London Police Hired Criminals and Misplaced Drugs, Report Finds
London’s Metropolitan Police Service is not taking the risks of corruption seriously enough and has been slow to learn from previous mistakes, an investigation by the force’s watchdog found.
More than 100 people who had committed offenses — including theft, handling stolen goods and wounding — were allowed to join the country’s largest police force over a period of two years, according to Tuesday’s report.
In a finding that echoes TV series Line of Duty, some recruits were closely connected to known criminals, it said.
“After their recruitment, the force failed to introduce sufficient measures — such as monitoring and closer supervision — to lessen the risks they posed,” the Police Inspectorate’s report said.
The probe adds to a chorus of complaints about the Met, which has faced sustained criticism in recent years for its handling of everything from race to murders. In February, the Met’s chief, Cressida Dick, resigned after Mayor of London Sadiq Khan lost confidence in her leadership.
The inspection was part of a review into the murder of Daniel Morgan, a private investigator who was murdered in London in 1987. The investigation of his death was hampered by police corruption, the report said.
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