Met Police launches dedicated victims phoneline to demystify justice system

The Met's Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley vowed to put victims at the heart of his strategy at a major summit, but some still remain sceptical, ITV London's Anna Geary reports

The Metropolitan Police has launched a dedicated phoneline for victims of help them access key information about their cases.

It launched the line ahead of a major summit in central London today aimed at ensuring victims are adequately supported at every step.

The service is funded by a new £3 million annual investment from City Hall, and will also go increase the number of Met staff responsible for victim care, and signposting victims to support services.

As he unveiled the new phoneline, Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “Our officers and staff often interact with people during the most traumatic moments of their lives.

“They do a great job in the vast majority of cases but the stretch on their time and the nature of our work sometimes means our follow-up and co-ordination with specialist victim support is not good enough.

“That is why we are harnessing new technology and creating a dedicated team to boost our service. I know my entire service wants to put the victim voice at the heart of everything we do.

“We are committed to listening to victims’ experiences and using this feedback to implement the practical measures that will make a real difference for victims.”

Speaking at Friday's summit at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, victims and sentencing minister Edward Argar, who said victims can sometimes feel left out of the justice system.

"It may appear impenetrable and inexplicable to those who are the victims of crime, leaving them feeling excluded or often peripheral to a process that is about their lives and their experiences.”

He added: “Victims must be treated fairly, properly and with dignity. Behind every statistic there are human beings, families living with the consequences and picking up the pieces.

“This is not just about law, it is about changing attitudes, behaviours and culture.”

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Sir Mark told the event he is "probably been the most vocal commissioner in the Met's history when it comes to speaking about the need for reform".

He said the pressure faced by officers is immense, adding: "20% of our frontline demand is related to mental health, and it is pressures like this that make it hard for us to provide victim support.

“We can measure success by the number of people we catch and prosecute, but also by the feedback that victims give us. We want people to feel confident in speaking to us and we are committed to putting them first and centre.”

Director of public prosecutions Max Hill said the CPS wants "every victim to feel respected", even if it is not always able to deliver a guilty verdict.

He promised that adult victims of rape and other serious sexual offences would be prioritised for new, enhanced support systems the CPS is developing.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there is a “moral responsibility to do better by victims”.