“We are deeply disappointed by the mayor’s behavior,” the Metropolitan Police Federation said in a statement published online on Monday. The trust is gone.
Khan had withdrawn his trust in the previous boss Dick last week, after which she was forced to resign. The Labor politician had previously expressed doubts that the 61-year-old was approaching the necessary culture change in the police force in the right way.
The Metropolitan Police has repeatedly come under criticism in recent years – among other things because of the discriminatory or misogynist behavior of some police officers or because of the harsh treatment of demonstrators. A low point last year was the murder of a young woman who was killed by a police officer.
Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which claims to represent more than 31,000 police officers in the British capital, also wrote of a low point. The mood in the police was “terrible”. Police officers feel their hard work is being undermined by politicians, further undermining public confidence. We are saddened and upset at the way Dick was forced out of office. “She initiated reforms. She changed. The culture has changed.”
So far it is unclear who will succeed Dick in the important post. However, the relationship between the city administration and the largest British police unit is likely to remain strained in any case.