Yard’s anti-corruption squad is probed over ‘crime cover-ups’

SCOTLAND Yard’s elite anti-corruption squad is being investigated over allegedly sabotaging inquiries into officers, it was revealed yesterday.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is probing claims that the Yard’s Directorate of Professional Standards covered up crimes rather than rigorously investigating them.

Child abuse, grooming, fraud, assault and hate crime are among the allegations involved in the investigation by the watchdog.

So far, one squad officer has been told he is under criminal investigation. He and two colleagues have been served with gross misconduct notices meaning they could be sacked if the case is proven. Several others could be drawn into the probe, code-named Operation Embley.

IOPC regional director Jonathan Green said: “We have begun an investigation into allegations of serious corruption and malpractice within the DPS of the Metropolitan Police.

“It includes alleged interference in, and curtailment of, investigations by potentially conflicted senior officers, failure to investigate allegations of wrongdoing, systemic removal of the restrictions of officers under investigation and racial discrimination.” The DPS is the latest of several Yard squads to try to tackle wrongdoing in Britain’s biggest force.

An earlier version, called A10, was set up in the 1970s to purge the Met of widespread corruption, particularly among detectives.

A10 gained the nickname the Rubber Heelers as officers never knew they were under investigation until they were arrested. It was set up by Commissioner Sir Robert Mark who defined a good police force as “one that catches more crooks than it employs”.