The force has been asked to urgently check all officers and staff against national police databases and make its recruitment procedures more robust following the David Carrick rape case, a Home Office minister has said.
Robert Jerrick told Sky News’ The Take with Sophy Ridge that “a culture has developed over a long period of time” within the Metropolitan Police in particular that “now needs to be changed”.
He has “confidence”, he said, that Sir Mark Rowley, the recently appointed Met Police Commissioner, will be able to “get on with it and get it done”.
“Firstly, we are carrying out an urgent review of police vetting and recruitment procedures,” Mr Jenrick said.
“And we’ve asked a very experienced former judge to do this work for us, and it will look at how people come into the service, what checks are put in place when they’re promoted, and how in general this culture of misogyny and prejudice has risen in the force.”
Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, agreed with the need for tougher procedures, telling Sky News there should be a “proper review of checks and standards”.
Carrick, 48, a Metropolitan Police officer for more than 20 years, was recognized as one of Britain’s most successful sex offenders after admitting dozens of rapes and sexual offenses in attacks on 12 women.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council has asked all forces to re-screen their officers to find anyone who is “simply not fit to wear a uniform”.
In a statement earlier today, the Home Office said: “This will help identify anyone who has slipped through the net before vetting standards are tightened and ensure that those who are unfit to serve can be eradicated.
“The Government will do whatever it takes to stamp out misogyny and predatory behavior in the police ranks.
Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, described Carrick’s “heinous crimes” as a “stain on the police” and said he “should never have been allowed to stay as an officer for so long”.
“We are taking immediate steps to ensure that predatory individuals are not only weeded out by the police, but that vetting and standards are strengthened to ensure they cannot join the police in the first place,” he added she.
Image: David Carrick is one of Britain’s most successful sex offenders
Read more: ‘He was mean’ – Victim describes months of abuse. Met boss determined to clean up – but culture can’t be easily changed Timeline of missed opportunities to stop Carrick
It is calling for Carrick’s state pension to be frozen
Ms Braverman also said she supported efforts launched by Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, to strip Carrick of his state-funded pension, reported to be £22,000 a year.
The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime said it would send a confiscation request to Ms Braverman after Carrick is sentenced next month.
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36:47 Do the police need security?
The Prime Minister promises police reforms
Rishi Sunak met Sir Mark on Wednesday and then promised reforms to ensure rogue police officers had “nowhere to hide” following Carrick’s abuse of power.
The Prime Minister said he and the Met commissioner had had “constructive” talks and he had “made it clear to him – and he agrees – that the abuse of power that we have seen this week is absolutely appalling and needs to be addressed immediately “.
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The Met apologized after it emerged Carrick had brought nine previous incidents to officers’ attention, including allegations of rape and domestic violence – but faced no criminal sanctions or findings of misconduct over those allegations.
The Home Office has also launched a review of the police disciplinary system to ensure that officers who “do not meet the high standards expected of them” can be dismissed.
More than 1,000 Metropolitan Police officers and staff who have previously been accused of domestic violence or sex offenses have been re-examined in a trial which took four months.
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