Five serving Metropolitan Police officers are under investigation for misconduct over the way they dealt with claims against serial rapist David Carrick. Met Police officer Carrick was unmasked as one of the UK’s worst sex offenders when he was convicted of crimes committed against 12 women over 17 years, during which time two police forces failed to respond to several complaints against him.
On Wednesday (October 18), the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said 10 serving and former officers are under investigation for gross misconduct, and another officer and staff member for misconduct.
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The watchdog will look at four claims made to the police in 2002, 2016, 2019 and 2021, including reports to the Met and Wiltshire Police.
The five serving Met Police officers include a detective constable, detective sergeant, detective inspector and two chief inspectors, who are under investigation for gross misconduct, as are a Met Police officer now serving with City of London Police and two retired officers, a former police constable and former superintendent.
A serving Met Police staff member and a Met police constable are under investigation for misconduct. Another two officers from Wiltshire Police are also under investigation for gross misconduct over claims that the force failed to properly investigate a report made against PC Carrick in 2016.
The IOPC announced in July that it was launching investigations into the way the Met handled complaints made in 2002, 2016, 2019 and 2021 under a rarely used power of initiative.
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Watchdog investigating claims officers 'failed to explore or investigate' Carrick allegations
It is examining allegations the officers may have breached police standards of professional behaviour by failing in their duty to adequately explore, investigate, supervise or oversee investigations into allegations made against Carrick while he was a serving police officer.
IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: “Our thoughts remain with all the women who were victims of David Carrick and reported this offending. After carrying out an initial scoping review of police handling of allegations against Carrick earlier this year, we made the decision to launch investigations into multiple alleged failings of police officers and staff who assessed and/or investigated allegations made against him.
“If these matters had been adequately progressed, Carrick could potentially have faced gross misconduct proceedings and been dismissed from the police service years before he was eventually arrested. While we’ve notified a number of officers that they are under investigation, this does not mean that disciplinary proceedings will automatically follow. At the end of each investigation, we will determine whether any individuals should face disciplinary proceedings.”
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