Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley has apologised after serving officers called for immigrants to be shot, revelled in the use of force and were dismissive of rape claims in an undercover BBC documentary.
Sir Mark Rowley said the behaviour of some at Charing Cross Police exposed by Panorama is “reprehensible and completely unacceptable”.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner added it is likely that all the accused serving officers will be sacked within weeks of Wednesday night’s broadcast.
Nine serving officers, one ex-officer and a designated detention officer are all under investigation for gross misconduct, over allegations of use of excessive force and making discriminatory and misogynistic comments, and failing to report or challenge inappropriate behaviour.
Reporter Rory Bibb spent seven months filming covertly up to January this year.
He claimed one sergeant with nearly 20 years’ service was dismissive about a pregnant woman’s allegations of rape and domestic violence.
A PC allegedly enthusiastically described how he saw another officer stomp on a suspect’s leg. He laughs when describing how he had offered to make a statement saying the man tried to kick the sergeant first. It was unclear from CCTV footage if the claim was true.
Another constable told the journalist in the pub that a detainee who had overstayed his visa should have “a bullet through his head” and “ones that shag, rape women, you’d do the cock and let them bleed out”.
An officer detaining a woman wearing police fancy dress said: “Ah awesome. I’ve paid money to go to clubs and see women dressed like this.”
On another occasion, an off-duty officer remarked: “Islam is a problem. A serious problem I think. Muslims hate us. They f***ing hate us. Proper hate us.”
During the programme one officer described how, if suspects refuse to have their fingerprints taken, he could pull two of their fingers hard to snap the tendons.
“I love taking fingerprints by force,” he said.
The Met Police Federation, representing rank-and-file officers, said any staff facing allegations has a right to due process rather than trial by documentary, senior officers or politicians.
Sir Mark said: “Officers behaving in such appalling, criminal ways, let down our communities and will cause some to question if their sons and daughters are safe in our cells, and whether they would be believed and respected as victims of crime.
“For that, I am truly sorry.
“In line with our uncompromising approach, within 48 hours of these allegations being received, nine officers and one staff member had been suspended, with two more officers removed from frontline duties.
“It’s my expectation that for those involved, where there is incontrovertible evidence of racism, misogyny, anti-Muslim sentiment or bragging about excessive use of force, they will be put on a fast-track hearing within weeks and on a path to likely dismissal.”
He has been backed by London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who said he has confidence in Sir Mark’s efforts to kick wrongdoers out of the Met, and that he is “disgusted and appalled” by the alleged behaviour.
Sir Sadiq said: “Sexism, racism, misogyny and the excessive use of force have no place in the police. I have met with the commissioner to discuss directly the issues exposed by the BBC – and its impact on public confidence and trust in the police.
“A series of urgent changes have been put in place at Charing Cross police station and across the Met, with more to follow.
“I support the new approach to tackling misconduct set out by the commissioner. There must be zero tolerance to this kind of behaviour and no hiding place for officers who abuse their position of trust.”
On Tuesday, watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which has launched its own inquiry into the claims, said that 11 current and former officers were under investigation for potential gross misconduct.
One constable was also under criminal investigation, accused of perverting the course of justice.
The alleged incidents are said to have occurred while those said to have been involved were both on and off duty between August 2024 and January 2025.
Messages shared are understood to include support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson and anti-Muslim sentiment.
The entire custody team at Charing Cross has been disbanded and moved elsewhere in the wake of the allegations, which emerged after an investigation by Panorama.
Nine officers at the centre of the claims have been suspended while the IOPC inquiry continues.
Sir Mark took up the post three years ago tasked with cleaning up the force at arguably one of the most troubled times in its history.
He vowed to kick wrongdoers out of the Met in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer, and another being unmasked as a serial rapist who targeted victims over nearly 20 years.
Earlier this month the force said it was using “Al Capone” style tactics to root out wrongdoers and break-up cliques within the ranks.
Sir Mark added: “Having cleared out huge volumes of unsuitable staff over recent years, we are now probing deeper into the corrupt networks and cliques our actions have driven underground.
“We are hardening our policies, such as bringing membership of secret societies into the light, and deploying AI and analytical intelligence technologies to spot early signs and troubling trends in our staff’s behaviour.
“The vast majority of our people join policing with a vocational sense of public duty.
“We’ll support even more staff to report wrongdoing and we will equip and develop our leaders to help them succeed in driving lasting cultural change.
“Those who can’t or won’t improve should expect to leave.”
The force is consulting on plans to force officers to declare if they are members of the Freemasons.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “The disturbing scenes in this footage are sickening. We have given police chiefs the powers to automatically sack officers who fail background checks and dismiss those guilty of gross misconduct, and we expect them to be used.”
Former temporary Nottinghamshire chief constable Sue Fish reviewed Panorama’s footage and said sexualised comments were “completely inappropriate, very misogynistic”.
Discussing his comment about the rape and domestic violence allegations, she said: “As a woman as well as a former police officer, individuals like him have the power to make these sorts of decisions about my safety or other women's safety and that is terrifying.”
Paula Dodds, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “The federation deplores any discriminatory behaviour in the strongest possible terms – such behaviour has no place in policing or society.
“If officers are proven to be guilty of criminal offences or serious gross misconduct, then we do not want these individuals in the job.
“But all police officers – like all people – have the right to representation and due process, and not trial by media or documentary. Or indeed senior officers or politicians.”
Separate, earlier allegations linked to Charing Cross police station led to Sir Mark’s predecessor, Dame Cressida Dick, leaving her job, after London mayor Sadiq Khan said he could no longer support her.
A 2022 report by the IOPC found officers had exchanged highly offensive messages, including repeated jokes about rape, domestic violence and violent racism, as well as homophobic language and derogatory terms for disabled people.
The IOPC took the unusual step of publishing the messages in full and said the behaviour it had uncovered was “disgraceful”.
Police officers secretly filmed bragging about violence in Panorama documentary
Celebrity Traitors? It could be a stroke of genius — or an absolute disaster
At last! New DLR trains finally enter service (about 18 months late)
Firms ‘did not know’ machete was in parcel delivered to Southport attacker
