Cressida Dick steps aside as head of the Met

24

Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    rjsterry said:

    Probably some. I've been somewhat underwhelmed by Khan, but beats having to put up with Livingston or Johnson.

    On the specific issue of the tube, i am of the view his price freeze is storing up longer term problems, from speaking to some people who know about it.
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190
    davidof said:

    morstar said:


    A big part of the job is simply being present.
    Being approachable and engaging with people whilst doing so (as in the picture) is hardly a bad thing.

    it is a bit of marketing fluff to pretend that things are different while fundamentally they are not.

    Now you’re contradicting yourself.

    Your initial point was agreeing with Patel they’re probably too woke.

    Now it’s just marketing fluff covering up that they have not changed.

    So either they were always (and still are) woke or they’re not woke. Which one is it?
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    edited February 2022

    rjsterry said:

    Probably some. I've been somewhat underwhelmed by Khan, but beats having to put up with Livingston or Johnson.

    On the specific issue of the tube, i am of the view his price freeze is storing up longer term problems, from speaking to some people who know about it.
    TfL is in pretty dire straits at present, financially. They were *almost* self funding up until end 2019, having been on a pretty successful revenue generating / cost saving plan for the last 5-6 years. They are now back to square one. The expansion of the ULEZ is basically the best way to make some money in the short term.
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,718
    D1ck head of the met, never sounded right.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,811
    edited February 2022

    rjsterry said:

    Probably some. I've been somewhat underwhelmed by Khan, but beats having to put up with Livingston or Johnson.

    On the specific issue of the tube, i am of the view his price freeze is storing up longer term problems, from speaking to some people who know about it.
    Essentially TfL only works if the tubes trains and buses are full and they haven't been for two years.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • rjsterry said:

    rjsterry said:

    Probably some. I've been somewhat underwhelmed by Khan, but beats having to put up with Livingston or Johnson.

    On the specific issue of the tube, i am of the view his price freeze is storing up longer term problems, from speaking to some people who know about it.
    Essentially TfL only works if the tubes trains and buses are full and they haven't been for two years.
    yesterday could not have been much over 50% still
  • kingstonian
    kingstonian Posts: 2,847

    rjsterry said:

    I'm intrigued how Khan thinks a new head will solve all the problems.

    You mean immediately?
    Even over a five year time period.
    Unless it's moving in the right direction, then it won't improve even over a twenty year period.
    I just think it is a much wider issue and one that politicians need to take some responsibility for. In my neck of the woods, kids routinely kill kids. In an ideal world, they would have a stake in society and not see killing each other as the path to paradise. The police then attempt to manage the mess. This inevitably attracts the sort of person happy to be hated by much of a community. They then adapt their policing to comply with political whims and the general lack of funding and staff. This leads to short-cuts which results in prejudice.

    I'm not defending the police officers involved, but it is politicians that need to be held accountable as well.

    I'm intrigued how Khan thinks a new head will solve all the problems.

    You mean immediately?
    Even over a five year time period.
    Unless it's moving in the right direction, then it won't improve even over a twenty year period.
    I just think it is a much wider issue and one that politicians need to take some responsibility for. In my neck of the woods, kids routinely kill kids. In an ideal world, they would have a stake in society and not see killing each other as the path to paradise. The police then attempt to manage the mess. This inevitably attracts the sort of person happy to be hated by much of a community. They then adapt their policing to comply with political whims and the general lack of funding and staff. This leads to short-cuts which results in prejudice.

    I'm not defending the police officers involved, but it is politicians that need to be held accountable as well.
    I agree that some of the problems laid at CD's feet were far from unique to the Police. And yes, the ongoing irony of a Conservative government that literally defunded the police and the justice system, but still likes to wang on about being tough on crime.
    I haven't looked into it, but how much blame does Khan get for funding issues? For the avoidance of doubt, I'm not giving the Conservatives a pass on this, far from it, but I suspect Khan needs some blaming too.

    Definitely. He has a tendency to hide away from the big issues and fails to take responsibility.

    CD was quite a controversial hire when she got the job, but tbh I don’t perceive the Met is awash with talent at the top so it is picking the best of a not particularly good bunch.
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190

    rjsterry said:

    I'm intrigued how Khan thinks a new head will solve all the problems.

    You mean immediately?
    Even over a five year time period.
    Unless it's moving in the right direction, then it won't improve even over a twenty year period.
    I just think it is a much wider issue and one that politicians need to take some responsibility for. In my neck of the woods, kids routinely kill kids. In an ideal world, they would have a stake in society and not see killing each other as the path to paradise. The police then attempt to manage the mess. This inevitably attracts the sort of person happy to be hated by much of a community. They then adapt their policing to comply with political whims and the general lack of funding and staff. This leads to short-cuts which results in prejudice.

    I'm not defending the police officers involved, but it is politicians that need to be held accountable as well.

    I'm intrigued how Khan thinks a new head will solve all the problems.

    You mean immediately?
    Even over a five year time period.
    Unless it's moving in the right direction, then it won't improve even over a twenty year period.
    I just think it is a much wider issue and one that politicians need to take some responsibility for. In my neck of the woods, kids routinely kill kids. In an ideal world, they would have a stake in society and not see killing each other as the path to paradise. The police then attempt to manage the mess. This inevitably attracts the sort of person happy to be hated by much of a community. They then adapt their policing to comply with political whims and the general lack of funding and staff. This leads to short-cuts which results in prejudice.

    I'm not defending the police officers involved, but it is politicians that need to be held accountable as well.
    I agree that some of the problems laid at CD's feet were far from unique to the Police. And yes, the ongoing irony of a Conservative government that literally defunded the police and the justice system, but still likes to wang on about being tough on crime.
    I haven't looked into it, but how much blame does Khan get for funding issues? For the avoidance of doubt, I'm not giving the Conservatives a pass on this, far from it, but I suspect Khan needs some blaming too.

    Definitely. He has a tendency to hide away from the big issues and fails to take responsibility.

    CD was quite a controversial hire when she got the job, but tbh I don’t perceive the Met is awash with talent at the top so it is picking the best of a not particularly good bunch.
    Working on a project at present for a large organisation with a very controlling parent company.
    There is a real dearth of talented management which I think is symptomatic of the lack of autonomy. I strongly suspected the talented don’t stick around.
    I can imagine the top tier of the met is similar. No real autonomy (plus lots of scrutiny) is hardly the sort of environment to attract top talent.
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,127
    morstar said:



    So either they were always (and still are) woke or they’re not woke. Which one is it?

    You seem to be very aggressive about this. Have you considered a career in the Met?

    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
    Instagramme
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 13,268
    ...
  • It is one of those jobs that if a person actually wants it then they probably shouldn't be appointed.....
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    I counted 6 articles in the Metro yesterday just about met police doing bad / illegal things > not comment articles either. Don't live there anymore just work but certainly feels like there's a lot of stories of dodgy police in London at the moment.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,587

    I counted 6 articles in the Metro yesterday just about met police doing bad / illegal things > not comment articles either. Don't live there anymore just work but certainly feels like there's a lot of stories of dodgy police in London at the moment.

    You could argue that this is a good sign, they have probably been doing this all along but now seem to be getting caught. Think late 90s cycling, looks really bad but is a step on the way to improvement. Remember, there are 43,000 serving officers in the Met so there is always going to be a risk that a small percentage are going to be abusing their position of trust.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    edited February 2022
    Pross said:

    I counted 6 articles in the Metro yesterday just about met police doing bad / illegal things > not comment articles either. Don't live there anymore just work but certainly feels like there's a lot of stories of dodgy police in London at the moment.

    You could argue that this is a good sign, they have probably been doing this all along but now seem to be getting caught. Think late 90s cycling, looks really bad but is a step on the way to improvement. Remember, there are 43,000 serving officers in the Met so there is always going to be a risk that a small percentage are going to be abusing their position of trust.
    It's more I'm making the point I think the No.10 parties not being investigated is being overplayed in its role in her downfall and I think it is much more to do with increasing amounts of evidence that the met is not currently able to ensure its officers adhere to the standards and behaviour appropriate for a well functioning police-force, and it seems bad behaviour is quite rife.

  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    It's like a Blankety Blank quiz!
    Cressida Dick arrests modern Dick Turpin in connection with cock fighting ring.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,811
    Same old Met.

    Strip searching a school girl who was on her period because somebody thought they could smell weed. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/department-for-education-metropolitan-police-scotland-yard-hackney-black-b2036444.html
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    The Met - plus ca chance.

    Its an inherently racist organisation staffed by a majority of fools, led by idiots, protected by the corrupt.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,811
    More Met in general than the previous head, but what an absolute bin fire. Investigations ongoing into over 1000 allegations of sexual or domestic abuse relating to 800 serving officers, with the Rowley case being the grim cherry on the top.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Not 1000, but 1600.

    1600 uninvestigated complaints

    70% of previous complaints dismissed without full investigation

    Officer that has been charged - not rumoured, not gossiped, not accused but charged - with rape not suspended but put on armed duties plus diplomatic and royal protection duties.

    whole organisation is a disgustingshitshow.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,587
    rjsterry said:

    More Met in general than the previous head, but what an absolute bin fire. Investigations ongoing into over 1000 allegations of sexual or domestic abuse relating to 800 serving officers, with the Rowley case being the grim cherry on the top.

    I'm usually pretty supportive of the Met in these things, there's bound to be a few dodgy people in an organisation of that side who are clever enough to hide their character through vetting. However, hearing the timelines with Carrick I really couldn't see how he got through initial vetting let alone the progression into firearms and diplomatic protection where I assume they would need DV level security checking. I know there were no convictions but surely the number of unproven but seemingly unrelated things he was reported and investigated for would have cast sufficient doubt to not allow him to progress even if it wasn't enough to sack him.

    It's not just confined to the Met either, there have been several senior officers sacked or who 'took early retirement' in Gwent recently including someone I worked with years ago before he joined the force.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,379
    The elephant in the room here is not that there are "investigative failures" lead to things like a serial rapist operating unfettered in the Met, which h is this morning's interview line, but that the police bend over backwards to look after their own pretty much whatever they do. If you have ever tried to challenge an officer's behaviour when the only other witness is another officer, you will be familiar with this.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    MattFalle said:

    The Met - plus ca chance.

    Its an inherently racist organisation staffed by a majority of fools, led by idiots, protected by the corrupt.

    essentially a year on and this is still 100% correct.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,694
    If the Met was an educational organisation and showed that level of lack of safeguarding, it would be closed down today.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,811
    Pross said:

    rjsterry said:

    More Met in general than the previous head, but what an absolute bin fire. Investigations ongoing into over 1000 allegations of sexual or domestic abuse relating to 800 serving officers, with the Rowley case being the grim cherry on the top.

    I'm usually pretty supportive of the Met in these things, there's bound to be a few dodgy people in an organisation of that side who are clever enough to hide their character through vetting. However, hearing the timelines with Carrick I really couldn't see how he got through initial vetting let alone the progression into firearms and diplomatic protection where I assume they would need DV level security checking. I know there were no convictions but surely the number of unproven but seemingly unrelated things he was reported and investigated for would have cast sufficient doubt to not allow him to progress even if it wasn't enough to sack him.

    It's not just confined to the Met either, there have been several senior officers sacked or who 'took early retirement' in Gwent recently including someone I worked with years ago before he joined the force.
    I think when 2% of the workforce is under investigation we can firmly dismiss the 'few bad apples' line. That's halfway to a management endorsement.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,694
    @kingstonian - any chance of a thread title update?
  • rjsterry said:

    Pross said:

    rjsterry said:

    More Met in general than the previous head, but what an absolute bin fire. Investigations ongoing into over 1000 allegations of sexual or domestic abuse relating to 800 serving officers, with the Rowley case being the grim cherry on the top.

    I'm usually pretty supportive of the Met in these things, there's bound to be a few dodgy people in an organisation of that side who are clever enough to hide their character through vetting. However, hearing the timelines with Carrick I really couldn't see how he got through initial vetting let alone the progression into firearms and diplomatic protection where I assume they would need DV level security checking. I know there were no convictions but surely the number of unproven but seemingly unrelated things he was reported and investigated for would have cast sufficient doubt to not allow him to progress even if it wasn't enough to sack him.

    It's not just confined to the Met either, there have been several senior officers sacked or who 'took early retirement' in Gwent recently including someone I worked with years ago before he joined the force.
    I think when 2% of the workforce is under investigation we can firmly dismiss the 'few bad apples' line. That's halfway to a management endorsement.
    I think when it gets to that level (like the Catholic Church and MPs) you have to ask yourself if your organisation attracts these people, does it transform people or is this behaviour in all of us and the job facilitates it?
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644

    If the Met was any organisation and showed that level of lack of safeguarding, it would be closed down today.

    FTFY
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,379
    Another elephant in the room - police recruitment is self selecting for the personality types causing many of the issues. i.e. it is a role with the exercise of power, which can be quite attractive to some people. Young men, mainly.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,694
    MattFalle said:

    If the Met was any organisation and showed that level of lack of safeguarding, it would be closed down today.

    FTFY
    Well, my only knowledge is of education, and the speed with which allegations must be dealt with, and the fact that safeguarding is the *first* responsibility of a school: only if you have safe & happy pupils can you go on to the next bit, which is the learning bit.

    Seems to me that the Met have the safeguarding bit well behind looking after their own. But I guess, as a monopoly, they are too big to fail. From what I read, the New York Police Department is similarly dysfunctional, yet carry on failing.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,587

    Another elephant in the room - police recruitment is self selecting for the personality types causing many of the issues. i.e. it is a role with the exercise of power, which can be quite attractive to some people. Young men, mainly.

    42% of recruits since 2020 have been female. My daughter was determined to join from the age of 12 and was a police cadet for several years, she eventually got put off partly due to ex-police officers she had lecturing on her criminology degree and partly when seeing the impact on the work / life balance of her best friend (who has since been off sick with stress having had to help keep her sergeants guts inside his body when he was stabbed). I also have a friend who gave up a career in IT to join the police in his 40s.

    I applied when I was about 20 (didn't get in as my eyesight didn't meet the standards back then, everything got relaxed a few years later). I don't think I've got any major personality flaws that would make me want to abuse my power, I wanted to do it to try to help my community - sounds cheesy but I suspect it is still the reason most people do it.

    Despite these cases and the 2% figure RJS mentions I think it's important to remember that the vast majority of people in the job are doing it for the right reason.