Sadiq Khan says people ‘can’t understand’ why nine officers subject to IOPC 'canteen culture' report are still serving

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said his support for Commissioner Cressida Dick is “contingent” on what she says to him the next time they meet in response to his call to change the culture of the Met following a recent IOPC report into behaviour at Charing Cross Police Station.

Asked if the Commissioner still has his trust and confidence, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “That will be contingent upon the response from the Commissioner the next time I see her.”

Mr Khan said he sees the Commissioner “on a regular basis”, adding: “The next time I see her I’ll expect to see a response to the two big questions that I posed.”

He told the programme: “So the first part of what I expect to see is – what is the response from the Commissioner as to how she intends to address the culture, address the situation, where too many police officers are behaving in a way that’s unacceptable?

“And secondly, what is the plan to win back the trust and confidence in the public in relation to the police service, that police our capital city?”

The London Mayor has no powers to sack the commissioner which is only a decision that can be taken by the Home Secretary.

Both have a role in appointing the Commissioner, with the final decision taken by the Home Secretary following consultation with the mayor.

Fourteen officers were investigated by the IOPC in a long running inquiry into bullying, harassment and discriminatory WhatsApp group comments.

The report was based on behaviour identified in 2019 among a group of officers working in a now disbanded unit mostly based at Charing Cross Station. 

Two were found to have a case to answer for gross misconduct.

One was sacked and another resigned before he would have been dismissed.

Nine remain serving officers, while another is working as a contractor in a staff role.

Asked if all of those involved in the Charing Cross incident should be sacked, Mr Khan said: “I think Londoners can’t understand why nine of these 14 police officers are still serving.

“I’ve asked that question.”

He also told the programme: “And by the way, I only discovered last week that two of them have been promoted.”

He said he will next be meeting Dame Cressida within a matter of “days and weeks”.