Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley has condemned the behaviour revealed in a BBC Panorama investigation as reprehensible and vowed to remove the individuals involved from the force.
Speaking to BBC Radio London, Rowley described the secret footage captured by an undercover reporter as horrific and said he wants those involved off the payroll as soon as possible. So far, nine officers and one staff member have been suspended, while two more officers have been taken off frontline duties.
The undercover investigation, broadcast by the BBC, exposed officers making sexualised comments to female colleagues and expressing racist and Islamophobic views, including references to shooting immigrants and taking pleasure in the use of force. The footage directly undermines the Met’s earlier assurances that it was addressing deep-rooted cultural problems following the 2021 murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the footage shocking and urged Commissioner Rowley to respond very robustly to what has been uncovered.
Rowley acknowledged that many Londoners would be angry and upset by the toxic views expressed by officers in the documentary. He said that while the force has taken significant steps to remove problematic individuals especially since the Casey Review, there is still a long way to go.
“The majority of officers in the Met are decent people who genuinely care about policing London,” he said. “But we have far too large a minority who clearly should not be here.”
He also pushed back against suggestions that he should step down in light of the revelations, saying: “I’m not resigning. It’s the racists and misogynists, frankly, who want me gone.”
Rowley reiterated his commitment to cleaning up the Met, comparing the misconduct to a cancer within the organisation that must be eliminated. He said the documentary, while disturbing, actually showed some progress pointing out that officers in the footage appeared more cautious about expressing such views openly.
Describing the behaviour shown in the programme as vile to watch, Rowley labelled those involved as ghastly individuals and said their actions have no place in modern policing.
The Panorama documentary has reignited serious concerns about the culture within the UK’s largest police force, which has faced repeated scandals and growing pressure to implement lasting reform.
