SCM Staff Writer I Wednesday, October 01, 2025
LONDON — The head of London’s Metropolitan Police Service, Sir Mark Rowley, issued a stark apology and promised an “uncompromising” and rapid-fire response late Wednesday after a BBC Panorama broadcast aired what he called “reprehensible and completely unacceptable” behavior by officers.
The allegations, which reportedly included racism, misogyny, anti-Muslim sentiment, and bragging about excessive use of force within a custody team, have reignited fears about the safety of individuals in police cells and the Met’s deeply rooted cultural issues.
”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,” Commissioner Rowley said in a statement.
“For that, I am truly sorry.”The fallout was immediate: within 48 hours of the allegations being received, nine officers and one staff member were suspended, with two more officers removed from frontline duties.
The entire custody team at the Charing Cross station has been disbanded, and its leadership is being replaced.
A ‘Biggest Corruption Clear-Out in British Policing History’
Rowley framed the swift action as part of what he describes as “the biggest corruption clear-out in British policing history.”
He emphasized a commitment to aggressively rooting out misconduct, even as the force faces ongoing scrutiny following a series of high-profile scandals.
He detailed an already unprecedented pace of internal reform:
Forced Exits Treble: The Met has relentlessly pursued and removed almost 1,500 officers and staff who failed to meet standards over the last three years.
Forced exits trebled to around 550 last year, compared to 150 in 2020.
Rowley noted the force is now “relentlessly arresting and sacking officers and staff with 11 forced out each week—more than triple the rate of the previous weak approaches.”
Internal Reporting Surges: Internal reporting of wrongdoing has also trebled, jumping from around 400 in 2021/22 to 1,400 in 2024/25, a metric the Commissioner credited to the “good majority” of officers stepping forward.
Vetting Tightened: The refusal rate for new applicants under the strengthened vetting system has more than doubled to 11 per cent.
For those involved in the latest allegations, Rowley warned of a path to swift dismissal. “It’s my expectation that for those involved, where there is incontrovertible evidence… they will be put on a fast-track hearing within weeks and on a path to likely dismissal,” he stated.
The Commissioner was candid about the challenges facing the force, citing “systemic, cultural, leadership and regulatory failings that have allowed misogyny, racism and a lack of public service ethos to put down deep roots.”
Beyond immediate dismissals, the Met is also introducing new measures, including hardening policies like bringing membership of secret societies “into the light” and deploying AI and analytical intelligence to spot “early signs and troubling trends” in staff behavior.
Despite the ongoing controversies, the Met presented data suggesting some progress in rebuilding public confidence:
General Trust: 81 per cent of Londoners agree the Met is doing a good or fair job, and 74 per cent agree the Met is an organization they can trust.
Racial Trust Gap Narrows: Trust among Black Londoners has increased by 10 per cent over two years.
Victim Satisfaction: Victim satisfaction has improved from 59 per cent to 63 per cent in the past year.
The police force is now moving to overhaul its detention teams across the city, going beyond Charing Cross to implement a wider turnover program and using data to identify any other “areas of concern” in custody units.
Rowley concluded with a warning to those resistant to change: “Those who can’t or won’t improve should expect to leave.”
