Met chief says restoring trust will take time on Everard anniversary

This week, marking five years since the murder of Sarah Everard, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police said he understood why some women still did not trust the force and acknowledged that rebuilding confidence would take time.

Sir Mark Rowley said that “several ghastly cases of police officers committing awful offences against women” had inevitably damaged public trust in the UK’s largest police service. He insisted more women were reporting allegations, but said trust would not be restored overnight.

“I can give the reassurance that we’re doing everything possible to avoid people who are a risk to anybody, women and children or otherwise, joining the organisation or staying in this organisation,” he said.

Five years ago, Everard was walking home in south London when she was abducted by serving police officer Wayne Couzens. He drove her to Kent, where he raped and murdered her. Couzens is serving a whole-life sentence.

Sir Mark became commissioner in September 2022 following the resignation of Dame Cressida Dick amid a series of controversies, including the fallout from the Everard case. He said 1,500 people had been “rooted out” of the force since 2022 and were no longer working for the organisation, including many over inappropriate behaviour towards women.

“We haven’t got to the point where every woman is going to say ‘I completely, without question, trust the Met police’,” he said. “This was a horrific incident, of course that’s going to live longer in memory. What I’m seeking to do is say I can see that we’re making progress, and people are noticing that. But they should expect more of us.”

According to data published by the force, 28 members of staff were dismissed for sexual misconduct in 2024–25. A further 39 officers would have been dismissed in the same period had they not resigned or retired.

In 2023, Baroness Casey’s independent review concluded that the Metropolitan Police was institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. It found that hundreds of officers with misconduct allegations, including sexual offences, had not been dismissed.

As recently as last week, a serving officer was dismissed after a disciplinary panel found he had subjected a colleague to controlling behaviour, committed serious sexual misconduct and attempted to interfere with a police investigation.

Sir Mark said no organisation employing 40,000 people could claim to be perfect, but said reforms were under way at every stage of service, including recruitment, vetting and the handling of misconduct allegations.

An internal review published in January found that between 2013 and 2023 the Met had lowered vetting standards for prospective and existing officers and staff. More than 5,000 individuals had not been properly vetted. The force estimated that around 1,200 applicants may have been rejected under normal vetting practices. Separately, more than 17,000 officers and staff did not have references properly checked between 2018 and April 2022.

Women’s charities said confidence remained fragile. Gemma Sherrington, chief executive of Refuge, described women and girls’ confidence in policing as being at “crisis point”. Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said meaningful cultural change within the force was still required.

A report last year by the independent domestic abuse commissioner found that only 4% of police officers who perpetrate violence against women and girls were dismissed.

Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said the government was committed to halving such violence within a decade and had published a strategy alongside a £13.1m national centre aimed at strengthening the police response.

The anniversary places renewed focus on whether reform within the Metropolitan Police is sufficient to rebuild public confidence.

Trust in public institutions is not rebuilt through statements alone. How visible are reforms in everyday policing across London? Follow EyeOnLondon for independent reporting on accountability in the capital.

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