Over 600 domestic and sexual abuse allegations are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police against its own officers.
This follows the introduction of a specialist task force – the Domestic and Sexual Offences Unit (Daso) – which was formed in January to investigate officers accused of abusive behaviour.
The introduction of the unit is in direct response to police scandals, such as the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer.
Two police officers also took pictures of two sisters who were murdered, Henry and Nicole Smallman, whilst they were guarding the crime scene.
Since the Unit was formed allegations of abuse against officers has climbed to 625. These allegations range from inappropriate and offensive behaviour, to sexual assault and domestic abuse.
Many of the officers in the task force are women who have volunteered in order to ensure abusive officers are punished.
The Daso unit’s senior leader, Detective Superintendent Annette Clark, said the team possesses experience in handling abusive crimes:
“Particularly understanding domestic abuse and understanding sexual offences (and) the impact that has on people and the victims.”
She added her anger at some of the actions from police officers, and stated:
“We don’t want them in the organisation and we need to get rid of them.”
The Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has also introduced measures to tackle abusive officers by announced a new Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command, tasked with rooting out “criminal colleagues”.
He claimed these would expose criminal officers as they would:
“identify and investigate those who are predatory, who abuse their position of trust – for their personal, financial or sexual advantage – whether on duty, off duty, in person or online.”
He promised to act and make significant changes as he concluded:
“You will see over my tenure, you will see more people being removed from the force for these sort of ghastly acts because we’re going to turn the stones over.”
