagues on the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee will want answers as to how this has been allowed to happen.

“We will be asking some tough questions when the Met appears before us at our meeting on October 16.

“The Commissioner’s robust response is helpful but we will need to be reassured that these corrupt practices are not endemic within the Met.

“London needs to trust its police force. It’s the job of the London Assembly to hold that force to account and ask why this dreadful situation was ever allowed to happen.”

Paula Dodds, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said it was aware of allegations into the conduct of officers working at Charing Cross police station.

“The Federation deplores any discriminatory behaviour in the strongest possible terms – such behaviour has no place in policing or society,” she said.

“If officers are proven to be guilty of criminal offences or serious gross misconduct, then we do not want these individuals in the job.

“But all police officers – like all people – have the right to representation and due process… and not trial by media or documentary. Or indeed senior officers or politicians.

“As an investigation is ongoing into the conduct of officers at Charing Cross police station, we will not be commenting further at this time.”

The MPS said in the past three years it has “relentlessly pursued and removed” almost 1,500 officers and staff who failed to meet its standards at an “unprecedented pace” in the biggest police corruption clear-out in British history.

In a statement, the force said: “We took immediate action to address the issues highlighted at Charing Cross – the IOPC now leads the investigation following our referral.

“Within 48 hours of these allegations being received, nine officers and one staff member had been suspended, with two more officers removed from frontline duties.

“We have disbanded the custody team at Charing Cross, made changes to local leadership and have begun wider work to identify any other areas of concern in detention teams across the Met.

“All 34 dedicated detention officers – a police staff role – based at Charing Cross were moved to alternative custody sites with immediate effect.

“All 16 Charing Cross custody sergeants were taken out and posted into other non-custody parts of the business.

“In terms of senior leadership – we are in the process of moving a number of our chief inspectors and superintendents at Central West Command Unit, which covers Charing Cross police station, as well as senior leaders within our custody directorate.

“Beyond Charing Cross, over the next year we are going to drive a programme of wider turnover of staffing in custody suites – moving any custody sergeants with more than two years’ tenure.

“We are also looking more widely at custody units across the Met – using our data to identify any areas of concern and where management/leadership interventions are required.

“We have asked for more visits to custody suites by independent assessors so they can help us to identify poor practice.

“Additionally, we are re-reviewing a number of complaints relating to custody to make sure any isolated or more systemic issues are identified and pursued.”

The End Violence Against Women Coalition said in a statement: “Police officers hold a particular position of power and authority over the public. Recent years have exposed the scale of abuse of this power to harm women and girls. Last night’s Panorama investigation exposed that despite some efforts to address this, there remains a long way to go.

“We are appalled by footage showing a rape and domestic abuse victim being disbelieved by a male sergeant and the suspect released, despite a female officer’s attempts to challenge this decision. It is abundantly clear that there remains a deeply rooted culture of institutional racism, misogyny and Islamophobia within the Met, which the force has yet to properly address.

“We are clear that the footage captured is just a snapshot of what is happening in forces across the country, and that transparency, accountability and culture change is urgently needed. Changing the culture of policing means creating an environment in which victims and whistleblowers feel safe to report misconduct and abuse, and that officers who dismiss, blame or abuse those they have a duty to protect face meaningful consequences rather than impunity.”