Met police it is time to remove the rot and show the London community that there are officers out there that we can trust.

The latest IOPC report on police officers at Charing Cross police station makes sickening reading, actually it leaves you feeling not only sick to the stomach but horrified that people in their position could think the way they do. Those text messages were beyond despicable, they represent a culture of misogyny, racism, and abhorrent beliefs that have no place in our society. How any person can think that way, especially a police officer, is incomprehensible.

As most of our readers know, we have always supported Met Police officers, especially frontline police officers who do an amazing job on our street and will continue to do so today, despite another storm. Last year was a torrid year for the Met, this year has not started off any better.

Trust towards Met police officers has plummeted once again when they had just started to make progress with their violence against women and girls campaign. Clearly there are many issues that have to be dealt with here, and any officers who have those lowest of the low beliefs against women, our black and Jewish community have no place in the Met or in our society.

The Met has issued a statement clearly stating that those officers do not represent the values of Met Police officers, yet sadly they were Met police officers and these are the issues that need to be rooted out now once and for all.

At the Havering Daily, we work everyday with Met Police officers, these frontline officers do amazing work in our community and face not only the backlash of years of austerity and endless cuts, but now a reputation in tatters by their very own colleagues that I’m sure they are just as equally disgusted with. I can’t imagine just how hard it must be to put on that uniform today, and face the endless criticism you are going to face. So many are so dedicated to their job, love their job and are so committed to it. So many believe so firmly that their colleagues and officers are the finest out there and put their heart and soul into being the best leaders they can be to support their officers against an ever increasing storm.

It is these officers that we need to continue to support in our community, it is these officers that we need to back during the hardest of times. I’m sure officers all over London are as sickened as the public were to read those messages. It is time to remove the rot and show the London community that there are officers out there that we can trust.

For every decent, hard working officer who joined to make a difference in our society, and who firmly believes in doing the best for their community, we thank you. Today, putting that uniform on, must be hard but without your hard work, our communities would be lost.