2nd Met Police officer has been charged with rape

[Rinoachicken]

He worked in the same dept as WC.

It’s being very widely reported, except by the BBC.

AIBU to be sickened and wonder WHY the BBC are not reporting this?

Link: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/03/metropolitan-police-officer-charged-rape-hertfordshire?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

One of the most horrible dads at the school gates was a police officer. He was openly racist.

@mustlovegin

If one, two or however many officers are not up to scratch it needs to be dealt with, same as with any public service. That's all there is to this, let's not blow this out of proportion

You are wrong because the police are not just any public service.

There is a contract between police and people that has been gravely undermined in the last few years, with women in particular wondering what they have to do in order to receive the protection the police force is supposed to offer.

The North Yorks police and crime commissioner has demonstrated in a mind boggling public statement that he has absolutely no idea what is required in policing or policing policy in order to guarantee women's safety, and no idea what the everyday experience of women consists of as they go about their lives.

It has become crystal clear in the Couzens case that there are elements within the police force itself who have no respect whatsoever for women, who look on women as prey, and what is really chilling - that those in the police force who are charged with keeping it honest do not consider earning and maintaining the trust of women or keeping women safe to be their duty. 'The Rapist' was known to be a 'bad apple'. His colleagues looked the other way.

@Northernlurker

So the alleged offence happened last year and the arrest is happening now? Gosh I wonder what happened this week that has caused some craven misogynists to think 'oh crap better do something because of the angry women'

I am guessing it’s domestic and recently reported. Speculation I suppose but the majority of rapes are not immediately reported. Sadly men in the police are just that, men. Same issues as men in wider society, some of them rape women. Sexual abuse is an enormous problem in our society. I’ve arrested doctors, teachers, police officers, priests for a whole range of sexual offences, including on children. Often using their profession to gain access to the most vulnerable. There is no profession where this does not happen.

I do think some police forces have some significant issues more so though than others. While I’m not baying for Cressida Dicks blood I do think there seems to be some cultural issues of standards of behaviour in the met. I think anyone would have their work cut out tackling it. I don’t know if the size of the force makes change more difficult to establish.

To take it out on children whose parents are police officers is completely inappropriate as is presuming that all police are corrupt or worse. Their are thousands of police who are decent men and women doing a difficult job. Just the same as there are thousands of nurses and doctors who don’t set out to kill people. This has the potential to get way out of hand.

The person who took out his animosity on the child was taking revenge on a specific officer for a specific interaction.

This has the potential to get way out of hand.
This is a way of telling women that it's more important to protect the police force than to address inadequate policing that leaves women very much unprotected.

The force exists to serve and protect the public. It's not the other way round.

@turnitonagain

BAME people have been raising instances of police abuse for decades (see the Mangrove case in West London) and haven’t been believed or taken seriously. If you’re surprised by any of this you’ve had your eyes closed.

Exactly!

I keep reading stuff about how the police are supposed to be whiter than white, that when they are convicted because of the trust that has been broken the sentence should be harder than would be usual. I have no problem with this and I too think if you are police and you abuse your position to commit crime you should be sentenced harder. However there is a flip side to this too, when a police officer is assaulted and abused and battered by members of the public - esp when resisting arrest the sentences handed out for these assaults are generally lower then they would be if the assault was on another member of the public - because the police in someway should have an expectation of this abuse. I don't see why that is in USA if you take a crack at the police the sentence is harsher not softer in order to a) deter people from doing it and b) lock people up who are likely to do it again. Murder of a police officer over there is almost a sentence that will have someone die in prison always. If we want our police to be held to a higher standard (and I do too) then I think we also need to give them higher levels of protection too esp when sentencing people who attack them.

👍🏼

The link posted about police officers convicted of crimes is terrifying. And the tip of the iceberg. How many others are swept under the carpet?

Whilst I agree that big changes need to be made in the Police force and 100% this shocking behaviour must NOT be tolerated, let’s not forget that the Police force were quick to convict one of their own Officers. The Court Judge who gave his verdict quotes “This has been the most impressive police investigation that I have encountered in the 30 years I have been sitting as a part-time and full-time judge. The speed with which the evidence leading to the arrest of the defendant was secured is highly notable, as has been the painstaking reconstruction of these events using electronic material along with more old-fashioned methods of policing. It cannot be suggested in my view that the Metropolitan Police, even for a moment, attempted to close ranks to protect one of their own. Instead, remorselessly, efficiently and impartially the investigating officers followed all the available leads, resulting in an overwhelming case against the accused. Meriting particular mention are Detective Chief Inspector Catherine Goodwin, Detective Kim Martin and Acting Detective Inspector Lee Tullett. Mr Tullett has been a key figure in the investigation and the preparation of this case, going well beyond what could properly be expected of any police officer, and his role deserves high commendation.”

This is not me defending the Police, but saying if we loose all trust entirely how can the good and decent Officers do their job?
I wholeheartedly agree that actions have to be taken with zero tolerance for sexual offences or misogyny in all work environments, especially in the Police whom are in the position to protect the public.

@DesertSky

Whilst I agree that big changes need to be made in the Police force and 100% this shocking behaviour must NOT be tolerated, let’s not forget that the Police force were quick to convict one of their own Officers. The Court Judge who gave his verdict quotes “This has been the most impressive police investigation that I have encountered in the 30 years I have been sitting as a part-time and full-time judge. The speed with which the evidence leading to the arrest of the defendant was secured is highly notable, as has been the painstaking reconstruction of these events using electronic material along with more old-fashioned methods of policing. It cannot be suggested in my view that the Metropolitan Police, even for a moment, attempted to close ranks to protect one of their own. Instead, remorselessly, efficiently and impartially the investigating officers followed all the available leads, resulting in an overwhelming case against the accused. Meriting particular mention are Detective Chief Inspector Catherine Goodwin, Detective Kim Martin and Acting Detective Inspector Lee Tullett. Mr Tullett has been a key figure in the investigation and the preparation of this case, going well beyond what could properly be expected of any police officer, and his role deserves high commendation.”

This is not me defending the Police, but saying if we loose all trust entirely how can the good and decent Officers do their job?
I wholeheartedly agree that actions have to be taken with zero tolerance for sexual offences or misogyny in all work environments, especially in the Police whom are in the position to protect the public.

Could be because the lead officer in the case was a woman.

The trouble with that quote by the court judge is that the Met DID close ranks to protect their own much, much earlier than by the time a tragic murder had taken place. If they were truly invested in investigating and preventing VAWG, then Wayne Couzens would have no longer been an acting police officer in March, 2021.

Rape accusation was on BBC Radio 4 just now.

I think the police should be as squeaky clean as possible but concentrating and blaming only the Met police for sexism/ rapists is ignoring the fact that it is rife through out the country and workplaces and that porn online which has increased exponentially and pro tran legislation in cancelling the word woman/ women is making the situation much worse.

The lack of prosecutions in the courts is imv a bigger issue in making men think they can behave as they please. We need to not just concentrate on the police who will probably manage to clean up their act pretty quickly.

That is indeed true too.

@RIPigglePiggle you've fundamentally missed the point that men like that are attracted to those roles precisely because of the power and opportunity it gives them.

Every other sector which has had its abuse scandal: NHS after Harold Shipman, Schools after Jessica Wells and Holly Chapman, Sports clubs after Barry Bennell have undergone wholescale review aimed at preventing it happening again. The NHS completely changed the approach to palliative care after Shipman. Now that's not to say there won't be any risks but not one of them just said 'nothing for us to do he was just a bad apple' as so many police seem to be saying.

@turnitonagain 💯 agree. First they came for...

What do you and/or your husband do then when you hear sexist and misogynistic banter at work? Do you report it? And Don't pretend it doesn't happen.
A close family member joined the Met straight from Hendon 15 years ago and, along with another newbie, was based at a North London cop shop. The newbie was immediately sexually harassed on a daily basis by the middle-aged desk sergeant (she was only 19) and she began to dread going into work. My family member persuaded her to put in a complaint and within 48hrs of this complaint being read - not investigated as the time-scale was too short - the newbie was moved to a station on the other side of London. No reason given, no discussion, nothing. She left the Met 2 years later - what a waste.

Let's face it, many (perhaps most?) of the white men who become police officers do so for the power trip. Power over minorities, power over young people, power over women. It's all coming out in the wash now.

@YerAWizardHarry

There are around 33,000 met police officers. 0.01%. My son has already been bullied out of a school for having police officer parents ffs

You're very well aware of the problem in the police then and the reasons why it should be reported I'd imagine. Sorry for your poor son though.

I can say my police officer husband is genuinely NOT sexist or racist and neither are most of the people he works with, certainly far less so than the general population, HOWEVER. He did start to give it the “poor police officers” and I shut him right down, police officers being viewed with suspicion is not the cause we should be fighting for here, rooting out any hint of sexism and racism in the one service we depend on for our safety is. Not only do the police need to stamp this out they need to recognise they need to be held to a far far higher standard than any other organisation in the U.K. because people literally depend on them and now they have far more to prove so shut up about the public view being so negative when you work your ass off (he does and obviously has some very hard days, literally saving lives) because as an institution there’s a job to be done stamping out unacceptable rape culture and racism and making the public trust them. Is it shit for the standard hard working police officer who’s area isn’t riddled with problems? Yes, is it as important as women living with fear and non white teenagers not being able to trust the police in certain areas? No it isn’t as important so they and anyone else defending the police need to stop focusing on the poor police and start focusing on stamping out misogyny and racism. That’s the real enemy here

Aw cool, so now do we flag down a bus if we're concerned about the TWO officers arresting us?

And I see we have our 1st NAPALT of the day and it's not even 7am.

Marvellous.

@PicsInRed

Aw cool, so now do we flag down a bus if we're concerned about the TWO officers arresting us?

I thought the same! Also what’s just as, if not more scary than being potentially abducted by one man? Being abducted by 2 !

[quote YerAWizardHarry]@Northernlurker he’s my ex so I wouldn’t have a clue what he does in his day to day work life. What I care about is that my FIVE YEAR OLD was spat at by an adult because his dad is a “piggy fuck”[/quote]
You said he was bullied out of school…by a parent?

As adult spat on a child? Did you call the police?

The culture exists in the Met where an officer can rape a woman and expect to be protected. WC colleagues knew about the fact that he exposed himself and even earned the nickname 'the rapist'. Its not one or two bad apples. Where are the good police officers calling this out?

@Tootingcarmen

I can say my police officer husband is genuinely NOT sexist or racist and neither are most of the people he works with, certainly far less so than the general population, HOWEVER. He did start to give it the “poor police officers” and I shut him right down, police officers being viewed with suspicion is not the cause we should be fighting for here, rooting out any hint of sexism and racism in the one service we depend on for our safety is. Not only do the police need to stamp this out they need to recognise they need to be held to a far far higher standard than any other organisation in the U.K. because people literally depend on them and now they have far more to prove so shut up about the public view being so negative when you work your ass off (he does and obviously has some very hard days, literally saving lives) because as an institution there’s a job to be done stamping out unacceptable rape culture and racism and making the public trust them. Is it shit for the standard hard working police officer who’s area isn’t riddled with problems? Yes, is it as important as women living with fear and non white teenagers not being able to trust the police in certain areas? No it isn’t as important so they and anyone else defending the police need to stop focusing on the poor police and start focusing on stamping out misogyny and racism. That’s the real enemy here

Great post. Glad some people in the police family get it.