The Metropolitan Police is once again under intense scrutiny after a BBC investigation revealed disturbing allegations of misconduct and abuse at one of its most prominent stations, Charing Cross. The revelations, set to air in a Panorama documentary on October 1, 2025, have sparked a sweeping criminal and misconduct probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), leading to the suspension of nine officers and one staff member, and casting a shadow over the force’s efforts to rebuild public trust.
According to the BBC, the investigation centers on claims that, between August 2024 and January 2025, officers at Charing Cross engaged in excessive force against suspects in custody—including a youngster—used discriminatory and misogynistic language, made anti-Muslim remarks, and expressed support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Perhaps just as troubling, some officers allegedly failed to report or challenge inappropriate behavior by their colleagues, revealing what watchdogs fear may be a deeply entrenched culture of silence and complicity.
The IOPC confirmed it has launched a large-scale investigation into 11 individuals connected to Charing Cross: nine serving police officers, one former officer, and a designated detention officer. In a statement provided to the press, IOPC Director Amanda Rowe said, “We are treating this matter extremely seriously and have a team of investigators carrying out enquiries.” She added, “Given the volume of CCTV footage and the number of individuals involved, it will take time to obtain and review all of the evidence, however we want to reassure the public that we are working hard to progress enquiries as quickly as possible.”
One serving constable is now the subject of a criminal investigation on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, the IOPC disclosed. The case against one officer has been dropped due to a lack of evidence indicating a breach of professional standards, but the remaining cases are being treated as potential gross misconduct. The IOPC has also received a referral from another police force regarding a 12th individual who previously worked at Charing Cross and has since transferred elsewhere.
The BBC reports that the IOPC has obtained a significant amount of CCTV footage from the station’s custody suite and is in the process of contacting members of the public who may have been affected by the alleged misconduct. The watchdog has also issued an appeal to former and current Met Police staff at Charing Cross, urging anyone with information about possible conduct matters to come forward. “As a result of our appeal within the Met, we have already had a number of police staff who previously worked at Charing Cross station contact us with information and we are following up each report,” Rowe noted.
The Metropolitan Police, for its part, has responded to the scandal with what it describes as urgent measures. Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist announced that the force is taking “immediate steps to dismantle the current custody team at this station, significantly changing the leadership in our custody command and the Westminster leadership team.” He added, “In addition, we are scrutinising more widely the leadership and culture within these teams, led by Professional Standards and senior leaders, to root out any further failings.”
The Met’s leadership is clearly feeling the pressure. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, who was appointed in 2022 with a mandate to clean up the force’s image, has reportedly cancelled engagements to manage the fallout. In a statement, a Met spokesperson said, “The allegations we have been made aware of… if true, are disgraceful and will shock the public.” The force, along with the IOPC, is currently operating without the full evidence gathered by the BBC and hopes it will be shared after the Panorama broadcast.
It’s a familiar and troubling story for Charing Cross police station, which has repeatedly found itself at the center of scandal. In 2022, an IOPC report revealed “disgraceful” behavior by officers based at the station, including participation in a homophobic, racist, and misogynistic WhatsApp group. The report, which included the publication of highly offensive messages about rape, domestic violence, violent racism, homophobia, and derogatory terms for disabled people, contributed directly to the resignation of then-Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick in February 2022.
The latest allegations, while shocking, are not entirely surprising to those who have followed the Met’s recent history. The force has been rocked by a string of damaging scandals in recent years, each one further eroding public confidence and raising questions about the effectiveness of internal oversight and accountability. The BBC’s Panorama investigation appears to have acted as a catalyst for the current probe, with the Met launching its own internal review after being contacted by the program’s producers with detailed accounts of the alleged misconduct.
For many Londoners, the news is a bitter reminder of the challenges facing Britain’s largest police force. The allegations come at a time when the Met is under growing pressure to demonstrate that it can root out toxic behavior and restore its reputation for fairness and integrity. The force’s leadership has promised sweeping reforms, but critics argue that real change will require more than just new faces at the top or the suspension of a handful of officers.
Public trust, once lost, is notoriously difficult to regain. And while the IOPC’s investigation is still in its early stages, the fact that so many officers and staff have already been suspended—and that the watchdog is appealing for further information—suggests the scale of the problem may be even greater than currently known. The Met, meanwhile, is bracing for another profound test of its integrity and leadership as the Panorama documentary prepares to air and the investigation unfolds.
Anyone with information that could assist the IOPC’s inquiry is urged to contact the watchdog directly. As the force faces yet another reckoning, the eyes of London—and indeed the nation—will be watching closely to see whether this time, real accountability and reform will follow the headlines.
