In her review of the Metropolitan Police Service, Baroness Casey looked at two specialist units: the Specialist Firearms Command and the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.
Baroness Casey highlighted “serious concerns” with culture in the Specialist Firearms Command and reported it to be “well resourced, with elitist attitudes and toxic cultures of bullying, racism, sexism and ableism” [1].
The Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection is made up of almost 1,000 officers and staff, both armed and unarmed. It provides policing and armed protection to Parliament, Downing Street and diplomatic embassies in London.
Baroness Casey described it as a “dark corner” of the Met with “limited opportunities to shine light on attitudes or behaviours” [2].
The Met launched a review of its Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit prompted by the crimes of officers David Carrick and Wayne Couzens, who both served in the squad.
The Met published its report in September 2023, stating that it was taking “comprehensive action” to overhaul the unit including replacing staff and strengthening the approach to vetting, complaints and conduct [3].
For its monthly Q&A session, the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee will meet tomorrow to discuss the two specialist units. Other topics include:
- The London Policing Board
- Child protection
- Policing and protests
The guests are:
- Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime
- Kenny Bowie, Director of Strategy and MPS Oversight, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC)
- Will Balakrishnan, Director of Commissioning and Partnerships, MOPAC
The meeting will take place on Thursday 14 December 2023 from 10am, in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.
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Notes to editors
- Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB, An independent review into the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the Metropolitan Police Service, 21 March 2023, p190
- Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB, An independent review into the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the Metropolitan Police Service, 21 March 2023, p199
- https://news.met.police.uk/documents/summary-note-the-leven-review-434812
- Read the agenda papers.
- Caroline Russell AM, Chair of the Police and Crime Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Police and Crime Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For more information, please contact Emma Bowden in the Assembly Media Office on 07849 303897. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.