Britain’s biggest police force has a toxic ‘youth culture’ that makes the job attractive to power-seeking bullies, said a former Metropolitan Police officer.
Alice Vinten, who has worked in the police for 10 years, believes police service can only change if bosses recognize that it attracts more “illegal dumpers” than any other profession.
Expect gruesome reports this week accusing the Metropolitan Police of racism, sexism, homophobia and failing to make changes despite repeated warnings.
Baroness Casey plans to publish her review of the culture and standards of the military commissioned following the murder of . Sarah Everard by the serving officer.
Ms. Vinten believes that while the focus has been on the Metropolitan, the same problem exists across the police service.
“I hope the toxic sexist culture within Metropolitan is exposed to the reality that ‘youth culture’ still exists,” she told PA News Agency.
“Women often do not feel supported by their male colleagues, and men are less likely to stand behind them, especially when they have to complain about them.
“The reality is that there is still a stigma attached to reporting ‘your stuff’ and this needs to be turned upside down. Yes, and should not be exiled.
“I don’t think these problems are unique to the Metropolitan. I think these things are happening in all armies across the UK.
“Since the murder of Sarah Everard, the focus has been mainly on the Metropolitan, but if you gave each of the British police services the same level of scrutiny, you would find exactly the same problems – sexist jokes, Unacceptable WhatsApp discussions, harassment of female cops and men, using their power to gain access to vulnerable women.”
As a police officer, I’d like to see measures such as a female detective unit investigating accusations of sexual crimes by female police officers and employees, and a system in which two officers screen candidates for employment separately.
She also said the police need to be open to attracting power-hungry bullies.
“They must admit that power attracts bullies and perpetrators, and that the police service as a whole attracts more ‘mistreatment’ than any other profession.
“They need to acknowledge that they are a profession targeted by bad guys who want to abuse their power.
“Until they do this and the hot cops/public servants are dedicated to rooting out the bad cops, nothing will change.”
Harriet Wistrich Solicitor, Director of the Women’s Center justicesays police officers who turn a blind eye to wrongdoing must be punished like the perpetrators themselves.
She told PA:
“Failure to address these issues and keep them under wraps has had the most horrific consequences, in cases like (Wayne) Cousins and (David) Carrick, in fundamentally undermining trust in the police. rice field.
“One of the key issues is the culture of loyalty to punish whistleblowers and reward co-conspirators. This must be fundamentally reformed.
“Those who did not complicit or speak out against blatant misogyny or racism should be held accountable just like their perpetrators.”
The Guardian reported that Baroness Casey’s review would be “terrible” for The Metropolitan, and police said they would not comment until the full text was released.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has been lurking amidst a string of scandals in recent years, including the case of Wayne Cousins, an official set to die in prison for the murder of Miss Everard. David Carrick has been exposed as one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders.
Andrea Simon, director of the Coalition to End Violence Against Women, said the review highlights how police power and culture enable officers and staff to commit crimes, including violence against women and girls. He said he hopes to
“Given the long history of misogyny and racism at the MET, from revelations about undercover police dating back to the 1980s, to the findings of the McPherson Report, and numerous police inspection reports, this review is conclusive. , the culture and operations of the institution must urgently change,” she said.
“The report’s findings are likely to point to problems we have known for a long time, so expect to hear in concrete terms how we can drive meaningful, transformative action. I’m here.”
Rape Crisis England and Wales Chief Executive Jane Butler wants the review to focus on “transparency, accountability and cultural change”.
“It is clear that a fundamental cultural change is needed to rebuild public trust in the police,” she said.
“We will take a merciless approach to police officers accused of sexual or domestic abuse and root out those with sexist, racist and misogynist views. We want a proper review process for
“It is important that the MET clearly outlines its definition of serious misconduct and that it is applied consistently.
“It is also important to detail how professional standards can be made more robust and how these will be implemented and developed where appropriate.”
