‘Banter’ is no excuse for abuse, Met chief tells officers
Sir Mark Rowley has warned police in London they will be sacked if they use “banter” as an excuse for using abusive language.
In an email to all officers and staff, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner said anyone who abused people because of their race or sexuality was not welcome in the force.
He added while he did not expect police stations to be like convents, officers and staff would be dismissed if they used terms such as “gay” or “disabled” as a form of abuse.
In the email Sir Mark said: “Please regard this as a direct instruction and the start of our focus on achieving high standards.”
It comes after a damning report by Dame Louise Casey revealed that hundreds of racists, misogynists and sex abusers had exploited a misconduct system that was not fit for purpose to remain in the force.
The review identified that serious allegations made against officers were more likely to be dismissed than investigated and there was systemic racial bias in the misconduct system, with black and Asian officers treated more harshly than their white colleagues.
Sir Mark apologised for the failings and expressed his determination to tackle issues raised in the report.
In his message to those working for the Met, Sir Mark said he wanted to be explicit and clear about what was expected of them.
Honest mistakes would be tolerated, he said, but immediate candour was vital and anyone found lying to avoid accountability would not be welcome in policing.
He added that he did not expect police stations to have the language of a “covent” but people should not use “deliberate or reckless prejudice” or claim humour as an excuse.
Sir Mark warned officers that conduct that would warrant dismissal included: legitimising sexual violence in the form of “banter”; suggesting that colleagues were criminal because of their race or religion; displaying negative attitudes towards people because of their gender/race/religion/sexuality/disability or using discriminatory and prejudicial language as a form of abuse, such as “gay” or “disabled”.
He went on: “This list is not exhaustive but it does start to draw a clear line. I find it hard to envisage any circumstances where this behaviour is ever anything else but a route to serious disciplinary proceedings, and dismissal.”
On Monday Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, appeared to blame Dame Cressida Dick for the misconduct afflicting the Met, suggesting the former Commissioner was “lethargic, defensive and arrogant”.
In an extraordinary swipe, Mr Khan said Dame Cressida had been in denial about the problems in the force, but insisted he had confidence in Sir Mark to turn things round.
“We now have a commissioner who’s not in denial,” he said, adding: “Here’s the difference, you don’t have a commissioner in Sir Mark who is lethargic, defensive or arrogant.
“You have got a commissioner with a plan to address those issues and with a plan to win back trust and confidence.”
Sir Mark has vowed to implement all of Dame Louise’s recommendations and has called for chief constables to be given back the power to sack officers guilty of gross misconduct and to reopen new cases.
Repeat misconduct offenders have also remained in post, with only 13 out of 1,809 officers and staff with more than one case against them since 2013 being sacked.
The report found 1,263 were involved in two or more cases, more than 500 were involved in three to five, and 41 were involved in six or more – the highest number being 19.
Sir Mark said he was appalled by the findings. He said the number of officers and staff being sacked each year, between around 30 and 50, was “massively under-engineered”, and he estimated there are hundreds of officers in the Met who should be kicked out of the force.
“You have to come to the conclusion there must be hundreds of people that shouldn’t be here, who should be thrown out,” Sir Mark said.
“There must be hundreds who are behaving disgracefully, undermining our integrity and need ejecting.”
Source: (The Telegraph)