Page 7 | To feel a bit bad for the met police on bbc panorama undercover

Bloodyscarymary · 2025-10-01T20:46:43+00:00

Just watching the BBC Panorama doco “Undercover in the Police” and I can’t help feeling a bit uneasy. Yes, the behaviour shown is awful and they should lose their jobs, but having their faces, names and secretly recorded conversations, sometimes even off duty over a pint broadcast feels like a bit of a violation of privacy. I honestly would have thought secret filming like that couldn’t even be made public, but clearly it’s legal or the BBC wouldn’t air it. I’m not excusing what was said at all. The culture clearly needs to change. But is it fair to single out these particular officers when the problem is obviously widespread? I also felt some of the more junior officers had just absorbed the culture around them, and at times the journalist might have been nudging them into certain topics. A few of the comments even felt like dark humour or going along with pub chat. Still unacceptable, but if you secretly recorded doctors or other professions that probably use a lot of dark humour to get through it, I’m sure you’d hear things that would seem really callous to an outsider. Absolutely they should be fired/reprimanded, but do they deserve complete public exposure like this? AIBU to feel uncomfortable about it? YABU they deserve everything that’s coming their way YANBU it’s too much personal exposure when the real problem is the Met culture not these individual cops

Catsbreakfast · 02/10/2025 00:02

Bloodyscarymary · 01/10/2025 23:31

Totally! But would it be fair for a journalist to pose as a nurse, take a young nurse to the pub, tell that nurse she thinks that all the elderly patients are taking up too many beds, and then secretly record her response after 4 wines and put the recording, alongside her identity on a BBC documentary about toxic culture at the NHS? I just don’t think the identity of the nurse would be relevant to the documentary.

Show quote history

To the people that nurse is looking after, and their relatives this is very relevant. Not that I think this is a fair comparison, because there are many people stuck in hilospotals because the care system cannot cope. Saying they shouldn’t be in hospital
care (which they shouldn’t, they should have adequate care at home or in an appropriate care home) is not the same as airing racist views about people
a met officer is also supposed to protect. What a bizarre comparison.

Crikeyalmighty · 02/10/2025 00:06

@Catsbreakfast and would the nurse also be saying stuff like ‘I deny fat Mary painkillers just because she’s a lardarse and I like a laugh’ That would be the equivalent - a lot of the stuff on this documentary was out and out psychopath behaviour

AguNwaanyi · 02/10/2025 00:08

This post is so pathetic.

enigmatoto · 02/10/2025 00:08

Bagsintheboot · 01/10/2025 22:02

having their faces, names and secretly recorded conversations, sometimes even off duty over a pint broadcast feels like a bit of a violation of privacy.

Handy hint: if you're not happy to have your name attached to it, don't fucking say it.

The end and worst possible result of these creatures going unchallenged is cases like Sarah Everards. A culture of sexual harassment, misogyny and rape myths. Racism and hatred, violence and thuggery.

How anyone can make any excuse for this is just beyond me.

Hear Hear!!!! I couldn't have put it any more succinctly, even if I tried!!!

Change2banon · 02/10/2025 00:09

AguNwaanyi · 02/10/2025 00:08

This post is so pathetic.

What post?

3678194b · 02/10/2025 00:09

I have family and friends in the Police, admittedly not the Met, and they are nothing like those in the programme. Please don't tarnish the whole occupation to those standards.

The reporter has breached confidentiality for a start which he would have had to agree to as being an employee. Whilst none of them should have acted as they did and said what they should, I do feel the reporter incited them and was filming some of the after several drinks on a night out, and in parts even agreed with what they were saying. I wonder what Rory will do now?

The BBC can't preach, some of the biggest scandals and crimes have come from that very organisation themselves. There are, sadly, bad apples everywhere.

Cherryontop56 · 02/10/2025 00:11

Just because they are saying it off duty doesn’t make it any better.
You don’t just switch your integrity on and off like a light switch.

i thinks it quite pathetic and says a lot about you that you feel sorry for them.

Happyjoe · 02/10/2025 00:14

VimtoIcePop · 01/10/2025 23:44

I think you're probably right but I also think my point stands.

I wasn't singling out Muslims btw. It was being discussed on another thread and seemed a relevant example. It's a very interesting dynamic because people are extremely wary of discussing the latter and you're much more likely to be called a racist than engaged with.

But the facts are there that 1200 sexual assaults were perpetrated in a single evening and there have been numerous smaller scale group assaults (plus many in the middle east where it's common).

I mean, the number of sexual assaults committed on that one night probably outnumbers sexual assaults perpetrated by Met officers in the last decade.

Show quote history

With respect, this is whatabouttery. When the muslim rapists are in a position of power and respect, literally representing and about upholding the law, then they can be compared.

LancashireButterPie · 02/10/2025 00:15

You are being v unreasonable to say that Drs and nurses are probably the same. I've worked in the NHS for decades and I have honestly never experienced anything like those comments from a colleague.
How dare you!

Cherryontop56 · 02/10/2025 00:16

Happyjoe · 01/10/2025 23:31

If you google, there's been quite a lot going wrong with Met officers that have been fired, jailed.., it's not just Cousins. I hear what you're saying, but Cousins was the one that made people sit up and take notice for a change.

It's not just that either, we only get to hear a few imo. Am sure there are other officers who look out for their own, cover up and also cases that don't get to go to court because of the CPS decisions.

Edited

Show quote history

What utter tosh. The met is a public service and it employs people. You have a code of conduct if you wish to work in th police force.

Islam is a religion - it is not a company or institution, there are 2 billion Muslims of all ages , types of
ppl - and yes like everyone includes good and bad people. It’s not like for like -

Happyjoe · 02/10/2025 00:18

3678194b · 02/10/2025 00:09

I have family and friends in the Police, admittedly not the Met, and they are nothing like those in the programme. Please don't tarnish the whole occupation to those standards.

The reporter has breached confidentiality for a start which he would have had to agree to as being an employee. Whilst none of them should have acted as they did and said what they should, I do feel the reporter incited them and was filming some of the after several drinks on a night out, and in parts even agreed with what they were saying. I wonder what Rory will do now?

The BBC can't preach, some of the biggest scandals and crimes have come from that very organisation themselves. There are, sadly, bad apples everywhere.

So one police station has suspended 8 officers, 1 civilian and 2 have been taken off front line duty, it's a 'few bad apples'? This is one police station.

As for the journalist, it was explained in the film that he felt like he had to agree with them because they were suspicious of strangers. While he did ask questions on a couple of occasions those people were already in full flow of expressing their awful views. This wasn't leading.

Journalists actually have to follow a code of conduct, and even if that's sometimes overstepped (which as a former newspaper photographer) I don't think they did, the actual public interest is greater. I wouldn't be shocked if we found out that the police went to court to stop this being aired.

I myself had a bad experience with a Super at the Met. I was very helpful, gave information and a statement which was later changed by the officer. I refused to sign it, told the man it's not 1970's policing anymore and he then telephoned me so many times I threatened to report him for harassment. It stopped then.

3678194b · 02/10/2025 00:19

LancashireButterPie · 02/10/2025 00:15

You are being v unreasonable to say that Drs and nurses are probably the same. I've worked in the NHS for decades and I have honestly never experienced anything like those comments from a colleague.
How dare you!

Sadly I've worked in the NHS for a couple of decades too.

Within our team one doctor was dismissed and struck off the medical register for sexual abuse of colleagues and patients, another doctor sacked for degrading and misogynistic comments to, and about, women. That's just in our immediate team.

So yes, they are in the NHS too!

Maggiethecat · 02/10/2025 00:20

GreenSedan · 01/10/2025 22:16

The programme makes a point of saying that many officers there are good public servants who are doing their best in challenging circumstances. The arseholes caught on camera being racist misogynists deserve to be named and shamed.

I absolutely despair that you feel sorry for them.

These people aren't selling fucking paperclips for a living. They have an extraordinary level of power over ordinary people's lives. The standards that they are (supposed to be) held to are in place for a bloody good reason.

💯

Happyjoe · 02/10/2025 00:23

Cherryontop56 · 02/10/2025 00:16

What utter tosh. The met is a public service and it employs people. You have a code of conduct if you wish to work in th police force.

Islam is a religion - it is not a company or institution, there are 2 billion Muslims of all ages , types of
ppl - and yes like everyone includes good and bad people. It’s not like for like -

Show quote history

Did you quote the wrong person?

Maggiethecat · 02/10/2025 00:24

Dappy777 · 01/10/2025 22:19

I’m increasingly suspicious of the BBC and its motivations. It is a left-wing organisation, and the left have always disliked the police, who they regard as “tools of the capitalist oppressors.” It’s hard to imagine the BBC exposing ANTIFA or Just Stop Oil, put it that way.

You see their left-wing bias everywhere. Radio 4 can’t even discuss Jane Austen or Tennyson without linking them to slavery or colonialism in some way.

Personally, I don’t think we give the police anywhere near enough credit or support. The majority of police officers I have met have been thoroughly decent men. If I had to deal with vicious, ignorant, foul-mannered little scumbags day in day out I’m sure I’d blurt out horrible and offensive things as well.

Edited

Thank God you’re not in the Met. One fewer rotten officer unleashed on the public.

LancashireButterPie · 02/10/2025 00:24

3678194b · 02/10/2025 00:19

Sadly I've worked in the NHS for a couple of decades too.

Within our team one doctor was dismissed and struck off the medical register for sexual abuse of colleagues and patients, another doctor sacked for degrading and misogynistic comments to, and about, women. That's just in our immediate team.

So yes, they are in the NHS too!

Show quote history

Sorry to hear that but honestly in my career I have not heard racism or misogyny or homophobia in the NHS at all. Our team is very mixed both in terms of race and sexual preferences/lifestyle, so maybe that makes a difference.

JHound · 02/10/2025 00:24

YABCU

Neverforgetwhothisisfor · 02/10/2025 00:25

Some years ago my friend asked me to go with her to the West End CID Christmas Party (basically detectives based at Charing Cross). My friend had been a witness in a court case and a policeman involved asked her if she wanted to come (which was weird enough).

Anyway we went out of curiosity and it was pretty jaw dropping even as Xmas parties go. Some very poor behaviour and a lot of fighting. We left within an hour because we were worried it was going to get out of hand, and because almost every policemen in central London was already at this party, nobody could call the police.

None of what was on Panorama surprises me in the slightest.

Girlking · 02/10/2025 00:27

edwinbear · 01/10/2025 21:54

Really? Have you forgotten Sarah Everard? The Met Police have a rotten to the core culture and it seems they don’t really care and have done nothing to address it. If that’s been exposed (again) I’m all for it.

My thoughts exactly ☝🏼

ACynicalDad · 02/10/2025 00:30

If the Met can't sort this themselves this is badly needed.

CherrieTomaties · 02/10/2025 00:30

@Bloodyscarymary The ones that made me particularly uncomfortable are the off duty conversations, or the jokey things that were clearly just bravado

Being off duty is no excuse.

Misogynistic and damaging things being said as a “joke” is no excuse.

“Just” bravado is no excuse.

STOP enabling the deeply misogynistic systemic system. Please just stop.

This behaviour from trained educated professionals who are supposed to have a duty of care and keep us safe - needs calling the fuck out! Every single one of them need to realise what they are contributing to. These types of men need calling out. They need calling out publicly. They need calling out by their friends, by their family, by their colleagues.

mathanxiety · 02/10/2025 00:33

YABVVVVU

They are a disgrace to their uniform and their force.
They bring their fellow officers into disrepute.
They bring the principle of equality under the law into serious question.

They swore to uphold the law and adhere to the professional standards that are there to protect not just the public but also the force Itself.

The only person I feel sorry for is the pregnant woman who was raped and kicked by her abusive partner, and trusted the police to help her.

sleepwouldbenice · 02/10/2025 00:36

Dappy777 · 01/10/2025 22:19

I’m increasingly suspicious of the BBC and its motivations. It is a left-wing organisation, and the left have always disliked the police, who they regard as “tools of the capitalist oppressors.” It’s hard to imagine the BBC exposing ANTIFA or Just Stop Oil, put it that way.

You see their left-wing bias everywhere. Radio 4 can’t even discuss Jane Austen or Tennyson without linking them to slavery or colonialism in some way.

Personally, I don’t think we give the police anywhere near enough credit or support. The majority of police officers I have met have been thoroughly decent men. If I had to deal with vicious, ignorant, foul-mannered little scumbags day in day out I’m sure I’d blurt out horrible and offensive things as well.

Edited

I have just seen you spout similar crap on the discussion about labour v reform

i think you probably just need to take a break, or bot off

CalmShaker · 02/10/2025 01:37

sleepwouldbenice · 02/10/2025 00:36

I have just seen you spout similar crap on the discussion about labour v reform

i think you probably just need to take a break, or bot off

Show quote history

I actually think the BBC were goading the situation and do not agree with your post.

Eviebeans · 02/10/2025 02:04

Norugratsatall · 01/10/2025 22:11

You feel bad for them?! After the filth that has come out of their mouths?! I’ve just watched this with incredulity. The Met is toxic and rotten to the core. It’s frightening, terrifying. These are people we are supposed to trust…god help any of us if we find ourselves in London needing the assistance of the police. You are most definitely being unreasonable.

This.
I don’t feel bad for them - if you feel free to say it you must feel free to own it.
Don’t forget that these are the people who may attend an incident involving you, your children or family member when you are at your most vulnerable and needing caring and supportive assistance. We shouldn’t live in a society where you have a chance of being victimised by those you call for help