Shockwaves rippled through the United Kingdom this week as a BBC Panorama documentary exposed deeply troubling behavior among officers at London’s Metropolitan Police, reigniting fierce debate over institutional culture, public trust, and the urgent need for reform. The revelations, which broke on October 1 and 2, 2025, have prompted apologies from the highest levels of law enforcement, condemnation from political leaders, and a fresh round of investigations into the conduct of those sworn to protect the public.
The BBC’s undercover investigation, led by reporter Rory Bibb, was nothing short of explosive. For seven months up to January 2025, Bibb worked in a civilian role as a designated detention officer in the custody suite at Charing Cross police station, right in the heart of central London. The footage he captured painted a disturbing picture: serving officers openly called for immigrants to be shot, boasted about the use of force, and dismissed rape claims with shocking nonchalance. The documentary also revealed officers making sexualized remarks to colleagues, sharing racist and Islamophobic views, and expressing support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
According to BBC reporting, one particularly distressing incident showed a male sergeant disbelieving a rape and domestic abuse victim and releasing the suspect, despite a female officer’s attempts to challenge the decision. These revelations have underscored what many critics describe as a deeply rooted culture of institutional racism, misogyny, and Islamophobia within the Metropolitan Police—a culture that previous efforts at reform have failed to uproot.
The public response was immediate and fierce. London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan did not mince words, stating he was "disgusted and appalled" by what the footage revealed. "Sexism, racism, misogyny and the excessive use of force have no place in the police," Khan declared, as reported by BBC and The Independent. He added, "I have met with the commissioner to discuss directly the issues exposed by the BBC – and its impact on public confidence and trust in the police. A series of urgent changes have been put in place at Charing Cross police station and across the Met, with more to follow." The mayor voiced his support for the Met’s new approach to misconduct, emphasizing, "There must be zero tolerance to this kind of behaviour and no hiding place for officers who abuse their position of trust."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer echoed these sentiments, describing the behavior as "shocking" and calling for a "robust" response from the head of London’s Metropolitan Police. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood went further, labeling the footage "disturbing" and "sickening." She welcomed the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) decision to "fully and urgently investigate all the issues raised in this report," and reiterated the government’s expectation that police chiefs use their powers to sack officers guilty of gross misconduct.
Faced with mounting outrage, Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley issued a sweeping apology before the documentary even aired. "Officers behaving in such appalling, criminal ways, let down our communities and will cause some to question if their sons and daughters are safe in our cells, and whether they would be believed and respected as victims of crime. For that, I am truly sorry," Rowley stated, according to The Independent and BBC. He described the officers’ actions as "reprehensible and completely unacceptable."
Rowley outlined a series of immediate actions, including dismantling the entire custody team at Charing Cross and implementing senior leadership changes covering west London. Within 48 hours of the allegations being received, nine officers and one staff member had been suspended, with two more officers removed from frontline duties. The commissioner promised that accused officers would face fast-track hearings within weeks and, where incontrovertible evidence existed, would likely be dismissed. "Those who can’t or won’t improve should expect to leave," he said.
The IOPC has launched its own investigation, with 11 current and former officers now under scrutiny for potential gross misconduct, including allegations of excessive force, discriminatory and misogynistic comments, and failure to report or challenge inappropriate behavior. One constable is also under criminal investigation, accused of perverting the course of justice. The alleged incidents occurred both on and off duty between August 2024 and January 2025. The IOPC’s Rachel Watson said she was "appalled by what Panorama has exposed – these behaviours are completely unacceptable and have no place in policing." She called for the BBC to share its evidence to allow the investigation to progress quickly.
The Metropolitan Police Federation, representing officers up to chief inspector rank, condemned any discriminatory behavior "in the strongest possible terms," insisting, "such behaviour has no place in policing or society." At the same time, Federation chairwoman Paula Dodds emphasized the importance of due process, warning against "trial by media or documentary." She stated, "If officers are proven to be guilty of criminal offences or serious gross misconduct, then we do not want these individuals in the job."
For many, these revelations are not a surprise but a grim confirmation of long-standing concerns. Mina Smallman, whose two daughters were murdered and whose case was mishandled by Met officers, told BBC’s Newsnight, "When people are comfortable and their guard is down, we get to see what they’re really like." She added, "This behaviour has been there for so long, it’s going to take ages to root out." The station at the center of the scandal, Charing Cross, had already been the focus of a damning IOPC report in 2022—Operation Hotton—which found officers exchanging offensive messages, joking about rape, and sharing racist and homophobic language. Despite promises to address "rogue officers" and "cultural failings," whistleblowers told Panorama that little had changed.
Policing experts and former insiders have weighed in. Zoe Billingham, former Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, described Commissioner Rowley as a "reforming" figure but warned that "the pace of change really now needs to be demonstrated to Londoners if that precious bond of trust is to be restored." Former Met detective superintendent Shabnam Chaudhri admitted, "When I sat there and watched it, and my stomach turned over, it was like, I feel so ashamed that I was a police officer."
Amid calls for transparency, accountability, and culture change, many argue that true reform means creating an environment where victims and whistleblowers feel safe to report misconduct, and where officers who abuse their power face real consequences. The Liberal Democrats called the findings "beyond appalling," demanding Home Secretary Mahmood work with the Met to tackle the issue "once and for all."
As the Met consults on new policies—such as requiring officers to declare membership of secret societies like the Freemasons—and deploys new technology to spot troubling trends, the force faces an uphill battle to restore public confidence. The vast majority of officers, as Rowley noted, "join policing with a vocational sense of public duty." But as the events at Charing Cross show, rooting out toxic cultures and rebuilding trust will require more than words. It will take relentless scrutiny, real accountability, and the courage to confront uncomfortable truths—no matter how high the cost.
