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Panorama Undercover in the Police (01 Oct 2025)
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00:01Undercover in the Metropolitan Police.
00:17This is an off-duty police officer
00:19saying what he really thinks about immigrants.
00:31Two and a half years ago,
00:33the Met was found to be institutionally racist,
00:36homophobic and misogynistic.
00:42I paid money to go to clubs and see women dressed like this.
00:46The force says it's changed.
00:49We've been undercover to see if it has.
00:53We filmed officers who don't appear to believe women
00:56when they report being victims of crime.
00:59Yeah, she's pregnant.
01:00Trying to get a vote.
01:01It's when it's not on.
01:03That's what she says.
01:05Officers displaying racist and discriminatory attitudes.
01:09Islam is a punk.
01:10A serious punk, I think.
01:12Muslims hate us.
01:14Fucking hate us.
01:16And revelling in the use of force.
01:18He's gone.
01:19He spoke, right?
01:20He's just gone.
01:24And his car's fucking scared.
01:27Evidence of a toxic culture that,
01:29far from being driven out of the Met,
01:31has just been driven underground.
01:35Who can I fucking trust here?
01:38Some of the new joints.
01:41You've got to figure them out.
01:43Don't fucking talk us all into a fucking big complaint.
01:46This is the story of seven months undercover
01:49inside the Metropolitan Police.
01:52It feels like watching a TV drama about bad cops,
01:56but this is real.
01:58Stanley Police Station!
01:59We are in a police station.
02:02Welcome to Charing Cross.
02:17In the heart of London.
02:19Right next to Trafalgar Square.
02:23Charing Cross Police Station.
02:30My colleague Rory's going undercover.
02:34Recording what he finds using specially built secret cameras.
02:40What are you doing, mate?
02:41Yeah, all good.
02:43He's got a job as a designated detention officer.
02:46It means he's part of the Met, but not a police officer.
02:50So you walked through the door of a custody suite.
02:53What was it like?
02:55Sometimes very little was going on.
02:57But Thursday, Friday, Saturday night,
02:59it can just liven up and go from zero to a hundred like that.
03:02What do you mean you've got your pen?
03:03Pen tight!
03:05Good afternoon.
03:07Come on, man. Move on.
03:09Hello, Charing Cross.
03:11Charing Cross has one of the Met's 22 custody suites.
03:14It operates 24 hours a day.
03:17It's where arrested people are processed and held
03:20until they're taken to court or released.
03:22I've made the vote today.
03:25They're not fucking the vote.
03:27They're today.
03:31Can you speak to a sergeant?
03:32They're all busy at the moment.
03:35Can I pass on a message for you?
03:39Before he started working here,
03:41Rory was given seven weeks training by the Met.
03:44Working in custody can be really tough.
03:47The team have to deal with difficult and sometimes violent people.
03:50What the fuck?
03:52What the fuck?
03:53What the fuck?
03:54What the fuck?
03:55Understand me, yeah?
03:56We're not playing all the games, you know.
04:00There are people with mental health problems.
04:04Some are on drugs.
04:06So you just wanted some crack right here?
04:08There are people with mental health problems.
04:09Rory's duties include making sure detainees are fed and watered.
04:14Bring the buzzer for anyone else, yeah?
04:16Above all else, his job is to help keep them safe.
04:21The Met employs more than 33,000 police officers.
04:30Rory's job in Charing Cross allows him to observe without joining their ranks.
04:37You're welcome, mate.
04:44Running the custody suite are sergeants.
04:47Officers in charge day to day.
04:50On each shift there are usually three of them.
04:52The welfare of anyone who's arrested and detained in a police station,
04:57the buck stops with the sergeant.
04:59They authorise the detention in the first place, it's on them.
05:02That's their job.
05:04They're also responsible for upholding values and ethical standards.
05:09Sergeant Joe McIlvenny and Sergeant Robinson are two of the three in charge today.
05:13This officer is telling them about a rape allegation that's being investigated.
05:27Two male suspects have been arrested and booked in by another sergeant.
05:32She already got the first time.
05:35It was happening.
05:37She's gone back to sleep, lapsed out whilst it's still happening.
05:40And then she's woken up at 11 at the end of the morning.
05:43And then she was by herself then.
05:44Was by herself and was like, why have I got no child in my neck as well?
05:47I did not take it as well.
05:49I've got to be honest, I've gone to there before and can't remember to take that child as well.
05:55The sergeants don't appear to be taking the rape allegations seriously.
05:59And she's woken up momentarily.
06:03Yeah.
06:05Then passed out.
06:06Yeah.
06:07That's all she's got.
06:08Well, she does give them some description, hasn't she?
06:10Yeah, but that's of one.
06:11She's been unconscious.
06:13Maybe one of them might be orange with green hair, obviously.
06:16Yeah.
06:18And then to lump her.
06:19Yeah.
06:21It's hardly tall enough.
06:29Shame on you!
06:31Shame on you!
06:32Shame on you!
06:33Shame on you!
06:35Four and a half years ago, the Met was accused of failing to prioritise crimes against women and girls.
06:42A Metropolitan Police Officer has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Sarah Everard in South London.
06:48It followed the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by serving police officer Wayne Cousins.
06:55The Met commissioned an independent report into its behaviour and culture.
07:01Baroness Louise Casey concluded the force was institutionally misogynistic, homophobic and racist.
07:08There is, without doubt, a discriminatory culture right across the Metropolitan Police.
07:17The Met is not able to assure all of us that its officers are of sufficient integrity and standards to be serving police officers.
07:28So it needs to clean itself up.
07:31Sir Mark Rowley, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, didn't accept that problems in his force were institutional, but he promised change.
07:41I understand her use of the term institutional. It's not a term I use myself.
07:46I'm absolutely determined that on my watch, we are slowly reducing the risk that we have people in the organisation who don't have the integrity the public would expect.
07:55It's not a term I use myself.
07:58Whistleblowers have told Panorama that the Met still has a problem with misogyny and racism.
08:04And pointed us towards Charing Cross Police Station.
08:08Cheers, man.
08:10What a bitch, man.
08:12In your handcuff, right?
08:14I'll bet your mum.
08:15I'll bet you not. No, no, no, we've got to suck your mum.
08:19The sergeant booking the man into custody is Joe McIlvenny.
08:22He's an old hand with nearly 20 years service in the Met.
08:27Perfect brave now.
08:29Like a handcuff brave, isn't it?
08:31Right, let's see if you like that when the handcuffs come on, can we?
08:36A woman's just been brought in.
08:39Arrested for being drunk and disorderly.
08:42She's wearing a fancy dress police uniform.
08:46Sergeant McIlvenny seems particularly interested in her.
08:49Awesome.
08:51She's wearing a leather police outfit.
08:54Stop it.
08:56Where can I come?
08:58Stop it.
09:00I paid money to go to clubs and see women dressed like this.
09:04That's Sergeant McIlvenny making the sound of a siren as he heads to where the woman is going to be searched.
09:15He's going for it.
09:18I've just never seen him react that way to an arrested person being brought into detention.
09:27He shot up from his seat, he looked on the CCTV monitor and then he went down to the cage to oversee the search of the woman.
09:35It made me feel uncomfortable.
09:38What was your impression of what he was doing?
09:40It just felt really seedy.
09:42The next day, Sergeant McIlvenny tells Rory and a female colleague about a woman he says he met online.
09:48The language he uses is very crude.
09:52She turns out and then the door opens.
09:56I think it's not just Colin Chandler.
09:58I think it's not just Colin Chandler.
09:59I don't want to do that again.
10:00Booms the door almost by.
10:02Homestress.
10:04Anyway.
10:06Sergeant McIlvenny.
10:08That's the real one and then the fat one now.
10:13It was weird.
10:15He had this way that the conversation could be about what you had for breakfast and he'd turn it into a conversation about sex.
10:23I mean, I've watched the footage. How often was he like this?
10:27It was relentless.
10:28When he was on shift, there was a very high chance that there would be a comment like the comments I filmed him make.
10:37Sergeant McIlvenny tells Rory and his female colleagues how he gets sexual pleasure from having his nipples played with.
10:44He's at work and this is a custody suite.
10:47He says he wants his nipple pierced and asks a female colleague who's told him she's had it done for advice.
11:12Then he goes even further and starts talking about masturbation.
11:17Yeah.
11:18I was thinking, right, because my pain tolerance goes up massively at the same time.
11:25So I'm going to ask.
11:28What do you reckon?
11:30You might be like, darling, see you.
11:32How's he done?
11:34Yeah, I'm not going to cry.
11:36Imagine!
11:39He's been in the door almost by.
11:42Homestress.
11:43Sue Fish was the temporary chief constable of Nottinghamshire Police and has agreed to view our evidence.
11:52He's absolutely vile, his attitudes and behaviours.
11:59And the standard that he's setting for his shift and his team is absolutely despicable.
12:09Sue Fish spent her career in the police, retiring after 31 years of service.
12:15When I joined the police in the mid-80s, the sergeant was held to be the pivotal person.
12:21They still are.
12:23They set the tone for the shift.
12:26Earlier in her career, she ran misconduct hearings for officers accused of wrongdoing.
12:31What I've seen and heard from this sergeant, it's completely inappropriate, very misogynistic.
12:46I think it puts anyone else, male or female, that's junior, in an invidious position.
12:52Going down.
12:56Please mind the door.
12:59To investigate police culture, Rory needs to spend more time with officers.
13:04Inside the custody suite, they're usually busy, so he chats to them when they're on a break.
13:10I'd go out to the yard, which is like the centre of Charing Cross Police Station, where everyone smokes.
13:16I didn't find it hard to speak with people.
13:19What's difficult is to build relationships enough so that you can establish a level of trust with them.
13:26What are you doing? You're going for sure!
13:30Which one of them came home to respond?
13:32And the next one of them, let me see you, isn't it?
13:35The yard is where police officers bring arrested people before booking them into custody.
13:42It's also where they get a bit of downtime.
13:45This is PC Brian Sharkey.
13:48Never heard any complaints about it for a few moments.
13:52Get that now, yeah mate!
13:55PC Sharkey is one of the longest serving officers Rory meets.
14:00Rory asks him about the job.
14:02It's a good job, but when we talk anyone out of it, I'll make sure they have their eyes fully wide open for their fucking enjoyment.
14:08And they're going to give a fuck a whole lot of grief.
14:10Just to do it in the right place.
14:12He's got a toe leg.
14:13We know he's up to no good.
14:15Yeah.
14:16We don't find anything on him.
14:17Oh, you're stopping me because I'm black, or you're stopping me because I'm this,
14:20stopping me because I'm that.
14:22And he has got all the mouth full of shit from him.
14:25After several chats, Rory gets himself invited to the pub with PC Sharkey and his team.
14:32I'm sorry, Brian.
14:37I'll see you now.
14:39Sexual offence.
14:41Complaints again.
14:43Oh no, no.
14:44Oh, I'm going to get accused.
14:45I'm not going to do it then.
14:47At least we're a penny even so far, Brian.
14:53Rory's been told an officer's been disciplined for tucking in another officer's shirt.
14:59The team appear to be joking about it.
15:02PC Sharkey's on his first pint.
15:04Now you're down for a sexual sock, not as well go down for a late.
15:08Sorry about that one.
15:12He has some whiskey.
15:13There he is.
15:14Nothing.
15:17Put all the back of your head.
15:19That's a bit.
15:21That's something you want to say about that.
15:24What can I fucking trust here?
15:27You look like a newborn.
15:30I was like a newborn.
15:31I can't.
15:34Then one of the other officers starts talking about another incident.
15:38PC Sharkey shuts it down.
15:41The guy that pissed somebody.
15:44I will.
15:46I'm not talking about that.
15:48I was going to shut the fuck up.
15:50See you, Mr Chief.
15:52Trust is hard won here.
15:55Officers are cautious until they get to know new colleagues.
15:58When you go out there's someone new, especially on team, you don't know.
16:03You have to reset, you have to put the mask, you're speaking tactile.
16:07And then when you get on with her, it sums off.
16:10And then the real you comes out.
16:11Yeah.
16:12You know what I mean?
16:13Someone new joins.
16:15You've got a bigger amount that you can and can't say.
16:18That conversation says, right, new person, mask goes on.
16:21What impression did you get coming away from that?
16:24My overall feeling was we've got a mountain to climb here because the level of secrecy is, I didn't realise how deep-rooted it was.
16:30I didn't realise how hard it was going to be to break into this culture.
16:33They're all holding back all the time unless they're absolutely certain that they can trust you.
16:37Back in the yard, Rory's trying to get to know more officers.
16:44What's your name anyway? I've never caught it.
16:46I'm Rory. Nice to meet you.
16:47Nice to meet you mate.
16:49PC Martin Borg says he's been with the Met for five years.
16:54I would say about 95% of people are compliant on arrest.
16:58Two and a half percent are mad.
17:01The other two and a half percent are actually trying to get away, trying to fight you.
17:04Yeah.
17:05Do you enjoy the scraps?
17:06Yeah. Big time. That's why I joined the job for, mate.
17:07Yeah.
17:08100%.
17:09Bonesy, mate.
17:10100%, mate.
17:11Legal fucking scraps any day of the week.
17:14That's why I joined the job.
17:16Nick people.
17:17And to get in scraps.
17:21To get further behind the mask, Rory tries a new approach.
17:26He says he's thinking about becoming a fully-fledged officer.
17:30PC Borg offers to take him on patrol.
17:33Martin seems to take me under his wing and he's one of the first officers that I really built a connection with in Charing Cross.
17:42All officers are required to follow standards of professional behaviour laid out in law.
17:50They're part of the police conduct regulations.
17:54One of the rules says officers must act with fairness and impartiality.
17:59They do not discriminate unlawfully or unfairly.
18:02If any of these rules are broken, officers can face serious consequences, up to and including dismissal.
18:10In the car with another officer driving, PC Borg describes what he dislikes about London.
18:19London are full of selfish people who are simply closed-minded.
18:24They're only interested in themselves.
18:26Well, what makes London different to the other things?
18:29Nothing popular.
18:30Yeah.
18:31What do you mean?
18:32Different cultures.
18:33The culture in the county has filled ye olde British.
18:36To a linear extent.
18:38Here it's a different type of British.
18:40It's a melting pot British.
18:42Yeah, it's the...
18:43The officers chat about religion and then start talking about Islam.
18:48It always makes you laugh, like, you know, it's a very bizarre.
18:52Don't eat, talk, or...
18:53Do you drink?
18:54Yeah.
18:55Do you smoke?
18:56Yeah.
18:57Do you gamble?
18:58What's the fucking difference then?
18:59You know, you...
19:00Yeah, and that's fine, but you're a fucking hypocrite.
19:03Rory tells them there's been a mix-up with the food served in custody.
19:08We've been serving non-halal food by accident in custody for the last few weeks.
19:12They didn't tell anyone.
19:13Really?
19:14They changed the whole menu and they didn't tell anyone.
19:21How open was he about his views?
19:23Martin would indicate that he had certain beliefs, certain views,
19:28specifically around Muslim communities in London.
19:31There was still an element of him that was quite guarded.
19:37The custody suite at Charing Cross has 24-hour surveillance, video and audio.
19:45Every cell, every corridor, and the custody desk is monitored.
19:51It's supposed to keep detainees and staff safe and can be used as evidence in court.
19:56It's on his head.
19:58It's on his head.
19:59It's all private.
20:00No, I'm not.
20:01Look how he's forced to fill in here.
20:02Don't try to.
20:04Rory's supervisor, Sergeant McIlvenny, has authorised the detention of this man,
20:09arrested for possession of a flick knife.
20:12Officers need to search him to check he has nothing else on him,
20:15but he resists.
20:17So the search is done by force.
20:18Right, straighten the mattress.
20:20Don't try and spit me dirty bastard.
20:23Stand on the floor.
20:24Lift up.
20:25Well, do as you fucking call, then.
20:26Do you understand?
20:27He's there, being restrained on the floor.
20:28I just see McIlvenny just draw back and punch into the back of the guy's hamstring.
20:29Do you feel that?
20:30Up.
20:31Up.
20:32Up.
20:33Up.
20:34Up.
20:35Up.
20:36Up.
20:37Up.
20:38Up.
20:39Up.
20:40Up.
20:41Up.
20:42What do I do?
20:44You have the opportunity, all right, and I can't do this at all.
20:47Do you understand?
20:48What do I do?
20:50You have the opportunity, all right?
20:53I mean, start doing these at all.
20:54Do you understand?
20:56Mm-hmm.
20:58They don't find anything else on him.
21:03Really surprised.
21:04What?
21:05That he hasn't got nothing on him.
21:07Really surprised.
21:09I saw a little dig in the back of the leg.
21:13Oh, no, that was when I was trying to fold over.
21:15Yeah.
21:16Make sense, accept.
21:19Sergeant McIlvenny ushers Rory into a corridor,
21:22away from the cameras and microphones in custody.
21:25He wants a quiet word.
21:29Be careful, be me for your support.
21:31Mm. Sweet.
21:32Ah.
21:33That's all.
21:34Oh, OK.
21:35It doesn't sound right if it's playing back later on the other night.
21:39I hear you.
21:40Don't fucking talk us all into a fucking big complaint.
21:43I hear you.
21:44Yeah.
21:45Oh, I'm still learning.
21:46No, I don't know.
21:47Yeah.
21:48It's no biggie.
21:49It's not like, oh, fucking hell yeah.
21:50Oh, fucking smack in the bollocks, it's awesome.
21:53I hear you, man.
21:54Which you might see sometimes.
21:56Yeah.
21:57He tells you to keep your mouth shut, doesn't he?
22:00Yeah.
22:01There's a guy in the leg.
22:02I said dig to him at the time, but it was a punch.
22:04It just emphasises to me the level of caution people have about speaking in custody,
22:09because they know everything's being recorded.
22:11Later in the station yard, Rory talks to another of the three sergeants on duty, Sergeant Hume,
22:18about what happened.
22:19I said to Mike, I saw your little big mate, and then he pulled me outside and he was like,
22:24be careful because your camera's in custody, debrief and after incident.
22:26I was like, oh.
22:27What's going on?
22:28Yeah.
22:29Yeah.
22:30I want to say, oh, these are pretty, because I've been beaten up.
22:34Yeah.
22:35And it's all recorded.
22:37Be careful, be me, for your support.
22:40Oh, sweet.
22:41Ah.
22:42Don't fucking talk us all into a fucking big complaint.
22:46What message is sergeant skimming him there?
22:49Being told to keep his mouth shut, and that it's quite legitimate to beat up people who are in custody.
22:55Both those messages are deeply disturbing.
22:57And that's coming from his bosses?
22:59Yes.
23:00Yes.
23:01The idea is to use the minimum, and that's the legal requirement, that's the legal test,
23:04to use the minimum requirement of force necessary, not the maximum that you can get away with.
23:12Officers deal with some violent detainees and are allowed to use force.
23:17The standards of professional behaviour say it should be proportionate and reasonable in all the circumstances.
23:27Back in the yard, officers speak quite openly about their use of force.
23:34This officer says he likes hurting people in custody if they refuse to be fingerprinted.
23:40I love taking fingerprints by force, because I'm like, give me your fingerprints.
23:44No, I'm going to break your fingers if you don't get onto me.
23:46My mates are going, so how'd you take them by force?
23:48And when we grab their two fingers, and I put them down, and they went, yeah.
23:51And what happens if they don't?
23:52I said, well, you grab the other two fingers, and you pull really hard, and it snuff the tendon, and they go, oh.
23:58Oh.
24:01In the canteen, an officer Rory's just met, describes using force in the back of a police van on a man in leg restraints.
24:09I got over in the face five times.
24:13Five?
24:14Yeah.
24:15This wasn't quite enough.
24:16I got over in the face five fucking times, yeah, on the floor.
24:19The thing is, though, other than the last laugh, because when he's stood up in the van, wearing leg restraints,
24:23kept hitting his head on the top, started beating the shits up the back of his legs,
24:27and whacked the shits up the back of his legs, trying to get the drop to the floor to put him in.
24:30He's just smashing his head off the top.
24:32I was like, all right, fucking hell, fine.
24:34Fucking cave your legs in, then.
24:36If I must.
24:37I've never got to complain.
24:39It was always police brutality.
24:40We just fucking just, like, five or six strikes just fucking made.
24:45It wasn't a good look.
24:46It was definitely a little bit of redness there, but nothing came of it.
24:50Well, I'm sure you could justify it some way.
24:53I did, apparently.
24:58We don't know if these officers actually hurt people.
25:01Police officers worked a completely different shift pattern to me.
25:10Very often I'd go out on my lunch break at 2, 3 in the afternoon if I was on a day shift,
25:15and I'd just see police officers piling into the pub, and I'd be like,
25:19that's where the conversations are had, that's where you need to get in.
25:22Two weeks after they went out on patrol, Rory gets an opportunity.
25:27He meets PC Martin Borg in a pub.
25:30It's a chance for a longer conversation, away from the CCTV and the station.
25:37It also means it's over a few drinks.
25:40The day before, PC Borg had been involved in restraining a detainee.
25:45Open the door, threw him up against the wall, threw him on the floor,
25:48cut all his drugs off.
25:49But he just didn't look okay anymore, so we need to act like a fucking animal.
25:53Back in custody, Rory finds video of the incident PC Borg has been describing.
25:59But he can't access the audio.
26:01You can see PC Borg bottom right.
26:05The custody notes say the detainee's accused of multiple offences,
26:09including impersonating a police officer and attempted kidnap.
26:13They also say he's a suicide risk.
26:17No, it was quite funny looking out.
26:19Well, yeah, got the right Ross, and then he...
26:21What did you know?
26:22He kissed on the door.
26:24And he saw stuff his blankie down the toilet.
26:26Yeah.
26:27And Stampy come over and said,
26:28sweet, he's put a blankie down the toilet,
26:30do you want me to go in there and see what that gets mine?
26:31Yeah.
26:33PC Borg's talking about another custody sergeant,
26:36Steve Stamp, nicknamed Stampy.
26:41CCTV shows officers restraining the detained man on the floor.
26:46You can see Sergeant Stamp by the door.
26:49PC Borg describes what the sergeant does.
26:53And he's kicking out and Stampy's towards his lips.
26:55Yeah.
26:56Stampy's, I'm telling you now.
26:57He's got his foot right.
26:58He's just gone.
27:01And he's...
27:02You know, you see his own face and face?
27:03Yeah.
27:05And this guy's...
27:06Oh, Jesus Christ.
27:07What?
27:08Where'd he stamp on it?
27:09He doesn't think we're blocking it.
27:11Oh, that hurts as well.
27:12He's just...
27:13He's caught with his boots.
27:14Yeah.
27:15He had a lump on his foot,
27:16and we've got like a fucking tune of it.
27:18I've talked to him.
27:19I didn't stamp him all right to.
27:20Yeah, he fucking did that.
27:23CCTV shows Sergeant Stamp stomp down twice.
27:28This is...
27:35Open the door.
27:36Throw him up against the wall.
27:37Throw him on the floor.
27:38Cut all these toes off.
27:39No, it was quite funny, it'll be like.
27:42Funny.
27:44Funny.
27:45I mean, seriously, this is about summary justice.
27:48Brutal exercise.
27:49Literally brutal exercise of power.
27:52This is the sergeant setting the standard of behaviour,
27:56which is gratuitous violence,
27:58demonstrating a complete disregard for the law
28:02and all his training and his position as a sergeant.
28:05Sam Peter, yesterday, he knew the truth was over there,
28:08but he kind of felt with a safe space.
28:10He was like...
28:12He tried to kick me. I said, yes, I did, sir. I absolutely did, sir.
28:15Absolutely, sir. I'm too, sir.
28:17Whatever you say, sir.
28:18He was like, thank you very much, Mike.
28:20I'll put that MG-11 in, my gosh. Yeah, very helpful.
28:22An MG-11 is a witness statement.
28:28PC Borg is saying he and Sergeant Stamp discussed writing one up,
28:32saying the detainee had tried to kick the sergeant during the restraint.
28:37It's not clear from the footage
28:39whether the man tried to kick Sergeant Stamp.
28:42He's got nothing on his feet
28:44and four officers were restraining him at the time.
28:49I asked the people because of the officers,
28:50but they're in the right, and they're in the right.
28:51That's the point. Yeah.
28:52They're out to the point.
28:55Unbelievable.
28:58MG-11, just for clarity, is a witness statement.
29:00I don't know whether he has put in his MG-11, but if he has...
29:04With false information.
29:04With false information, and it can be shown to be false,
29:07then that would be perverting the course of justice
29:10or conspiracy to pervert the course of justice,
29:13let alone the assault on the individual.
29:16Sam Peter, yesterday, he knew the truth was over there,
29:18but he's kind of dealt with a safe space.
29:19That officer, he is so confident
29:22that no-one is going to blow the whistle on him.
29:26And that's the strength of the culture
29:28that means that people like him and Sergeant Stamp
29:32can perpetuate these sorts of behaviours.
29:35Police conduct regulations say officers should challenge
29:39or take action against the conduct of colleagues,
29:42which has fallen below the standards of professional behaviour.
29:45Officers are also required to be honest and act with integrity.
29:53This officer also took part in the restraint overseen by Sergeant Stamp.
29:58Now, I heard Stamp had given me a good kick-in anyway.
30:00Oh, yeah, he did, yeah, he was a cunt.
30:02Yeah, and when, you know, Stamp was doing whatever he was doing,
30:05I was like, interesting, what face have we got here, innit?
30:06Yeah, innit.
30:07Dominic Grieve was Attorney General,
30:16the government's principal legal adviser under former Prime Minister David Cameron.
30:22He also agreed to look at our evidence.
30:37In this country, we set up the police force to do policing by consent.
30:47It creates a climate in which policing should then become easier.
30:53The sort of misbehaviour that we saw is likely to make policing in the long run more difficult.
30:59We've only filmed some officers at one station.
31:03But any police misconduct can have serious consequences.
31:06If the police misbehave, there is a high risk that if the case goes to court and the misbehaviour emerges,
31:14it will reduce the chances of getting a conviction of that person
31:17because there may be arguments over the way the evidence was collected,
31:21over the way the person was treated in custody,
31:24over whether any admissions that were made in interview were made under duress.
31:29The justice system is dependent on police officers behaving fairly and properly towards the people they arrest.
31:36Back at the pub, PC Borg's still talking about the incident in custody the previous day.
31:43He doesn't know the detainee's nationality,
31:46but says he thinks he came to the UK from Morocco.
31:49Look at that what I was saying yesterday,
31:51about how when the time is right, he's got to bring himself up.
31:54And like, you know, we should hate all the British and like,
31:56we're not coming here because we like the country,
31:58we're coming here because we've got to come and take over the country.
31:59And I was like, mate, it's like we've got fucking Tory Robinson's out on the road, mate.
32:02You know what I mean? Why he's fucking cunt?
32:04Is it problematic, the amount of like minorities,
32:07like FD minorities in like London, like police?
32:09Well, I challenge you, when you're on shift,
32:11to look at the list and see how many are in custody.
32:13And I think there's your answer.
32:15That's a simple answer.
32:16Yeah.
32:17Yeah? It's not about whether you, it's not about opinion, it's about facts.
32:20And the fact is, if you look at the lists, the close custody list,
32:24look how many communism there.
32:26Then there's the answer.
32:27Which of the most griefy do you reckon?
32:29Muslims?
32:30Really?
32:31That's not.
32:31They hate us.
32:33They fucking hate us.
32:34Proper hate us.
32:35It's not a problem.
32:36A serious problem, I think.
32:39At this point, PC Borg's on his second pint.
32:43A lot of couples don't want to admit that because it sounds racist.
32:45It sounds, you know, all the other isms that you've got, but it's just the truth.
32:50Whether that's racism, ismophobia, homophobia, any of the isms,
32:55they're too scared to be called that.
32:56And they can't stand up for themselves.
32:57Police standards say officers should behave in a manner which does not discredit the police service
33:05or undermine public confidence in it, whether on or off duty.
33:10Anything they say or do that breaches the standards, wherever it is, can lead to disciplinary proceedings.
33:17It doesn't matter whether you're down the pub letting off some frustration, you're a cop.
33:23You have to behave differently to other people.
33:28There is a debate to be had about immigration, but to see a police officer, in essence, agreeing with division and hate,
33:35feels deeply distressing.
33:38Policing often is times of high stress, and in times of high stress you revert to type.
33:43A bigger, better you doesn't suddenly appear if you're a mean, narrow-minded bigot like he is.
33:52At the station, Rory sees many police officers doing the job professionally and with empathy.
34:00I saw so many police officers doing their job to the best of their ability and hats off to them
34:06because, yeah, it's challenging. The role of a police officer is extremely difficult.
34:21They're dealing with often really complex mental health needs, violent and confrontational people.
34:28It's a dangerous job.
34:31In the yard, officers are preparing to leave the station.
34:36They're picking up a 17-year-old who's run away from a residential home where he's being cared for.
34:42Officers say he assaulted colleagues and medical staff when they took him to a hospital after his arrest.
34:49We'll call the teenager Jordan to protect his identity.
34:53He's been in the hospital this whole time.
34:58Multiple officers. Is that where all of you are going?
35:00Yeah.
35:02PC Phil Nielsen says he's one of around 10 officers going to collect Jordan from hospital.
35:08Well, if this guy comes here, he'll be a constant notch.
35:12Yeah.
35:12The guy arrived, walked into custody.
35:16He went to his cell.
35:17He was put on a constant watch with two police officers.
35:21And, to be honest, I thought that was the end of the story.
35:25Jordan's custody notes say he's autistic and has mental health needs.
35:31CCTV shows the teenager in his cell and officers standing outside.
35:36Then they push Jordan back from the cell door.
35:45After he throws a pillow at them, they restrain him.
35:51Next thing I know, the panic alarm has been hit.
35:53Everyone's up on their feet, running down towards the cells.
35:56There's about five or six police officers.
35:59At one point, there are eight people involved in the restraint.
36:08Sergeant McIlvain, he's stood up on the bench looking over the whole situation.
36:12And he was like, I'm the safety officer.
36:15Jordan is then held on the ground with his legs or arms restrained for around two hours.
36:22A 17-year-old who's apparently autistic and may have mental health issues throws a pillow.
36:27I mean, a thrown pillow.
36:29I mean, seriously.
36:30It just seems wholly disproportionate.
36:34How are you, Phil, mate?
36:34Hey, how are you, Rory?
36:35Yeah, not too bad.
36:36Mate, that juvie you brought in the other day.
36:43Three days later, Rory bumps into PC Nielsen.
36:47He tells him more about what happened after he'd picked Jordan up from hospital.
36:52Did you see him hit me?
36:53I didn't see him hit you.
36:54Yeah, he fucking hit me.
36:55In cell?
36:55At the custody desk.
36:59PC Nielsen says the teenager kicked him at the custody desk,
37:03because while they were in the police van on the way back to the station,
37:07he'd used pressure points on Jordan's legs.
37:11He's just feeling straight, clunky, kicking me in my knee.
37:15To be fair, it's payback.
37:16So before the job, I've done the sports massage and that,
37:18so I know of all the pressure points.
37:20Yeah.
37:20So while I'm banned from hostels are here, it's just that was a pressure point.
37:24So, you evil bastard.
37:28And he's holding so many officers.
37:29He deserves it.
37:30He deserves it.
37:31He deserves it.
37:32He deserves it.
37:33He deserves it.
37:33He deserves it.
37:34He deserves it.
37:35He deserves it.
37:35He deserves it.
37:36Seven weeks later, PC Nielsen agrees to meet Rory in the pub.
37:41But he's suspicious.
37:44Half joking, he says he's worried Rory's working for the Mets Department of Professional Standards,
37:50or DPS.
37:53I'm getting, this is a stink.
37:54This is DPS.
37:55This is DPS trying to catch me out or something.
38:01I was actually thinking, I ain't gonna come because I can't get in contact.
38:04It could be a stink.
38:06It's the first time I've met Phil socially.
38:09From the moment I got there, he was asking me if I was wearing a wire,
38:13if it was all part of a sting.
38:15And like, when you're sat there with like secret cameras,
38:18it wasn't far away from him coming over and patting me down.
38:22But eventually, he did settle down.
38:25PC Nielsen reveals more about the pressure points he says he used on the 17-year-old.
38:31How do they work?
38:33So, obviously, I always aim for the legs.
38:36Okay.
38:37Because you're walking every single day, so you're always using your leg muscles.
38:41So, obviously, you've got quite a lot of tension there.
38:44How long do you go for when you're on that kid?
38:48I don't know why.
38:53Pretty much not the whole journey.
38:54But not the whole journey, because after a few, like, 20 seconds,
38:58you've become immune to it, so you've just gone to the other one,
39:02get that one to rest, and then go backwards to that one.
39:04He's admitting to assaulting the juvenile whilst in the van when he presses on the pressure points.
39:12Unlawful territory for me.
39:15Then PC Nielsen makes it crystal clear why Rory's finding it so hard to find out more
39:20about some officers' views.
39:23He echoes what Rory's heard before.
39:25Decide carefully what you say and who you say it to.
39:29P.C. Nielsen's on to his fifth part.
39:34So, like, I would say I feel comfortable with you that I can say some stuff that I'll be
39:39out there, and I will trust you to not go and be like, wait, this guy feel you?
39:43So, like, know you're proud.
39:46Yeah, absolutely.
39:47P.C. Nielsen's on to his fifth pint.
40:00He's still suspicious and holding back.
40:03I was hoping you would say something more controversial and they'd be like,
40:06oh, yeah, come, let's go for this.
40:10What I'm seeing is almost this sense of those who are complicit,
40:14and this sort of sense of what's underground.
40:17They're grooming people into that circle, looking out for snitches,
40:22i.e. people and police officers' colleagues who are decent,
40:26who uphold the values of policing, as opposed to people like him, who absolutely don't.
40:35Almost a year after the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer,
40:40the Met faced another scandal, this time focused on Charing Cross,
40:46uncovered by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
40:51The police watchdog says it's found evidence of disgraceful bullying,
40:55misogyny, discrimination and sexual harassment at Charing Cross police station in central London.
41:02This investigation lifted the lid on what a toxic culture inside the Met,
41:06what it actually looked like.
41:09Sal Nassim was the IOPC's regional director for London at the time.
41:13He left in 2023.
41:17The team he led seized officers' mobiles and uncovered private group chats,
41:22where they discussed hitting their girlfriends, shared offensive and racist comments,
41:26and laughed about rape.
41:31There's contempt and hatred towards Muslim communities,
41:35hatred towards Jewish communities, if you were gay.
41:38There was a strong theme of misogyny.
41:41They felt comfortable enough to message one of their female colleagues,
41:46and went to hate-fuck you.
41:50Let's just pause there for a second. This is the workplace.
41:52That's how normalised that culture had become.
41:5714 officers were investigated.
42:00Two were dismissed.
42:02Two resigned.
42:02The IOPC published its report into the culture at Charing Cross at the start of 2022.
42:10When we interviewed the officers and put it to them, what they were saying and what they were doing,
42:14they didn't see it. They excused themselves. It was just banter.
42:19Other officers, when they tried to raise concerns, they weren't believed.
42:22Senior officers would dismiss their concerns that these officers were just indulging in laddish behaviour.
42:28I was like, I'm sorry.
42:30Nearly three years later, it seems inappropriate male banter hasn't gone away.
42:36She was wearing no underwear.
42:39Whatsoever.
42:41How do you know?
42:42How do I know?
42:42Because, so...
42:44I'm going to leave.
42:48A female officer walks away.
42:52Other officers say they face racial discrimination at work.
42:55I just come here to do my job.
42:57And that's it.
42:58But other people see all the reasons to kind of fool me.
43:01But it's for me now.
43:03Do you think it's like racial discrimination?
43:06No.
43:06I'm not sure.
43:08I want to say yes, but at the same time, I want to say no.
43:10My brain's telling me yes.
43:11My heart's telling me no.
43:12Yeah, because you don't want to believe it all.
43:13Yeah, exactly.
43:14It's because, obviously, I'm a man.
43:18I know you see a lot of difference in the way that you get treated by people,
43:24especially lines like that.
43:26Really?
43:27Yeah.
43:27It's made you feel uncomfortable?
43:28Yeah, yeah, yeah.
43:29Quite a few sergeants have been on this.
43:34And colleagues have seen it as well, but...
43:36Nothing gets done.
43:37Back in the custody suite, the team are dealing with a serious allegation.
43:49A female detention officer is talking to a police officer about a man in custody who's accused
44:04of rape and domestic violence. But a decision has been made to release him on bail.
44:12You got bailed?
44:13They wanted an item, didn't they?
44:15No.
44:15No.
44:17We don't know all the details of the case.
44:19But the female detention officer is unhappy with the bail decision.
44:23Yeah, it's a nasty place to work for, are they?
44:29Really nasty.
44:30Yeah, she was pregnant.
44:31Tried to go with bail.
44:32I don't know.
44:33It's in his cellar.
44:37That's what she says.
44:38Later on her break, she's still unhappy about what Sergeant McElvenny's just said
44:55about the decision to bail the man.
44:57The way you were, yeah, it's what she says.
45:02Fuck you, don't tell her stomach that she's pregnant.
45:05Like, don't fuck off.
45:09Yeah, I've heard it's going to go, you're blanker.
45:12You're blanker.
45:14But unfortunately, I can't.
45:17He's got stripes on the charges.
45:23She was pregnant, tried to give her baby.
45:25It's been a stomach.
45:27She was pregnant.
45:29That's what she says.
45:32That's what she says.
45:33What an attitude.
45:35In other words, he doesn't believe her.
45:38I'm fairly speechless.
45:39As a woman, as well as a former police officer, individuals like him have the power to make
45:46those sorts of decisions about my safety, other women's safety.
45:51And that is terrifying, absolutely terrifying.
45:54Right.
45:55That's how I feel about that.
45:56That's how I feel about it.
45:58Yeah.
45:58She's not wrong in her description of him, frankly.
46:02She seems to be quite angry that he's just dismissed it.
46:04Yes.
46:04She is angry.
46:05And I'm not surprised.
46:09It's little wonder that rape and domestic abuse investigations have
46:17such a low success rate because, despite all the fantastic work that's been done, you've
46:24got idiots that you come up against like this.
46:28Clearly, these individuals are simply not getting the message.
46:32The Met says it's changed its vetting procedures and introduced new training.
46:37It says its officers and staff are now making three times as many reports about bad behaviour
46:43than they were three years ago.
46:45And that since 2022, more than 1,400 officers and staff have left or been dismissed from The Met
46:53for failing to meet its standards.
46:56How confident can you be that there is a cultural change?
46:59It starts at the gateway.
47:01We've changed our vetting approach for people coming into the organisation.
47:05This is about tens of thousands of good people in policing who care deeply about the public,
47:09who want to be a better organisation.
47:11You all right, lad?
47:15How are you?
47:17Two weeks after first meeting at the pub, Rory and PC Nielsen meet up again.
47:22From the moment, I walked through the doors.
47:26I tried to match his energy. I tried to make him feel I was more on side.
47:31Just by agreeing with him, laughing along with him, making him feel that, you know, he could trust me.
47:38P.C. Nielsen's on his second pint when he starts using racially discriminatory language
47:45about some migrants.
47:47Do you ever see any issues with Ukrainians?
47:50No.
47:51Exactly. So I don't mind them, because they're coming over here to work and get away with it.
47:56Now, people coming from the Middle Eastern, they're just scum.
48:01Yeah, but why is it always them committing the crimes? I don't understand.
48:05Why is it just men coming over here?
48:07P.C. Because it's an invasion.
48:09P.C. Yeah.
48:10P.C. I've got to be so loose, I'll drop right out.
48:15P.C. No, I don't know.
48:19P.C. Who do you reckon the worst one is, then?
48:21Like, worst to deal with, like, people coming over?
48:24P.C. Ooh.
48:25P.C. So I've had quite a lot of Arabs, I've had quite a lot of North and North, but I get
48:35Algerians.
48:35P.C.
48:36P.C.
48:37P.C. We've had so many of them in custody.
48:39P.C. I can't stand it.
48:40P.C. They always feign injury and...
48:41P.C. Oh, I can't.
48:43P.C. Yeah.
48:45P.C. The smiles are scum.
48:46P.C. Mm-hmm.
48:47P.C. The smiles are...
48:48P.C. Ugly.
48:50P.C. Ugly mate.
48:52P.C. Ugly mate.
48:52P.C. Ugly mate.
48:55P.C. Any poor person is the worst deal with.
48:57P.C. Yeah.
49:00P.C. Three more drinks in, he starts talking about Islam.
49:05P.C. I've seen too many Islamists committing crimes.
49:12P.C. Their way of life is not the correct way of life.
49:14P.C. No.
49:18P.C. I mean, you're on the front line, you see it every day.
49:22P.C. You do find that.
49:24The ones that are causing the most crimes are Islamists.
49:28They cause the most crimes.
49:30The Home Office and Police don't publish figures on general arrest rates by religious communities.
49:37Despite his obligation not to discriminate unlawfully or unfairly,
49:42P.C. Nielsen appears to have made up his mind.
49:46You're face to face with a police officer that's clearly anxious about you and got question marks
49:50about you and has given you an invite to offer more.
49:54Sounds like you're agreeing with his views.
49:56I didn't want to shut him down because when someone's literally told you that
50:02I was going to go further but I didn't because you're nowhere near my level, I had to show him something.
50:07As the evening wears on, P.C. Nielsen's views don't change but the way he expresses them gets more extreme.
50:18He says what he'd like to see happen to a detainee he's been dealing with who overstayed his visa.
50:23F***ing either put the bullet through his head or deport him...
50:29I hear you man.
50:30Because we're paying for it. He was an overstayer.
50:32That would've been an overstayer.
50:34There were so many though, isn't there?
50:37Honestly, just...
50:38What the f***er?
50:40What, where were you going there?
50:43A revolver.
50:47A revolver will be so nice.
50:49strikes the head
50:55oh
50:56and the ones that
50:59rape women
51:01you do the cock
51:04and let them bleed out
51:06yeah
51:07just in absolute plain sight
51:13isn't it
51:14extraordinary
51:16a racist in simple terms
51:21but a violent racist
51:24I mean I feel
51:26appalled and disgusted
51:28and ashamed watching that
51:30if you're a member
51:33of those communities who live here
51:35and are hoping to be
51:36protected by the best
51:38policing in the world
51:40that police is by consent
51:42that is legitimate
51:43how legitimate is that
51:45it's not at all
51:49it's disgusting
51:50I have absolutely no confidence
51:55in him as a police officer
51:57whatsoever
51:58to be frank
52:01not much as a human being
52:02Panorama wrote to Met Commissioner
52:06Sir Mark Rowley
52:07detailing our evidence
52:08he told Panorama
52:10the behaviour outlined
52:12in this programme
52:12is disgraceful
52:13and the Met has taken
52:15immediate and unprecedented action
52:17eight officers
52:19and one staff member
52:20have been suspended
52:21and another two officers
52:23removed from frontline duties
52:25he says the Met
52:27has dismantled the custody team
52:29at Charing Cross
52:30made changes to local leadership
52:32and is looking more broadly
52:34at other Met detention teams
52:35Sir Mark also says
52:39much more needs to be done
52:40to tackle the individuals
52:42and cliques
52:42whose appalling behaviour
52:44continues to let down
52:45their colleagues
52:46and Londoners
52:47and the Met's resolve
52:49to identify, confront
52:50and get rid of them
52:51is absolute
52:52the Met has referred
52:55Panorama's allegations
52:56to the Independent Office
52:57for Police Conduct
52:59it's launched
53:00an investigation
53:01and says it's taking
53:02the matter
53:03extremely seriously
53:04we also wrote
53:06to the officers
53:06identified in this programme
53:08they haven't responded
53:10it's January
53:14and an inspector
53:15has some news
53:16for the team
53:17he's not going to be
53:24with us for a while
53:26probably at least
53:28three months
53:28maybe longer
53:31but I don't know
53:32but
53:34he's going to use
53:36the resolve
53:36and complain
53:37he's talking about
53:38Sergeant Joe McIlvenny
53:40CCTV records him
53:43the moment after
53:44he's told
53:44he's being taken
53:45off the custody desk
53:46and put on
53:47back office duties
53:48he's being investigated
53:56after allegedly
53:57making inappropriate
53:58comments to this woman
53:59oh because she was Asian
54:10he was suggesting
54:11that she was into
54:12custody staff
54:21say it was
54:21British Transport
54:22Police officers
54:23who reported
54:24Sergeant McIlvenny
54:25not his fellow officers
54:27at Charing Cross
54:28Inspector Jim Morris
54:31who's Sergeant McIlvenny's
54:32boss
54:33seems supportive
54:34obviously
54:36it's not like
54:37it's for Joe
54:38so
54:38you know
54:39where you can
54:40you know
54:42make contact
54:43and see how he's doing
54:44some female colleagues
54:46are less sympathetic
54:47it was
54:48it was on the cards
54:50because
54:51it felt very
54:51very
54:52very
54:52very
54:53appropriate
54:53do you reckon
54:55it get away with it
54:56though
54:56no
54:58in general
54:59in front of officers
55:00it's not only
55:02sexist
55:03it's misogynistic
55:04it's racist
55:05another colleague
55:08says Sergeant McIlvenny
55:09told her
55:10he might ask
55:10for a character
55:11reference
55:12I can't give you
55:15a character reference
55:16can I
55:16like
55:17you are awful
55:18as much as I know
55:20you're half joking
55:22that you're also not
55:23before we wrote
55:25to the Met
55:26Sergeant McIlvenny
55:28told Rory
55:28he was back
55:29at work in custody
55:30we don't know
55:32the outcome
55:32of his disciplinary
55:33process
55:34three years ago
55:38the chief inspector
55:39of constabulary
55:40put the Met
55:40into special measures
55:42saying it was
55:43failing to meet
55:44basic policing standards
55:45that came to an end
55:47in January
55:48this year
55:49when the inspector
55:50had told the Met
55:51it had improved
55:52after seven months
55:56undercover
55:56Rory's time
55:58at Charing Cross
55:59is over
56:00walking out the door
56:02today
56:02it was just
56:03weird feeling
56:03I've come in
56:05I've been in custody
56:07for seven months
56:08my honest assessment
56:12is like
56:12I'm scratching
56:13the surface here
56:13I've met
56:15police officers
56:16that are racist
56:16I've met
56:17police officers
56:18that are misogynistic
56:18but the reality is
56:20these people
56:20don't trust me
56:21and I'm still
56:23seeing this evidence
56:24reflecting on
56:26what we've just watched
56:27how bad is what you've seen
56:29it seemed to me
56:30that there was
56:30quite a lot there
56:31that ought to
56:32worry Sir Mark Rowley
56:33and he I'm sure
56:34will be worried about it
56:35and I hope very much
56:36will want to do
56:37something about it
56:38the only way forward
56:40that is going to work
56:41is a police force
56:42which says
56:43we have very high
56:44standards and values
56:45they have a discipline
56:46about the way
56:47they carry out
56:47their work
56:48what struck me
56:50was that
56:51didn't seem
56:51to be present
56:52or being inculcated
56:54by the people
56:55who were in authority
56:56who were the sergeants
56:58I've seen enough
56:59to say
57:00there is
57:01a highly toxic
57:02culture there
57:03of hypersexualized
57:05male behavior
57:06misogyny
57:08racism
57:09and
57:10gratuitous
57:10unlawful violence
57:11this is one thing
57:13where the leadership
57:14I think
57:15of the Metropolitan Police
57:16has never really
57:18grasped the significance
57:19the scale and impact
57:21it's always been
57:21a rotten apple
57:23not a rotten barrel
57:24it's about changing
57:25the narrative
57:26about what constitutes
57:28good policing
57:29what do we want
57:30from a police officer
57:30in the 21st century
57:32Rory saw many officers
57:35behaving professionally
57:36while he was undercover
57:37the Met's been taking action
57:40against what it calls
57:41rogue officers
57:42and cultural failings
57:43but our investigations
57:46found evidence
57:47of a toxic culture
57:48inside the UK's
57:49largest police force
57:50suggesting racist
57:52and misogynistic attitudes
57:54haven't been eliminated
57:55they've been driven
57:57underground
57:57that will make it
57:59even more difficult
58:00for the Met
58:01to root out
58:01bad behavior
58:02and attitudes
58:03once and for all
58:04the Met
58:34You
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