MPA endorses Met’s Anti Corruption Strategy

63/02
13 June 2002

The MPA has congratulated the Commissioner and the Met’s Anti Corruption Unit following the successful conclusion of Operation Greyhound. Two police officers were sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday 7 June for their involvement in a plot to assault and kidnap a man.

Richard Sumray, Chair of the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee said,

“Our role on the PSPM Committee is to keep the Met’s anti corruption activities under review. The MPA fully supports the Met’s actions in this case and its overall strategy to maintain constant vigilance against corruption.

“It is very important that the Met are seen to be identifying and investigating corruption in their own police service. Successful operations like ‘Greyhound’ send a powerful message not only to criminals and those who consort with them, but also to the people of London. Londoners need to be able to trust their police and the conclusion to this investigation shows quite clearly that corrupt officers will not be tolerated within the Met – they will be rooted out and face the consequences of their actions.”

At the PSPM Committee meeting on Thursday 13 June, Members also discussed the Met’s 2001/2002 Performance Report and a special Performance Report on Homicide.

The report examines the changing nature of homicide in London and the impact this has on police resourcing and tactics. For example, during 2001/2002, 43 homicides were committed using a firearm compared to 27 in the previous financial year - a 59.3% increase. However, records from the early part of financial year 2002-2003 show this figure may now be falling. Members will also look at the under resourcing of homicide investigation teams – a typical Operation Trident (black on black gun related crime) Senior Investigation Officer has a case load of 17.5 cases compared to typical SIOs from six other forces with 4.2 investigations. The possibility of preventing homicides will also be explored, specifically a project to check for the presence of serial offenders in London.

Richard Sumray added:

“Conditions specific to our capital city and the changing nature of homicide itself have both contributed to the Met not attaining its clear up targets for 2001/2002.

“The make-up of people who live and work in London is becoming increasingly complex and this in turn affects the circumstances around many of the Met’s investigations. We also have to recognise and tackle the chronic under resourcing of the Met’s homicide investigation officers, starting with the Trident teams.”

The Performance Report looks at all objectives set in the 2001/2002 Policing Plan and whether the targets set were attained. Figures show that Operation Safer Streets has been very successful in bringing street crime down. During the first eight weeks of the initiative street crime fell dramatically bringing the year on year increase of 45%, before Safer Streets started, down to just 11% throughout the MPS. Again, resourcing is the crucial issue if this highly successful campaign is to continue in this vein.

Richard Sumray concluded:

“Overall, many key targets were not met in 2001–2002 and in part this was due to the impact of the 11 September 2001 attack on New York after which Met officers were redeployed from boroughs into central London to deter terrorist attacks on our capital.

“Even before then though it was apparent that many of them were unlikely to be delivered. The pressure on the Met has clearly increased over the past year. It is essential now for the MPA to work closely with the Met over the coming year to help deliver to Londoners the objectives set in our Policing Plan for 2002 – 2003. They are tough but can be achieved.” 

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