Hotline for complaints about cops could be rolled out to all UK forces

Hotline for complaints about rogue cops could be rolled out to every force in Britain as record number of police forces remain in special measures

• The Met launched its own hotline after the murder of Sarah Everard  

A hotline for complaints about rogue police officers could be rolled out to each force in Britain as a record number of constabularies remain in special measures.

Scotland Yard launched the first such hotline last November and more than 1,000 people used it to report misconduct, with officers now responding to 350 cases.

Some of these reports have prompted intelligence-led drug tests and covert investigations into officers at Britain’s biggest force.

Officers have also been suspended from duty and even arrested due to information from the Met’s partnership with Crimestoppers for the dedicated hotline.

And the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) confirmed it was possible that the same system could be rolled out across every force in the country to root out officers abusing their position.

The Met launched its own hotline for members of the public to report rogue officers in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder at the hands of serving officer Wayne Couzens

A spokesman said: ‘The NPCC is exploring the roll out of a national police integrity line as a priority.

‘An update on the progress of this will be issued in due course.’ 

It comes as six forces, including the Met, were placed in special measures following inspections from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

Rapist cop David Carrick is accused of carrying out sex attack when he was 13

The Met launched its own hotline for members of the public to report rogue officers in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder at the hands of serving officer Wayne Couzens, and a month before PC David Carrick admitted raping and sexually abusing 12 women.

In a letter to the Home Secretary and Mayor of London outlining his efforts to improve standards, commissioner Sir Mark Rowley explained the impact the hotline had made so far.

He said more than 1,000 reports had been made by members of the public, including 23 that related to concerns about racism.

He added: ‘Since it launched, we have had over 1000 people contact this service, resulting in 350 reports that we are actively responding to – including opening overt and covert investigations, conducting intelligence-led drug testing and building a corroborated intelligence picture regarding officers of concern – and we have seen Crimestoppers information lead directly to arrest and suspension from duty.’

Last week it emerged the Met has 161 officers with criminal convictions in its ranks – including three who carried out sexual offences while employed.

Scotland Yard’s commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, made the revelation in a letter to Home Secretary Suella Braverman and the Mayor of London.

PC David Carrick admitted raping and sexually abusing 12 women

It comes after the force was branded institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic in a major review.

Ms Braverman said it was crucial that the public had confidence in the Met to keep Londoners safe.

‘I have been clear that a relentless focus on improving standards and common sense policing is required,’ she added.

Suella Braverman blasts police force for sending FIVE officers to seize collection of golliwog dolls

‘Sir Mark’s update on the work to root out unfit officers demonstrates the scale of this challenge but I have confidence in his plan to turn around the Met and ensure the force is delivering for the public.

‘I am also driving forward work to review the police dismissals process to ensure the system is effective at removing officers who fall below the standards we expect.’

Chairman of the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, Susan Hall, said it was concerning that so many serving officers had criminal convictions but she trusted the Met to robustly review their cases.

‘It is promising to see that the Commissioner is determined to deliver on more suspensions, more hearings and more dismissals of those who simply should not be police officers,’ she added.

‘To achieve this, the Commissioner needs clearer rules which give him greater power to remove officers who are proven unfit for the role, as we recommended in our report looking at the police complaints system last year.

‘We will continue to scrutinise the Commissioner and the Mayor to ensure that they reform the Met and rebuild trust among Londoners.’

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