Corrupt police officers who work for the Metropolitan Police in London can now be reported anonymously after a free hotline was launched today.
The phone line can be used to speak out about officers of all ranks as well as police staff who abuse their power and position of trust.
It comes after the killing of Sarah Everard by serving policeman Wayne Couzens and the convictions of two other officers who took and shared photos of murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman.
The launch is part of a wider programme led by the Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command to expose those who have undermined the Met’s integrity, the force says.
The Metropolitan Police Service Anti-Corruption and Abuse Hotline will be managed by the independent charity Crimestoppers.
Their specially trained staff will answer calls and take information to ensure the anonymity of callers.
Commander James Harman, head of the Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command, said: “There are tens of thousands of people at the Met who work hard to fulfil our duties honestly with integrity.
"Nothing upsets our good people more than knowing there are officers or staff abusing their powers and letting the public down.
“It is so important that the good majority at the Met can trust their colleagues, and that the public know there are clear systems in place where appalling behaviours will be challenged and addressed robustly.
“We are therefore taking this exceptional step to identify and remove anyone who corrupts our integrity from the Met.
"We want to reassure the heroic majority within the Met to know that corrupt colleagues will be rooted out, but also for the public to see how seriously we take abuses of power and how determined we are to rebuild trust and confidence in the Met.”
The hotline follows the creation of the Anti-Corruption Command in October, whose focus is on proactively rooting out any corrupt and abusive officers and staff, and is part of Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s mission for the Met of More Trust, Less Crime and High Standards.
Information received by Crimestoppers will be passed to a specialist team in the Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command who will assess the information and pass the information to specialist detectives to begin an investigation, take steps to safeguard someone at risk or in danger, or record the information to inform future investigations.
Commander Harman, added: “The public can help us by sharing any information they have.
"We know that trust in us has been impacted and that is why we have asked the independent charity Crimestoppers to manage the hotline."
