Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Met Police on 12 December 2022.

We are aware of media reports relating to an upcoming television programme in which a female reporter is followed and harassed in the Leicester Square area of London. The programme will also feature footage filmed in Liverpool.

Ch Supt Owain Richards of the Met’s Central West Command Unit said:“Tackling all forms of violence against women, including sexual assault, stalking and harassment, is a priority for the Met.

“We always seek to balance the needs of any victim with wider public protection. We were not approached by the programme makers, but in order to ensure we can identify any potential offenders at an early stage, we have written to them jointly with Merseyside Police asking that they share any material that may assist police.

“Any evidence of potential crimes will be assessed, and we will also consider the wider intelligence and policing picture.

“Every woman should feel safe, and we remain committed to doing everything possible to ensure that this is the case. We are supporting the Mayor of London’s refreshed strategy which champions a public health approach to ending violence against women and girls, and places a stronger emphasis on partnership working, prevention and education across a wide range of services in London.

“This includes Met support for the Mayor’s Women’s Night Safety Charter as well as other initiatives such as ‘Ask for Angela’ to help keep people safe while enjoying a night out.

“Across London, the Met has recently deployed hundreds of extra officers in town centres and high streets to reduce crime and increase confidence through greater police visibility, including for women and girls.

“We also run operations involving officers in uniform and plain clothes in order to make busy areas hostile places for offenders, including those showing predatory behaviour towards women. This tactic is designed to prevent assaults and protect anyone who is vulnerable.”

Throughout the festive period, there will be an enhanced police presence, especially in areas such as the West End. Anyone who feels they are being harassed or in danger should approach an officer so appropriate action can be taken, or speak with staff or security personnel in and around bars and clubs.

The press release issued by the Met Police on 9 December 2022.

One serving officer has been dismissed without notice and three former officers would have been dismissed had they been in post following their membership of a WhatsApp group.

On Friday, 9 December, a misconduct panel found that former PC Joel Borders and former PC Jonathon Cobban, previously attached to West Area Command Unit, former PC William Neville, previously attached to the South West Command Unit, and serving PC Gary Bailey, attached to Central North Command Unit, breached police standards of professional behaviour of discreditable conduct; authority, respect and courtesy; challenging and reporting improper conduct; and equality and diversity.

The panel had heard that in excess of 6,000 messages had been shared in a WhatsApp group in 2019, over 400 of which were inappropriate, many of which were shockingly offensive and none of which were reported by any officer.

Commander Jon Savell, from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “Anyone with a shred of decency would struggle to read this disgusting language, let alone send it in a message. These words could not be regarded as acceptable by any stretch of the imagination, and these officers should be ashamed.

“These messages demonstrate attitudes that have absolutely no place in the Met, and it is right that these officers have been dismissed, or would have been dismissed had they not left already.

“We wholeheartedly apologise to all who have been hurt by their disgraceful words and behaviour. They have failed Londoners, communities, and the vastly dedicated, decent majority of the Met. I know colleagues from Norfolk and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary will be as appalled as I am.

“These officers – and those who share their views – don’t belong in the Met and we are working to reform. We have increased the size of our anti-corruption command, are appealing to the public to report rogue officers, and have boosted the size of our professional standards unit.

“Reform will take time but we are committed to driving out officers who should not be in the job, restoring trust in the service, and providing the excellent service that Londoners expect.”

The panel heard highly offensive and prejudiced comments were made about a number of communities and individuals, with only one officer challenging a single comment in the entire chain of messages.

They mocked victims of crime and showed disdain for various areas of London which are home to a variety of cultures. The officers made light of serious crimes, made sexualised comments about colleagues, and included racial abuse about a colleague.

James Berry, counsel for the Commissioner and the two Chief Constables opened the case by telling the panel: “The messages exchanged in that group are, in the submission of the Commissioner and both Chief Constables, an abomination. They were a disgrace in 2019 and they are a disgrace today. They were wholly inappropriate in any workplace context, but certainly in the police service of 2019. They bring deep shame on the police service. The process of repairing the damage to public confidence in policing caused by these six officers’ conduct includes the bringing of these proceedings.”

It was alleged that former PC Joel Borders, former PC Jonathon Cobban, former PC William Neville, and serving PC Gary Bailey each:

• sent messages that were inappropriate and/or offensive
• sent messages that were discriminatory
• received messages that were inappropriate and/or offensive that they failed to challenge or report
• remained members of and therefore associated with a WhatsApp group which they knew was being used to exchange inappropriate and/or offensive messages.

The officers and former officers will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

As a result of the Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation, former PC Borders, former PC Cobban and former PC Neville were charged with offences of improperly using a public electronic communications network contrary to section 127(1) of the Communications Act 2003.

They stood trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. On 21 September Borders and Cobban were convicted and Neville was acquitted.

Cobban, 35, was found guilty of three counts of sending grossly offensive messages on a public communications network contrary to S127 of the Communications Act 2003.

Borders, 46, was found guilty of five counts of sending grossly offensive messages on a public communications network contrary to S127 of the Communications Act 2003.

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The officers’ misconduct cases were heard jointly and together with the cases of PC Matthew Forster (Civil Nuclear Constabulary) and former PC Daniel Comfort (Norfolk Constabulary) both of whose conduct was also found to amount to gross misconduct. PC Forster was dismissed without notice and former PC Comfort would have been dismissed had he been in post.

PC Forster had served in the MPS between 2019 and 2020, and former PC Comfort had served in the Met between 2019 and 2021.

The press release issued by the Met Police on 8 December 2022.

A police officer who falsified a training document to secure access to the Police National Computer (PNC) system has been dismissed without notice.

PC Akim Chartier, formally attached to the North West Basic Command Unit, appeared at an accelerated misconduct hearing on Wednesday, 7 December, to answer allegations he had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to Discreditable Conduct and Honesty and Integrity.

The chair of the hearing, Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray heard on 10 March 2021, PC Chartier enrolled on and completed a PNC training package.

Having failed to attain the required pass mark of 80 per cent on the first attempt, he retook the course that same day and again failed to reach the required standard.

It was alleged that he amended his certificate to reflect that he had scored 80 per cent on the exam which he knew to be untrue. His conduct was discovered when another officer noticed a discrepancy with the score on his certificate.

PC Chartier admitted that he had amended his certificate during an investigation conducted by officers from the Directorate of Professional Standards.

After considering all the evidence, Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray found the allegations proven in respect of Discreditable Conduct and Integrity only. PC Chartier was dismissed without notice.

PC Chartier will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

The press release issued by the Met Police on 3 December 2022.

The Metropolitan Police, along with other emergency services and statutory partners, has carried out a major live-play exercise this week to test the joint response to a major terrorist incident.

The multi-agency exercise – called Exercise Crystal Peak – took place over two days and involved more than 200 people including emergency responders from blue-light services, specialist counter terrorism (CT) officers, partners from the London Resilience Forum, as well as volunteers playing the role of casualties.

The exercise was not carried out in response to any specific threat or intelligence, but forms part of our regular CT testing and exercising programme.

The exercise scenario involved an improvised explosive device detonating and injuring large numbers of people as they attended a fictional music concert at a stadium venue.

Commander Ade Adelekan said: “Whilst the exercise was not designed with any specific threat in mind, sadly, previous attacks such as those we’ve seen in Manchester and Paris show that this kind of scenario at a busy entertainment venue is a real possibility.

“Exercises like this test how our blue-light services respond to this type of incident, ensure the plans we have in place are fit for purpose, and identify where we might improve. They also give our officers and staff invaluable experience to respond in a live-play scenario under pressure with real sights, sounds and smells, so that they are in the best position to respond effectively should the worst ever happen for real.”

The exercise scenario began on Saturday, 26 November and took place at a disused terminal building at Heathrow airport. The scenario itself was not related to the aviation setting, but the venue had been used for previous counter terrorism exercises and using it for this particular exercise allowed the emergency services the space and control to respond in as realistic a way as possible, without causing disruption to the public.

Among the specialist police units that were taking part in the exercise were armed officers, explosives ‘EOD’ officers, dogs, and forensic teams. Officers from the British Transport Police and the City of London Police also took part. They were joined by responders from the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade, who supported the search, rescue, casualty management and recovery responses at the scene.

Day two of the exercise took place on Wednesday 30 November and focused on the strategic coordination between the various agencies involved as the scenario moved from the immediate response phase, to the longer-term recovery phase.

Over the course of the exercise, functions including command and control, intelligence, firearms response, communications, and disaster victim identification were tested.

The exercise is the first major live-play exercise carried out by the Met since March 2022 when Lord Harris published his second report looking at London’s preparedness to respond to a terrorist attack. The report identified that significant progress had been made since the initial report in 2016, with further recommendations identified which are now subject to consideration and implementation.

Commander Adelekan added: “The overall terrorism threat level in the UK remains at ‘substantial’. We know that we cannot afford to let up in our efforts to prevent or thwart terrorist attacks, and equally, to be fully prepared to respond should one happen. I am extremely grateful for the support Heathrow airport has given us by once again, allowing the use of their building.

“This work is vitally important for all of us, including the public, who have a really important role to play by remaining vigilant. Please do get in touch if you see or hear anything that doesn’t feel right. You won’t ruin anybody’s life by doing so, but you could just help save lives.”

The press release issued by the Met Police on 2 December 2022.