Dame Cressida Dick ‘felt intimidated’ into resigning as Met Police commissioner and London mayor Sadiq Khan ‘did not follow due process’, report finds | UK News

Dame Cressida Dick “felt threatened” as she resigned as Metropolitan Police Commissioner following an ultimatum from London mayor Sadiq Khan, an independent report said.

Review, by Sir Thomas Winsor, city The passing of Dame Cressida from the force in February also found valid procedures were not followed.

Dame Cressida said she will step aside after evidence that officers at Charing Cross police station sent racist, sexist and homophobic messages to each other and in context upset about the murder of Sarah Everard while serving officer Wayne Couzens.

After releasing several messages, Mr Khan said he was putting the commissioner on “announcement”, while declaring an urgent plan was needed to restore confidence in the force and tackle bias.

The report found that the mayor was “particularly concerned” about one of the officials who sent the offensive messages who was in the same group as the Couzens.

He then tells her privately that this is her “last chance” and that she needs to “throw everything into this”.

Announcing her resignation, Dame Cressida said Mr Khan “no longer had enough confidence in her ability to lead” and she was “sad” to step down.

Met has been placed in special measures.

Mr Khan’s actions were criticized by several senior police figures at the time.

Sir Thomas presented his findings to the Home Office on 24 August, but they were published on Friday “due to public interest in the matter”.

His report concludes: “The proceedings were not followed by the mayor of London and the mayor’s office for policing and crime in their actions, which resulted in on 10 February 2022, Dame Cressida Dick had to step aside as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

“Those acting on behalf of the mayor told the commissioner that he intends to publicly announce his loss of trust and confidence in her, and that he intends to initiate the process of recalling under the law. fixed, on the afternoon of February 10, 2022.

“She feels threatened by this process stepping aside, and I can understand that reaction.

“The mayor’s actions do not respect the dignity of the commissioner personally, and as a holder of high office.

“He has failed to act, especially on February 10, 2022, in accordance with the legislative plan, which remains less than in spirit.”

Sadiq Khan claims report is ‘biased’

Mr Khan responded to the allegations in the report, describing them as “clearly biased” and claiming to “ignore all facts”.

He added in a statement: “As observed by the former commissioner, trust in the police has dropped to a record low following a series of horrific scandals.

“What happened was simple – I lost faith in the former commissioner’s ability to make the necessary changes and then she chose to stand aside.

“The people of London elected me as Met commissioner and that’s exactly what I did. I make absolutely no apologies for asking for better for London and putting the interests of the city I love first. .”

Home Secretary Priti Patel commented: “Public confidence in the Met has been undermined by a series of horrific incidents and it is important that errors are addressed and professional standards restored. restore the level Londoners deserve.”

Dame Cressida left her position in April and will be replaced by Sir Mark Rowley.