The police watchdog focused on behaviour by mostly PCs based at Charing Cross Police station.
The police watchdog says it has found evidence of “disgraceful” bullying, misogyny, discrimination and sexual harassment in some ranks of the Met.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) made 15 recommendations including tackling “underlying cultural issues”.
Most officers investigated were police constables and mostly based at Charing Cross Police Station, the IOPC said.
The Met Police said it was “deeply sorry” at the report’s findings.
In its report, the IOPC said: “We believe these incidents are not isolated or simply the behaviour of a few ‘bad apples’.”
The inquiry was launched in March 2018 into nine linked independent investigations concerning serving police officers from the Met.
The investigation began after an officer had sex with a vulnerable woman in a room inside a London police station, the IOPC said.
Of the 14 officers investigated, two were dismissed for gross misconduct and put on the barred list, preventing future employment with the police.
Another two resigned and several others faced disciplinary action, the IOPC said.
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The investigations found evidence of messages exchanged between officers that were often highly sexualise, violent and discriminatory.
These messages were generally described as “banter” by police officers in their defence.
The IOPC said the messages included:
- Messages about police officers attending a festival dressed as known sex offenders – sent within a WhatsApp group containing 17 police officers
- Numerous messages about rape within WhatsApp and Facebook chat groups
- Homophobic comments
- Use of words that could be considered misogynist, racist, or constituting disability discrimination
Director Sal Naseem described the behaviour as “disgraceful” and that it fell below the standards of the force, but he said the Met was working to change its cultural issues.
Report is ‘shocking’
“The learning report we are publishing today is shocking and contains language which is offensive,” Mr Naseem said.
“Some may find it upsetting.
“However, we felt it was important to provide the context for the public, the Met and other forces for why such hard-hitting recommendations are necessary.”
He added: “While these officers predominantly worked in teams in Westminster, which have since been disbanded, we know from other recent cases that these issues are not isolated or historic,” he said.
Image source, PA Media
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Bas Javid said the officers’ actions happened between 2016 and 2018.
“I am angry and disappointed to see officers involved in sharing sexist, racist and discriminatory messages,” he said.
“It’s clear we have a lot of work to do to ensure bullying and discrimination does not exist in any part of the Met.
“We recognise that there is need for real change in the Met and we are committed to creating an environment that is even more intolerant to those who do not uphold the high values and standards expected of us,” he added.
A Met Police statement said: “The conduct of a team of officers at Charing Cross police station in central London does not represent the values of the Metropolitan Police Service.
“We are deeply sorry to Londoners and everyone they have failed with their appalling conduct and acknowledge how this will damage the trust and confidence of many in the Met.
“Since this reprehensible behaviour was uncovered in 2017 we have taken a series of measures to hold those responsible to account and stamp out unacceptable behaviour.”