It was discovered today that a former Met cop had created a racist WhatsApp conversation group, which had officers who had previously worked with PC Wayne Couzens.
Rob Lewis has been demoted from his position as a UK Border Force employee at the Home Office due to racist remarks he made on the 1,700 fatal floods in Pakistan. Lewis is also accused of using the term “P*ki” repeatedly.
Additionally, there are allegedly “vile and terrible” memes and remarks concerning the government’s plan to send refugees to Rwanda for processing, as well as insults directed at black MPs and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Several of the WhatsApp group’s members had previously worked for the Diplomatic Protection Group (DPG), an armed squad that protects embassies and Parliament.
Wayne Couzens was a member of the organization when he kidnapped, raped, and killed Sarah Everard.
Rob Lewis reportedly started a group conversation with other ex-Met cops, according to the BBC’s Newsnight.
The program said that Dave Eden, another former police officer, had given it texts from the organization.
The BBC quoted him as saying: “There are allusions about black politicians, which are quite disgusting.” “Racism and misogyny are the overarching undertones,” This organization claims that the Metropolitan Police’s culture hasn’t altered. Fairness dictates that other groups be also affected, not just this one. It’s what former coworkers are telling me, at least. And what I continuously observe.
Another active officer told the BBC that he did not believe that these attitudes and philosophies could be eradicated from the Met.
To show other employees that these views and behaviors have no place at the Met, it is necessary to hold those responsible accountable and make an example of them. I don’t see any significant progress being made inside the organization.
Additionally, according to the BBC, a serving Met officer tweeted a racist message with a photo of black infants.
Lewis, who has not responded, is thought to be the staff member who was suspended, according to the Home Office.
The statement read: “We have zero tolerance for anybody demonstrating racist, homophobic, sexist, or discriminatory behavior. We demand the highest standards of our workers.”
“Where such behavior is brought to our attention, we will not hesitate to take prompt action.”
The texts communicated were ‘abhorrent,’ according to Commander Jon Savell, who is in charge of the Metropolitan Police’s professional standards.
“These remarks are disgusting and have no place in law enforcement or society,” he said.
Their actions undermine the public’s trust in the police, which the great majority of us in the Met strive diligently to uphold and strengthen on a daily basis.
“In the Met, there is no room for racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other kind of discrimination.”
When such behavior is discovered, it will be dealt with severely, but we will also aggressively look for people whose deeds make us seem bad.
When these texts originally surfaced in April, we contacted Mr. Eden’s agents, but they steadfastly refused to provide any information. We implore them to change their minds so that we may act.
“In the meanwhile, we urge anybody with knowledge of similar behavior to get in touch.”
After Dame Cressida, Sir Mark Rowley was selected for the £293,000-a-year position. Following controversies, like the officer-involved killing of Sarah Everard and the imprisonment of two officers who took photos of dead corpses, London Mayor Sadiq Khan removed Dick from office in February. Recently, the military was forced to take additional precautions.
In order to “provide greater trust, less crime, and high standards for London,” the new Commissioner vowed to be “ruthless” in weeding out those “corrupting” the force.
Our goal is to spearhead the restoration of consent-based policing, which has suffered greatly in recent years as public trust and confidence have declined.
“I am glad that the Home Secretary and mayor are both adamant about supporting the critical changes we need to achieve effective neighborhood crimefighting in the quick-paced reality of today.” These changes affect our culture, how we utilize data and technology, and how we approach enforcement.
We won’t use strategies on our own; rather, we’ll battle crime alongside communities. I also know that the vast majority of officers and employees still have a remarkable sense of purpose, are very driven, and want us to succeed. It is my responsibility to support them in doing so and to ruthlessly purge those who are undermining our integrity.
To combat wrongdoing, Metropolitan Police personnel will get cellphones.
One of the first programs under new commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s administration to be started was the effort to “retake” the scandal-plagued force’s “integrity.” Sir Mark Rowley made that promise earlier this month.
The Times reports that as a result of the decision, every officer will be able to interact with one another and gather evidence using the new iPhones.
Thousands of police officers were formerly required to use their own smartphones to take notes on evidence at crime scenes and carry out routine investigations.
It comes after a series of high-profile misconduct investigations in which it was discovered that some police officers had shared images of crime scenes and sent improper communications using their personal mobile devices.
Officers Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis were sentenced to nearly three years in prison in December of last year after it was discovered that they had photographed and exchanged pictures from a crime scene.
The two were accused of “dehumanizing” the two black victims, Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, by posting images of their corpses in two WhatsApp groups, according to the court.
The fatalities were referred to as “death birds” in texts sent to 41 police officers and Jaffer’s acquaintances, who also received additional communications.
Outrage also followed the publication by a watchdog earlier this year of a slew of troubling racist, sexist, and homophobic comments exchanged by Charing Cross police station personnel between 2016 and 2018.
The brutal, poisonous “boys club” mentality among the officers at Charing Cross police station was made public in a shocking report by the IOPC inspector.
It was discovered that in WhatsApp conversations, officers made ugly racial and domestic violence-related boasts in addition to joking about rape.
The watchdog’s findings also included graphic messages exchanged by cops about raping women, murdering black children, paedophilia, Muslims, Auschwitz, and handicapped people.
Giving officers work cellphones, according to sources, would not only increase their access to technology but also enable top management to monitor what their officers are doing.
Earlier this month, Sir Mark Rowley and Dame Lynne Owens, his new deputy, took the oath of loyalty to the King and vowed to restore public confidence.
In what is undoubtedly one of the most tumultuous moments for Britain’s largest police department, the new chief of the Metropolitan Police begins his or her duties.
In an attestation, Sir Mark took an oath promising to carry out his duties “with fairness, integrity, diligence, and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights, and accord equal respect to all people.”
After Dame Cressida Dick’s controversial resignation from her position as Commissioner at Scotland Yard earlier this year, he was appointed to the position.
Sir Mark has been tasked with restoring public confidence in the force after a string of scandals and mistakes in recent years.
The effort was a “totally fantastic” step, the leader of the Metropolitan Police Federation told the Times.
“The expense [of utilizing gadgets] should not be paid by the employee,” said Ken Marsh.
This will bring the Met into the 21st century in 2022 and provide officers immediate access and communication tools.
A watchdog earlier this year imposed extraordinary sanctions on the police.
Before Sir Mark’s term started, then-home secretary Priti Patel requested in a harsh letter that he rectify the “appalling errors of the past.”
Earlier this month, she wrote to Sir Mark with the following expectations: “I expect the Metropolitan Police under your direction to get the fundamentals right and offer the first-class service required of it.”
I also anticipate you, as Commissioner, to encourage improved management and greater standards across the board for the whole force.
A guy who drowned in Kingston after attempting to swim away from police to escape being detained and Chris Kaba, who was tragically shot by an officer in Streatham Hill, are other difficulties confronting Sir Mark. Oladeji Omishore, who died after falling from Chelsea Bridge, was one of them.