Follow TopicFollow Contributor Share Feedback
London Police Settlements Balloon to £7.6mn

London Police Settlements Balloon to £7.6mn

by Starling Insights

Starling Insights Editorial Board

Oct 16, 2024

Observations

In the wake of a series of misconduct scandals, settlement payments by London's Metropolitan Police ("the Met") have more than doubled in 2023-24, reaching £7.6 million, as reported by the Financial Times.

This increase comes as the Met has resolved 239 civil cases involving allegations of officer misconduct, including excessive force, false evidence, racial profiling, and breaches of human rights. The rise in settlements follows heightened scrutiny after a 2023 independent review deemed the force "institutionally racist, misogynistic, and homophobic." Since 2019-20, the Met has paid over £19 million in civil claims, with payments increasing annually.

Legal experts attribute the rise in claims to increased public awareness and body camera footage revealing misconduct. "There has been a tipping point in recent years, with many victims who previously would not have brought claims forward now feeling able to do so," said Carolynn Gallwey, a partner at Bhatt Murphy Solicitors.

The Met's historical reluctance to settle cases early has led to higher legal costs. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley pledged to do "everything ... humanly possible" to implement recommendations from the independent review, aiming to address widespread misconduct within the force. Over 1,000 officers have had their duties suspended or restricted as part of these reforms.

Join The Discussion

See something that doesn't look quite right?

We strive to provide high quality and accurate content at all times. With that said, we realize that sometimes links break, new information becomes available, or there is something that you feel we may have missed.

If you see something that you think we should be aware of, we would love to hear from you. Feel free to drop us a note below and leave your name and contact info if you'd like to hear back from us.

Thank you for being a key part of the Starling Insights community!