The Metropolitan Police Service’s approach to tackling police
corruption is not fit for purpose, the police inspectorate has
said.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue
Services (HMICFRS) found that the Met had not learned all the
lessons from its failed investigation into the 1987 murder of
private investigator Daniel Morgan, which was hampered by police
corruption.
Despite these findings, HMICFRS acknowledged that the Met’s
capability to investigate the most serious corruption allegations
is particularly impressive, and other police forces regularly
call on their expertise.
The inspectorate praised the Met’s confidential reporting line
and its dedicated team to support whistle-blowers. It also
recognised that the Met had greatly reduced the number of
personnel who were not security vetted.
However, the inspectorate’s overall finding was that the Met’s
counter-corruption arrangements and procedures are fundamentally
flawed. For example:
- in the past two years, the Met has recruited people with
criminal connections and more than 100 people who have committed
offences. Some of these recruitment decisions may have been
justifiable, but the force failed to properly supervise these
people to lessen the risks;
- property and exhibits procedures were dire. Hundreds of items
were not accounted for, including cash and drugs. In one
instance, the security access code for a property store had been
inscribed on the outside of the door;
- the force doesn’t know whether all those in sensitive posts –
such as child protection, major crime investigation, and
informant handling – have been cleared to the level of security
vetting needed;
- over 2,000 warrant cards issued to personnel who had since
left the force were unaccounted for; and
- the Met still does not have the capability to proactively
monitor its IT systems, despite repeated warnings from the
inspectorate. IT monitoring is used by most forces to enhance
their ability to identify corrupt personnel.
Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr
said:
“It is unacceptable that 35 years after Daniel Morgan’s murder,
the Metropolitan Police has not done enough to ensure its
failings from that investigation cannot be repeated. In fact, we
found no evidence that someone, somewhere, had adopted the view
that this must never happen again. This will be understandably
distressing for Mr Morgan’s family and friends, to whom we send
our condolences.
“We found substantial weaknesses in the Met’s approach to
tackling police corruption. From failing to properly supervise
police officers who have previously committed offences, to
inadequate vetting procedures, and much more besides, it is clear
that the current arrangements are not fit for purpose. The Met’s
apparent tolerance of these shortcomings suggests a degree of
indifference to the risk of corruption.
“We have made several recommendations for change. If public
confidence in the Metropolitan Police is to be improved, they
should be among the Commissioner’s highest priorities.”
The inspectorate said it found no evidence of any deliberate or
coordinated attempts by the Met to frustrate the work of the
Daniel Morgan Independent Panel. It said that although there was
much to criticise, based on this inspection it would not describe
the Met as institutionally corrupt.
READ THE REPORT HERE
