Macho police culture will not be tolerated, says chief constable

THE “macho” culture of policing will be ended to restore the trust of the public, the police chief responsible for standards in the profession has promised.

In an article for The Daily Telegraph, Chief Constable Andy Marsh, who heads the body that oversees training and codes of behaviour, said policing needed a “cultural overhaul” to root out misogyny and sexism, stop officers covering up for each other and restore public trust in the police because they could no longer blame “a few bad apples”.

He said his College of Policing aimed to make it an “inhospitable” profession for new recruits or officers who “brushed off ” macho behaviour or toxic comments as “banter”.

Meeting the Government’s target of 20,000 extra officers would require 50,000 new recruits, he added – equivalent to 40 per cent of workforce – and offered a “once in a generation” chance to rebuild the service’s reputation with an “enhanced input on ethics and integrity” at the start of officers’ careers.

The college has drawn up ethics courses, with input from the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), to warn recruits against abusing their powers and that they face disciplinary action and ejection from the force if they do so.

The moves follow the murder, rape and kidnap of Sarah Everard by Metropolitan

Police officer Wayne Couzens that led to misconduct claims against police and included allegations that three police officers shared misogynistic and racist messages on a Whatsapp group with Couzens, 48, who had once been known as “the rapist”.

Mr Marsh writes: “I recently heard someone use the phrase ‘if you can’t trust the police then who can you trust?’. This might be a summary of the public’s attitude towards the police right now, implying a … loss of trust.

“In recent months, we have seen cases where officers have been convicted of unconscionable acts. Inappropriate behaviour has been overlooked.

“The British public is attuned to what happens in policing and does not accept this as a few isolated incidents, but rather sees a service that needs a cultural overhaul to root out misconduct.

“Macho behaviour in stations and toxic comments made and brushed off as ‘banter’ need to end. The public will not tolerate situations where officers protect each other from wrongdoing, and professionals … need to feel empowered to challenge behaviour.

Mr Marsh added that it was also vital British police remained one of the most scrutinised in the world through local politicians, inspectors and Government oversight because “openness is an antidote to mistrust”.