According to a watchdog, the Met Police Department may be failing to uncover serial killers because it is not adequately examining unexpected fatalities. It had not learned from a “calamitous litany of failures” in the case of Stephen Port than a decade ago, and “history could repeat itself,” cautioned the inspector of constabulary.
What Happened to the Met Police?
Port, 48, is receiving a life sentence for the murder of four men in east London. The Met Police Department will look into the matter. Between June 2014 and September 2015, Port murdered Anthony Walgate, 23, originally from Hull, Gabriel Kovari, 22, from Lewisham, Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, and Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, east London, by overdosing them on the “date rape” drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) at his Barking home.
source” Malay news
Met Police Drawbacks
Following the murders, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire Services (HMICFRS) investigated the learning and future risks for unexplained death cases. In a study, it cited five major shortcomings at the Met Police: a lack of training, poor supervision, “unacceptable” record-keeping, unclear protocols, and “inadequate” intelligence methods. HMICFRS’s Matt Parr told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that it was “inevitable” that among the fatalities that the Met Police did not categorize as murders, there would be some that were. “The risk of missing a homicide is much higher than it should be.” “The Met has no pattern analysis system.” If there was a relationship between the killings, they would only find it by chance.”
They are Not Learning From Their Failures
“We’ve witnessed poor supervision, training, and record-keeping.” The Met Police hasn’t learned anything from what happened eight years ago. “The likelihood of this happening again is far too high.” Solicitor Neil Hudgell, who represents the four victims’ families; stated, “This report highlights the most basic requirements. The Met Police failed to meet the requirements of policing; which resulted in the murders of Port’s victims not being considered suspicious until weeks after the fourth victim.
What to Do?
These included failing to conduct basic checks; failing to send evidence to be forensically examined, and failing to exercise professional curiosity; while Port was on his killing spree. Mr. Parr stated that it was “difficult to be reassured”; that mistakes would not “occur again.” “Issues with the Met’s culture and officers’ behavior have been widely acknowledged;” he added, alluding to Baroness Louise Casey’s conclusions last month; that the police is institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic. “However, the Met police’s issues with competence and professionalism; go much deeper.” “They don’t always get the fundamentals right,” he says.
“Several officers told us that linking deaths at a local level was based on chance; there was no formal process to spot similarities, to link deaths, and it relied on officers possibly talking to each other about the deaths they’d dealt with.” That is extraordinary in our opinion,” Mr Parr added.
The audit also noted inadequate scene organization; and a lack of “professional curiosity,” stating that the bulk of tapes “had basic omissions.” “Written witness statements, if taken at all, tended to be too brief; and lacked important details,” according to the study. “There was little evidence that officers conducted house-to-house inquiries; attempted to determine the time of death, or attempted to determine; who might have access to where the deceased’s body is.
Met Police: Next Move
On some occasions, authorities found money and drugs in the possession of deceased individuals at the mortuary; when officers had allegedly searched them at the scene of death,” according to the study.
There were also notable shortcomings in the supervision of unexplained death procedures; such as senior officers failing to show up to monitor cases against Met policy; some having less expertise than the officers seeking their advice.
source: BNN
“Our inspection has shown that history could repeat itself,” Mr Parr added. That is why, in order to keep all Londoners safe; the Met must learn from its failures and act on our suggestions right now.”
Read Also: Who was George Jones wife when he died? Know all About His Wife
