Struggles at the Met Police affect us all
PREVIOUSLY when London’s MET Police suffered a series of corruption scandals the “solution” ineffective senior officers and politicians enacted was to put detectives back in uniform. It hoped respect for this uniform policy rolled out nationwide would help prevent allegations of discrimination.
Obviously, MET scandals continued and the detection rate in freefall evidenced this policy’s failure.
So when your child was abused, house burgled, etc, the best detective you could hope for was a trainee being trained by someone still training and worrying about returning to uniform.
At worst you might get an officer kicked out of CID now needed back or someone wanting “Detective duties” on their CV before promotion. Oblivious or not, you were affected.
Now another series of MET scandals and public/politicians demanding action have put the
MET into “Special Measures”. But with officers rocketed to senior positions plus direct recruitment into senior police positions, MET’S management are less able to deal with the problem than before.
Unlike other forces, a pot washer in a London restaurant can earn more than a MET Constable. Introducing allowances, increased pay, free travel up to 80 miles, community charge exemptions, massive overtime and 15 per cent lower entrance exam fees, yet they still struggle to attract the right calibre of staff in enough numbers.
I’ve worked in and with the MET, including Scotland Yard, and most officers are honest, resourceful and diligent, but they are constantly undermined by the actions of a large minority seemingly employed by necessity.
I raise this because I fear further ineffective policies being rolled out across the country, adversely affecting us in this area again.