Cultural Challenges at the Metropolitan Police: LGBT+ community meeting

The Metropolitan Police Service has come under a lot of scrutiny in the last year on their interaction with the diverse communities in London. This includes the handling of the murders of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor in East London. The IOPC investigation into police conduct continues.

In addition, the MPS is also under review by the HMICFRS (statutory inspectorate of the emergency services). They also invited Baroness Louise Casey to conduct a review of cultural issues within the organisation.

Commander Jonathan Savell will be attending to listen to your concerns and to answer questions.

This event is organised by the LGBT+ Advisory Group to the Metropolitan Police. 

This will be an in-person event. 

Date: Tuesday 8th November, 6.30pm-8pm

Please register on Eventbrite.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cultural-challenges-at-the-metropolitan-police-the-lgbt-perspective-tickets-432987436077

 

The LGBT+ Advisory Group would like to invite applications to join our group

Our recruitment round is now closed. 

We are a voluntary group of independent advisors to the Metropolitan Police. We have been working for over twenty years to make sure that they listen to community concerns and to provide advice on individual operations and on their strategic planning.

More than ever, the police needs advice from the many communities in London that they serve. We want to strengthen our own membership to reflect the diverse lived experiences of LGBT+ people in the city.

We are seeking members who are keen to see better policing for our communities and are willing to work with us to advise the police on LGBT+ issues.

If you are interested in joining the group, please send us a brief statement (no more than one side of A4) with your experience and how you think you can contribute. We can also meet up (in person or online) if you are curious about joining the group and would like to find out more.

Email: recruitment@lgbtag.org.uk

 

IOPC announces re-opening of investigation into the MPS handling of the Barking & Dagenham murders

The LGBT Advisory Group welcomes the IOPC decision to re-open their investigation into the MPS handling of these cases.

 
We are continuing to make sure  community concerns are heard by the police, highlight shortcomings and push for improvements in the service offered to the LGBT+ community.
 
We are working with the MPS to implement the recommendations of the IOPC and the coroner. We are pushing for resources for more proactive community engagement in the boroughs, more consistent access to independent advice throughout the MPS and most importantly a culture shift in all ranks of the MPS.
 
We are also assisting in Baroness Casey’s review of the culture within the MPS and the HMIFRCS review.

 

IOPC announcement due soon on re-opening of investigation into the MPS handling of the Barking & Dagenham murders

We have received an update from the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) regarding their investigation into the handling of the deaths of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor. 

They have been considering re-opening their investigation in the light of the coroner's inquest that completed last December.  They will be announcing their decision via their website on Thursday 23rd June.

 

IOPC close to decision on re-opening of investigation into the MPS handling of the Barking & Dagenham murders

We have received an update from the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) regarding their investigation into the handling of the deaths of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor. 

They have been considering re-opening their investigation in the light of the coroner's inquest that completed last December.  The LGBT+ Advisory Group has written to the IOPC in support of further investigation if new evidence has emerged from the coroner's inquest. 

The team has completed their initial assessment. The assessment report will be sent to the relevant decision makers by the end of this week. They expect a decision to be made by Monday 21st March. 

Because of this possible extension to their investigation, the IOPC have not made public their learning report and recommendations on this case. 

[Update/1 April 2022]

We have been informed that the "Initial Assessment" is complete and concluded there is "potential significant new information and potential material flaws in the original IPCC investigation". The IOPC is moving on to the next phase of "Review". 

A new team leader and lead investigator have been appointed. They will assess whether it is necessary to consult with affected parties. The new team will then report to the regional director for a "Final Decision".

We were not given a timeframe for the conclusion of these final phases.

 

IOPC update on the investigation into the MPS handling of the Barking & Dagenham murders

The IOPC regional director for London, Sal Naseem, attended our community meeting on 24th January on the deaths of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor. We asked him for an explanation of the process to decide whether to re-open the IOPC investigation into the MPS handling of the four murders. 

We have received more details this week. [ Full letter ]

The IOPC is aware that "some of the information coming to light was potentially new information". So, they have embarked on an "initial assessment" to see if there are "compelling reasons" to re-open the investigation. There are two criteria that must both be satisfied:

The first criterion:

(1a) There is significant new information that requires further investigation and a real possibility that the new information, had it been available, would have led wholly or partly to different decisions on discipline, performance and/or referral to the CPS;

OR (1b) The original [IOPC] investigation was flawed in a manner which had a material impact on subsequent decisions on discipline, performance and/or referral to the CPS.

The second criterion: 

(2) It is necessary to require a reinvestigation in the public interest.

They are at this "initial assessment" phase. They are unable to give a clear timescale for when this will be completed. 

It is clear that the community is impatient for progress. The LGBT+ Advisory Group will continue to press them for updates.

 

IOPC finds discrimination, harassment and bullying at Charing Cross team

IOPC has found discrimination, harassment and bullying involving officers predominantly based at Charing Cross Police Station. WhatApps messages were found to contain racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments. Officers were using `banter' to excuse unacceptable behaviour.

Fourteen officers were investigated by the IOPC. 

One officers was dismissed for gross misconduct. One other resigned before the end of the investigation. Four officers attended misconduct meetings where allegations of misconduct were proven against two officers. One received a written warning and one received no further action as they had already demonstrated performance improvements. Misconduct was not proven against the two other officers. Two officers were subject to unsatisfactory performance procedures. They attended a formal meeting to discuss their performance and appropriate action going forward. Two officers were subjected to reflective practice to improve their performance. The investigation found no case to answer for the remaining four officers.

We are making it clear to the MPS, after the inquest into the Barking & Dagenham murders, this report further erodes the trust and confidence of the LGBT+ community in the Metropolitan Police. We are committed to working with the MPS to make sure lessons are learnt and actions are taken.

More details at IOPC website: 

https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/recommendations/thematic-learning-issued-address-cultural-concerns-nine-linked-investigations–

https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/recommendations/operation-hotton-recommendations-metropolitan-police-service-september-2021

 

Barking & Dagenham murders: coroner publishes report

The coroner's inquest into the circumstances and the police investigation of the deaths of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor concluded in December 2021. The jury have returned a verdict of unlawful deaths, raising many issues regarding the professionalism of the Metropolitan Police. 

Her Honour Judge Sarah Munro QC has published her report on Action to Prevent Future Deaths (PFD report)

The report gives a summary of the facts of the murder investigation and lists six Matters of Concern addressed to the Metropolitan Police, National Police Chiefs' Council, College of Policing and the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, covering

• categorisation of suspicious, non-suspicious and unexplained deaths
• interaction between specialist homicide investigators and local officers in determining ownership of investigation
• leadership in responsibility over investigations of unexplained deaths
• recording of investigation details on information systems
• handwriting verification
• need to verify identity of users of escort website

Although the disciplinary action is not in the remit of the coroner's inquest, the coroner points out to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) that the inquest has "exposed failings which were not identified by the IOPC in their investigation". 

She also commends the IOPC report to upcoming reviews of the Metropolitan Police as containing a "valuable analysis of how assumptions, stereotyping and unconscious bias may have detrimentally affected the decision-making in these investigations and contributed to the failure to identify Stephen Port as a perpetrator sooner".

The LGBT+ Advisory Group is committed to working with the Metropolitan Police to address these concerns.

 

Murder in Tower Hamlets Park Cemetery: New Arrest

Update 21 January 2022

A man has been arrested for the murder of Ranjith Kankanamalage in Tower Hamlets Park Cemetery. He will remain in custody.

We hope this marks the start of achieving some justice for Ranjith, although we appreciate this can never bring him back.

We have worked closely together with the borough commander, the homicide team, Tower Hamlets council and the local community over the course of this investigation. 

We will continue to work with the police to make sure that LGBT+ people are safe in Tower Hamlets and in all of London and. We will ensure that the ramifications of this horrific incident are fully explored.

https://news.met.police.uk/news/new-arrest-in-tower-hamlets-murder-investigation-436509

 

Barking & Dagenham murders: community meeting

The coroner's inquest into the circumstances and the police investigation of the deaths of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor concluded in December 2021. The jury have returned a verdict of unlawful deaths, raising many issues regarding the professionalism of the Metropolitan Police. The recent BBC docudrama, Four Lives, aired in January. 

It is clear that there are strong feelings about the failures of the police in this investigation. We are organising a community meeting on 24th January.

Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball, Commander Jonathan Savell and the commander for the East Area, Paul Trevers, will be attending to listen to your concerns and to answer questions.

This event is organised by the LGBT+ Advisory Group to the Metropolitan Police. 

Following current Covid19 safety advice, this will be an online Zoom event.

Date: Monday 24th January, 6pm-7.30pm

This is online event on Zoom.

Please register on Eventbrite.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/east-london-inquest-community-meeting-tickets-244595410457

Join Us!

We are going to launch a recruitment campaign in 2022.