Metropolitan Police force investigates more than 600 abuse allegations against its own officers
The Metropolitan Police is investigating more than 600 sexual and domestic abuse allegations against its own officers.
It is after a new unit- the Domestic and Sexual Offences (Daso) unit, was set up in January to investigate Met officers who have been accused of such offences.
It was looking into 625 misconduct allegations, ranging from “inappropriate behaviour” to criminal offences, as of 18 August.
Alleged victims include members of the public and other police officers, with a significant number of cases being examined by the unit involving domestic abuse between a couple who are both serving in the police.
The creation of the unit is part of the force's efforts to clean up its image and root out corruption after a series of scandals in the past few years.
The rape and murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021 by then-serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, who pretended to be a plain clothes officer to manipulate his victim, led the force to announce it would conduct an “urgent review” of all allegations of sexual misconduct and domestic abuse against officers.
The former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick announced her resignation in February stating that "the Mayor no longer has sufficient confidence in my leadership" with Mark Rowley taking over the role.
He says he is determined to clean up the force.
Last week he announced a new Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command saying it would root out “criminal colleagues”, and work to “identify and investigate those who are predatory, who abuse their position of trust – for their personal, financial or sexual advantage – whether on duty, off duty, in person or online.”
The new team of approximately 100 detectives and officers will use a range of tactics including some akin to those usually deployed during investigations into major crime, to identify and investigate other officers.
Rowley added: “You will see over my tenure, you will see more people being removed from the force for these sort of ghastly acts because we’re going to turn the stones over.”