Responding to the Excessive Court docket’s resolution on the lawfulness of vetting-based dismissal within the Metropolitan Police, Abigail Ampofo, Interim CEO of Refuge, stated:
“Time and time once more, we’re informed that tackling violence in opposition to ladies and women (VAWG) is a coverage precedence, but the information that law enforcement officials can’t be dismissed if their vetting is revoked implies that these types of statements danger amounting to nothing greater than lip service to the security of ladies and women.
The Excessive Court docket’s discovering that the Met Police’s vetting-dismissal scheme is illegal creates a obvious hole within the legislation which have to be urgently resolved by the federal government. Vetting usually reveals a historical past of VAWG or home abuse, and it’s important that there are mechanisms in place to make sure that ladies and women are protected the place that is the case.
Solely final month, a report by DA Commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs uncovered shockingly excessive ranges of police-perpetrated abuse, with each pressure in England and Wales (besides one) dealing with not less than one reported incident within the yr to March 2024.
Whereas we welcome Mark Rowley’s resolution to maintain officers with revoked vetting on go away, we remorse that cash is being diverted on this means when the necessity to spend extra on tackling VAWG couldn’t be better.
It’s of paramount significance that the federal government acts rapidly by implementing laws to make sure that officers who’ve their vetting revoked will be dismissed. Historical past clearly reveals us the horrific penalties of insufficient vetting practices, with serial perpetrators like Wayne Couzens and David Carrick being allowed to behave with impunity for years whereas allegations of abuse of ladies and excessive misogyny weren’t acted on.
Following on from Refuge’s ‘Take away the Rot’ marketing campaign, which uncovered the surprising magnitude of police forces’ failure to sort out misogyny and police-perpetrated VAWG, Labour dedicated to the suspension of all officers accused of home abuse or sexual offences pending an investigation. The federal government should make good on this manifesto pledge as a matter of urgency.
Sufficient is sufficient. We urgently want the loopholes to be closed with a purpose to root out all perpetrators from police ranks, shield survivors, and restore confidence within the justice system as an entire.”
