The Metropolitan police has started using counter-terrorism tactics to hunt down the worst male offenders targeting women. Scotland Yard said it will rank the worst male offenders and then “use the organised crime or terrorism approach” against those assessed to be the most harmful top 100.
The announcement came as the force’s commissioner launched a new set of promises – called A New Met for London – aimed at dragging Britain’s largest force out of crisis. Mark Rowley vowed that it would be shaped by communities.
The Met first said it would treat rape and sexual offences as seriously as terrorism in 2015, under the then commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe. Rowley and his leadership team see the new approach on high-harm offenders against women as symbolic of the force he is trying to rebuild using data and innovative techniques.
The approach had already led to one arrest for multiple offences, the force said, and while it will only tackle a fraction of the 35,000 offenders against women to start with, it is hoped that this will grow. Rowley said: “It’s taking the organised crime or terrorism approach to male predatory violence.”
Once a victim reports crimes to police, officers will see what other evidence they can find against the suspect. Rowley said: “If we go after them proactively, build a case against them, get them off the streets, that protects women and children in London, so that’s an indicator of something more innovative, more front-footed, and how we reform how we police London.”
The Met said it had charged 500 more cases of rape and serious sexual offences in the last year, compared with the previous year.
The Met came under intense pressure during the reign of the previous commissioner, Cressida Dick, over its attitude to violence against women, and the crisis worsened after Wayne Couzens, a serving officer, murdered Sarah Everard, and another, the serial rapist David Carrick, was jailed for carrying out dozens of serious attacks on women. In both cases, warning signs were missed.
A report by Louise Casey damned the Met as failing widely and as being institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic – labels Rowley rejected while accepting the failings.
Launching the new plan, Rowley said: “We’ve heard the voices of those who’ve been let down by the Met. Unreservedly, we apologise.
“Whether you’re a woman or a member of London’s LGBT+ community, whether you’re disabled or you’re from a black or ethnic minority background – we’ve heard the concerns you’ve raised. We’re sorry, and we will change.”
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Results will determine whether Rowley’s join a long list of unfulfilled promises, or whether he saves the Met from further lost of public trust and being broken up.
The London mayor, Sadiq Khan – who is also the police and crime commissioner for the capital – faces re-election next year with the force in special measures. Khan said: “Londoners will rightly judge this plan on actions, not words, and I will be unflinching in holding the Met and the commissioner to account and supporting him to deliver.
“The Met has many committed, professional police officers and staff who want to be part of this change. I see police reform as a critical part of my mayoralty and I will not be satisfied until Londoners have the police service they deserve.”
