A shocking BBC Panorama documentary revealed serving members of the Met Police called for immigrants to be shot, were dismissive of rape claims and celebrated the use of force by fellow officers.
Officers exhibiting racism and misogyny were exposed after a seven-month undercover investigation for a Panorama documentary.
Met Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has since apologised, calling the behaviour of the officers “reprehensible and completely unacceptable”.
Within 48 hours of the damning documentary footage being released, nine officers and one designation detention officer, a civilian member of staff, have been suspended under investigation for gross misconduct by the watchdog Independent Officer for Police Conduct.
Two more officers have also been removed from frontline duties.
One of the suspended officers is under a criminal investigation for allegedly perverting the course of justice.
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has described the behaviour of these officers as “shocking,” after they were exposed making a string of racist and sexist comments.
This documentary comes after the Met has been under scrutiny since Cressida Dick, Sir Mark’s predecessor, was forced to resign after Sir Sadiq Khan said he had no confidence in her leadership.
Other recent scandals include the Met launching an internal investigation into the potential insufficient vetting of over 300 recruits hired from 2016 to 2023.
Since becoming head of the force three years ago, Sir Mark has dismissed 1,500 officers who he deemed as “unsuitable staff”.
In a statement about the BBC Panorama documentary, Sir Mark said: “The behaviour depicted in this programme is reprehensible and completely unacceptable.”
“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.
“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. We stand ready to work with the IOPC to make this happen.”
“We are relentlessly arresting and sacking officers and staff with 11 forced out each week – more than triple the rate of the previous weak approaches that left this toxic legacy behind.”
Read the five most shocking revelations from the documentary below…
1. An officer claimed an immigrant should be shot
PC Phil Neilson told Rory Bibb, an undercover BBC reporter, that a detainee who had overstayed their visa should have “a bullet through his head” during a conversation at a pub.
He said Algerians and Somalians are “scum” and inferred that there is an invasion of the UK by migrants.
He said: “I think any foreign person is the worst to deal with.
“I’ve seen too many Islamics committing crimes. Their way of life is not the correct way of life. You do find that the ones that are causing the most crime are Muslim.”
2. An officer was dismissive about a pregnant woman’s allegations of rape and domestic violence
Sgt Joe McIlvenny, an officer who has served in the Met for nearly 20 years, was filmed being dismissive of a pregnant woman’s allegations of rape and domestic violence after a colleague raised concerns about the decision to release the accused man on bail.
The woman accused a man of raping her and stamping on her stomach while pregnant.
McIlvenny was filmed saying: “That’s what she says,” belittling the woman’s claims.
3. An officer revelled in a colleague using force against a suspect
PC Martin Borg was filmed enthusiastically describing how another officer, Sgt Steve Stamp, had stamped on a suspect’s leg.
The officer was filmed laughing when describing how he offered to make a statement saying the suspect had in fact attempted to kick his colleague first.
Another officer was caught bragging about threatening to break the tendons in suspects’ fingers if they were to refuse having their fingerprints taken.
4. An officer admitted tormenting an autistic teenager
One officer told BBC’s undercover reporter he had purposefully tormented a 17-year-old autistic teenager while he was being restrained by a group of eight officers.
PC Neilson was filmed saying he had purposefully pressed on pressure points on the teenager’s body while in a police van.
5. Inappropriate sexual comments were made about a woman who was arrested
Sgt Joe McIlvenny made comments about a woman who had been arrested while wearing a police costume.
He also made inappropriate, sexual comments about women he had met online, making lurid sexual conversations at work, including discussing masturbating.
