The Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents more than 31,000 rank-and-file police officers, said it has “no faith” in London Mayor Sadiq Khan after he ousted Dame Cressida Dick as head of the force last week.
Dick resigned as Met commissioner on Feb. 10, saying she had lost the backing of Khan, who left her “no choice but to step aside.”
The federation said comments made by the mayor have “undermined the professional, dedicated, and incredibly difficult work of tens of thousands of hard-working and brave police officers from across the capital.”
Ken Marsh, chairman of the federation, accused politicians of using “policing and the career of the country’s most senior police leader to deflect from their own failings.
“We have let the mayor’s office know in no uncertain terms how our brave and diligent colleagues deserve better,” he said.
Marsh said the atmosphere in the force is “horrendous” and “rock bottom,” as officers feel “saddened and angry” that the commissioner has been “pushed out.”
“We are deeply disappointed with the actions of the mayor,” he said.
He added: “The hard work of our colleagues and public trust in our colleagues is being undermined by politicians, and by the mayor of London in particular. The continuing scaremongering, sniping, and sweeping statements are causing disaffection with the public.”
Marsh said that officers feel they have been “forgotten” by the mayor. “Enough is enough. Officers have no faith in Sadiq Khan,” he said.
Dick faced a series of scandals during her time leading Britain’s biggest police force, most recently concerning discriminatory messages exchanged by officers based at Charing Cross police station that were published by a watchdog.
There was also fury over the rape and murder of Sarah Everard in 2021 by serving officer Wayne Couzens, who abducted her by staging a fake COVID-19 arrest.
The federation said it was “sickened” by these incidents, but that they were “not reflective of an entire workforce.”
Marsh said: “The federation will continue to speak up for our good officers. We totally accept that we have to deliver for the public and work to improve confidence, but if you haven’t got your workforce with you then you are not going to achieve what you’re setting out to achieve.”
A spokeswoman for the mayor said: “It is the mayor’s job to stand up for Londoners and hold the police to account on their behalf, as well to support the police in bearing down on crime.
“With trust in the police among Londoners shattered following a series of devastating scandals exposing evidence of racism, misogyny, homophobia, harassment, and discrimination in the Met, it was the mayor’s view that a change of leadership was the only way to address this crisis in trust.”
