A shocking review has exposed profound failures within the Metropolitan Police, revealing that 131 officers and staff committed crimes or misconduct after not being properly vetted. Among them were two serial rapists, in the latest scandal to rock Britain's largest police force.
Systemic Failures and a Betrayal of Trust
Labour MP Dawn Butler, who has represented Brent since 2005, expressed her shock and outrage at the findings. She highlighted the case of former officer David Carrick, who received 37 life sentences for 71 offences of sexual violence over 17 years. Carrick was reportedly not properly vetted in 2017, a process that missed a prior allegation of domestic abuse.
"People like this should never be placed in positions of power and authority," Butler stated. "Preventing them from joining the police service is precisely what vetting is supposed to achieve. Its failure to do so is yet another betrayal of Londoners."
The MP also forcefully rejected suggestions that diversity targets or national recruitment drives were to blame for falling standards. "This is plainly wrong," she said, accusing those pushing the narrative of twisting the truth for a "pathetic agenda."
Call for Radical Reforms: DNA Database and Re-vetting
Butler pointed to institutional problems within the Met, citing the vile misogyny and racism uncovered at Charing Cross station in the previous year. She argued that Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley's incremental changes were insufficient.
Her central proposal is a mandatory DNA database for all serving officers. A discovery in late 2024 found that around half of the Met's 33,000 officers were missing from the national DNA database. "This is simply disgraceful," Butler asserted. "Full inclusion is essential for transparency, accountability, and restoring much-needed confidence."
She has also campaigned for comprehensive mandatory re-vetting of every officer, regardless of their service date, to include psychological testing. This, she believes, would help identify and remove unfit individuals while offering support to others.
A Long Road to Restoration
While acknowledging that the Met has since toughened entry vetting and removed over 1,500 unfit officers and staff, Butler insisted there is far to go. "We can never again allow a blind eye to be turned to institutional racism, sexism, homophobia or corruption," she declared.
The MP's ultimate goal is a new social contract between the police and the public, with the safeguarding of all citizens as the utmost priority. "The public deserves to feel safe with the police," Butler concluded, "and I am strongly committed to ensuring that."
