Former Metropolitan Police Officer Claims Toxic “Lads Culture” and Urges Radical Change

Alice Vinten, a former officer of the Metropolitan Police in Britain, has spoken out about a toxic “lads culture” within the force that attracts power-hungry bullies. She served with the force for ten years and believes that the police service can only change if senior leaders acknowledge that it attracts more “wrong-uns” than other professions.

Vinten’s comments come ahead of the publication of a report by Baroness Casey, expected to accuse the Metropolitan Police of racism, sexism, and homophobia, and its failure to change despite repeated warnings. Vinten believes that the same problems exist throughout the entire police service, and calls for a unit of female detectives to investigate allegations of sexual offenses made by women officers and staff.

Furthermore, she suggests that the force accepts that policing attracts power-hungry bullies and needs to tackle this issue head-on. The Centre for Women’s Justice Director, Harriet Wistrich, has called for officers who turn a blind eye to wrongdoing to be punished, not just the perpetrators.

Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, hopes that the review will look into how police powers and culture enable officers and staff to commit crimes involving violence against women and girls.

The allegations raised by Vinten and the upcoming report by Baroness Casey are a wake-up call for the Metropolitan Police and the wider police service. It is vital that they take these criticisms seriously and take immediate steps to address these issues to create a more inclusive and equitable police culture that prioritizes accountability, fairness, and justice.