Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley vowed to put victims’ voices at “the heart of everything we do” as he launched a dedicated phone helpline.
Metropolitan Police’s Sir Mark and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan hope the new service will make it easier for victims to access key updates about their cases.
The phoneline, funded by a new £3 million annual investment from City Hall, was unveiled today in advance of a victims’ summit in central London.
The funding will also increase the number of Met staff responsible for victim care and signpost them to specialist support services, Mr Khan’s team said.
London’s Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman OBE is hosting the conference, bringing together victims of crime, community advocates and senior figures in criminal justice.
Sir Mark, Mr Khan, director of public prosecutions Max Hill KC and victims and sentencing minister Edward Argar are all due to speak.
One in three crime victims in London was unsatisfied with the Met’s level of service, according to research by the mayor’s office.
Sir Mark said officers did “a great job in the vast majority of cases” interacting with people “during the most traumatic moments of their lives”.
But added a stretch on their time meant follow-ups were “not good enough”.
He said: “I know my entire service wants to put the victim voice at the heart of everything we do.
“We are committed to listening to victims’ experiences and using this feedback to implement the practical measures that will make a real difference for victims.”
Sir Mark’s two-year Turnaround Plan aims to restore trust and raise standards in the force, acknowledging that “confidence in the Met has been falling” after a slew of high-profile scandals.
Ms Waxman said victims are left to navigate a “convoluted and disjointed” journey “without the right information, support and often wait years” for justice.
She added: “It’s no surprise that so many feel unable to stay in this system. Every victim I speak with has been clear about what needs to change.”
Mr Khan said: “The more time you spend with victims, the more you appreciate the extent to which crime blights lives.
“It can be – and often is – a devastating, violating and traumatising experience.
“It is imperative, therefore, that in their interactions with the authorities – the very institutions that are there to serve and protect them – victims are treated with the utmost compassion, sensitivity and respect.”
