Dame Cressida Dick has reportedly said “enough is enough” in a letter to Metropolitan Police staff that warned the force was at risk of losing public consent.
It comes days after a damning report revealed Met officers exchanged racist, sexist and homophobic messages, “joking” about raping women and killing black children.
The head of the force has now reportedly sent a message to staff, admitting there had been too many examples of “poor conduct and nasty and inappropriate behaviour”.
“Our reputation is tarnished and people’s confidence in us has fallen. This is serious and it is urgent,” she said, according to The Telegraph.
“To lose public consent would be unthinkable. Action is needed now. Enough is enough.”
She also reportedly told staff to leave the force if they are racist, homophobic or sexist, saying: “The Met does not want you.”
Earlier this week, Dame Cressida was put “on notice” by Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, following the release of the messages sent by officers from a now-disbanded team based in Westminster.
Mr Khan said they exposed a “culture of racism, homophobia, bullying and misogyny” within the force that its chief needed to “drive out”.
Two inquiries are under way looking at the culture within the Met – one by Baroness Casey that was organised by the force itself, and a Home Office probe headed by Dame Elish Angiolini, which is looking at the failures behind the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer.
The Met has been approached for comment.
