By Gavin Mackintosh-
The recent news of two Metropolitan Police officers being arrested on suspicion of rape and kidnap, with one of them found in possession of drugs, raises serious concerns about the integrity and professionalism of the Metropolitan police force.
The arrests highlight the possibility that there are dangerous cops in the Met, and the potential for police misconduct to go unchecked.
One cop was held on suspicion of rape, kidnap and common assault and was bailed until June over the rape claim after the police consulted with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
No further action is being taken over the other two claims.
The second cop was arrested on suspicion of kidnap and possession of Class A drugs, but was released with no further action.
The third man, the officers’ associate, was arrested on suspicion of kidnap and also released without further action.
No explanation as to why no further action has been taken in the case of class A drugs has been provided. This suggests the Met is still not being fully accountable with regards the alleged offences of some of their colleagues.
The arrests of these two officers come at a time when there is a growing concern about the conduct of the police force in the UK. Cases of police brutality, corruption, and misconduct have been widely reported in recent years, leading to a loss of public trust in the police force. The arrests of these two officers will only further erode the public’s confidence in the police force.
The fact that one of the arrested officers was supposedly arrested on suspicion of being in possession of drugs, yet no further action was taken, raising question about the integrity and professionalism of the Met Police. How an individual can be suspected of being in possession of drugs is anyone’s guess. In most people’s books, one is either in possession of drugs or they are not.
In that case no further action has been taken, neither is the Met prepared to explain the situation.
Asked for precise details of the class A drugs the officer was suspected of possessing and exactly why no further action is being taken, a Met Police spokesperson said: ”This is an ongoing investigation and we are not commenting further”.
The integrity of the Metropolitan Police has come under scrutiny in recent months following the report by Louise Casey commissioned by the Met which concluded the force to be institutionally racist, homophobic and misogynistic. The worrying revelation to emerge from that report, was the eventual decision by Met Commissioner Mark Rawley pledging to rid the force of officers with criminal records- something most responsible citizens of the Uk will agree should have been done long ago.
It is also a well established fact that some police officers are believed to be well connected in the force to the extent of being able to escape consequences of their conduct.
There is no hard evidence to support those claims, but when the Met drop cases involving class A drugs without providing satisfactory explanation, alarm bells have to start ringing.
One cop was held on suspicion of rape, kidnap and common assault and was bailed until June over the rape claim after the police consulted with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
No further action is being taken over the other two claims.
The Met Police said: “The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed and a referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
It is important to note, however, that the vast majority of police officers are dedicated professionals who work hard to serve and protect their communities. The actions of a few bad apples should not tarnish the reputation of the entire police force.
Nevertheless, it is essential that the police force take steps to ensure that officers who engage in misconduct are held accountable for their actions, and that the public’s trust in the police force is restored.
The Met in this case has failed the accountability test because they are not being transparent, and the excuse of an ongoing investigation just doesn’t cut it.
They know how to answer our questions without compromising the investigation, but for reasons best known to them do not want to.
Accountability is at the heart of the public interest.
The Met Police need to remember this.