Interview with new Met commissioner in the Sunday Times

[RoyalCorgi]

I'm sorry, I don't have a share token:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/my-officers-will-go-to-every-burglary-and-wont-be-taking-the-knee-says-new-met-chief-sir-mark-rowley-kk8q0r0r5

He says that the two groups that feel really let down by the Met are ethnic minorities and women, and that from now on he will concentrate on catching criminals, eg responding to every burglary, and trying to get rid of the misogyny, homophobia and racism in the force. He said he would also end taking the knee for Black Lives Matter on the basis that the Met should support all citizens equally and not show a bias in favour of any particular political stance.

He doesn't mention things like Met police cars being covered in LGBT colours, or the wearing of rainbow symbols on uniforms, but I feel encouraged. He seems intelligent and determined to turn the Met around.

Do other people see this as a hopeful sign?

He said he would also end taking the knee for Black Lives Matter on the basis that the Met should support all citizens equally and not show a bias in favour of any particular political stance.

Step in the right direction, possibly.

If he is serious about the above and returning the Police to being what they should be - non political - then he cannot allow the rainbow symbols on cars, uniforms or the wearing of badges.

Here you go

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/b59d91a2-35c7-11ed-9709-e13153ef454b?shareToken=c082d08a87ff212ee6e8602d1213886dd_

Having read it...it sounds fine. But the proof will be in the pudding. Policing is long overdue the sorts of corrections/putting back on the straight and narrow he proposes. The problems go back decades.

The politicking has to go, and that includes efforts at ridding the force of "misogyny". Much better for him and his officers to focus on what the standards are and what the crimes are (eg sending certain types of material electronically forms various crime types), rather than getting bogged down in including males in the definition of misogyny (which will be inevitable once he broaches the subject) - just as an example of the kind of focus he will need to turn things round.

Can he achieve it? We need him to.

Having read it he does seem serious and determined, interesting article, I wish him well and sincerely hope he achieves what he is setting out to, as you say ResisterRex we all need him to.

Yes, it sounds to me that he really gets the point.

Like ResistorRex, though, I am a bit wary about specifically talking about things like tackling misogyny. Not because I want police officers who hate women, but because I don't think that approaching it as a campaign as they have with other things will be effective. That's what has caused the problems they have now.

But it may well be that he doesn't mean that.

Years ago, the Guardian had a review (I guess?) of this book:

www.waterstones.com/book/untouchables/michael-gillard/laurie-flynn/9781448209033

I read it at the time it was released. I think it's now quite hard to get hold of and might be available on Kindle. Or perhaps via searching for a second hand copy? Anyway, that plus Gillard's follow-ups about other areas of corruption are - I think - a good insight into why policing has the problems we see now.