Metropolitan Police are being “monitored” for their recent performance, the independent inspection has confirmed.
In a statement, Her Majesty’s Police Inspectorate and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said the measure was to help support the Met police in making “improvements”.
“We can confirm that we are now overseeing the Metropolitan Police Service through our Engage process, which provides additional scrutiny and support to help it improve,” they added.
The HMICFRS described the two stages of its monitoring process, starting with the “scan” phase, which “uses data and information from various sources to highlight poor or impaired performance and identify potential areas of concern.”
They add that if a force “does not respond to a cause for concern,” or if it is “failing to manage, mitigate, or eradicate the cause of concern,” it is likely to move into the “Engagement” phase.
Here the forces will develop an “improvement plan” to address the concerns.
Referring to the “special measures” to which the Met has been applied, Interior Secretary Priti Patel said “it is clear that the Metropolitan Police Service is falling short.”
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“I hope the police understand the basics … and that’s why I support the action HMICFRS has taken today to highlight its shortcomings, and I hope the Met and the Mayor of London take immediate action to start addressing them. .
“The process of hiring a new commissioner is underway and I have made it clear that the selected candidate must demonstrate sustained improvements in the Metropolitan Police Service in order to regain public confidence both in London and across the country.
“The new commissioner will have to meet the public’s priorities for the police: make our streets safer, reduce crime and bring more criminals to justice, while continuing to recruit thousands of new officers to protect local communities.” .
A statement from the Met said: “We recognize the cumulative impact of the events and issues the Met is addressing. We understand the impact this has had on communities and share their disappointment.
“We are determined to be a police service that Londoners can be proud of. We are talking to the Inspectorate about the next steps.”
Incidents of the Metropolitan Police
A series of controversial Met-related incidents led former Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick to resign earlier this year.
She had “no choice” but to resign after London Mayor Sadiq Khan lost “confidence” in her.
Dame Cressida has been temporarily replaced by Sir Stephen House while his successor is recruited.
One of the most notable cases was the murder of Sarah Everard by police officer Wayne Couzens.
An investigation found that concerns had been raised about Couzens, nicknamed “the rapist” by colleagues from a different police force before joining the Met.
The Met was also criticized for his police surveillance of a vigil in memory of Miss Everard.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating several incidents of Met officers searching children, including menstruating girls like Child Q.
Concern was also raised about “institutional corruption” in the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan.
The errors were also said to have “probably” contributed to the deaths of three out of four Stephen Port victims. The FIPOL has announced that it will reopen an investigation into the handling of the case by the Metropolitan Police.
There have also been cases of Met officers convicted of racism and misogyny, largely focused on the Charing Cross police station.
Two officers were jailed after taking and sharing photographs of two women murdered at the crime scene.