‘Toxic legacy’ | Met police 'relentlessly' sacking officers as BBC Panorama exposes culture of racism & misogyny

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has said he is “relentlessly arresting and sacking officers and staff,” after a BBC Panorama investigation exposed an ongoing culture of violence, racism, and misogyny within the force.

The undercover exposé, aired by the BBC on Wednesday, showed police officers dismissing a claim of rape, bragging about excessive violence, and calling for immigrants to be shot.

Evidence of ongoing racism and misogyny comes as a major blow to the organisation’s well-documented pledge to eradicate “toxic behaviours” within the force, following the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer in 2021.

Rowley, who promised change when he took charge of the Met in 2022 – but did not agree with the verdict of a Dame Louise Casey report that called the Met 'institutionally' flawed – has reportedly overseen the sacking of 1,500 officers since his appointment.