Met Police ‘culture issue’ stops force supporting victims, commissioner warns

London’s police force has a “culture issue” which is preventing it from supporting victims of crime, a top City Hall chief has warned.

The Met Police is “not able or equipped” to improve declining satisfaction rates, the victims’ commissioner has said.

Claire Waxman said she was “not confident the Met are able to deliver what I need to be delivered to victims in order to improve satisfaction”.

Satisfaction rates in the force have gradually declined from 71% in early 2020 and have now fallen to just 63%, according to City Hall data.

It comes as mayor Sadiq Khan meets with Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick after vile sexist, racist and offensive WhatsApps sent by officers based at Charing Cross police station were revealed by watchdog the IOPC.

Speaking at a meeting of the London Assembly’s policing and crime committee, Ms Waxman, who was appointed into the senior role four years ago to work on improving the experience of victims of crime in the capital, laid out her fears.

She said: “I’ve been meaning to have a very honest conversation on victim satisfaction.

“I don’t honestly believe that the police are able or equipped to be able to give the response to victims that they need for us to really see a change in that victim satisfaction.”

Ms Waxman said her team had created a victim support leaflet, to inform and signpost to services, but that police were “more often than not” not distributing the information.

“It’s hugely frustrating,” she said.

The commissioner works with City Hall, the Met, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to tackle victims’ issues, and enforce the Victims’ Code - a charter of rights and standards.

She added: “There is real dedication at some levels but I am not confident the Met are able to deliver what I need to be delivered to victims in order to improve satisfaction.”

And she said it was “very clear” this was due to “volumes of caseloads and the amount of work police have to do, and also the culture - there is a culture issue we have to recognise”.

Ms Waxman called for services to transition to a “victim care hub model” for the capital, which would support victims and provide “a trauma informed response”.

She said: “I hear from survivors all the time. They just want an independent person, outside the criminal justice system, who is there to support them through a very difficult, complex justice process that is hugely delayed as well.

“We have the answer, but it’s how we get to that.”

London mayor Sadiq Khan has committed to considering plans for a victim care hub.

While the government last year brought forward plans for the first ever Victims’ Law.