The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has apologised for his force’s failure to tackle homophobia.
Sir Mark Rowley made the apology in a letter to LGBT activist Peter Tatchell.
According to the BBC:
In what Mr Tatchell said was a “ground-breaking step forward”, Sir Mark’s letter said he was “sorry to all of the communities we have let down”.
A damning report by Baroness Casey in March found there was racism, misogyny and homophobia in the Met Police.
Mr Tatchell said the apology “draws a line under past Met persecution”.
It came on the day the Peter Tatchell Foundation launched a campaign calling on all UK police chiefs to apologise for “decades-long victimisation” of the LGBT+ community.
In his letter, Sir Mark admitted he accepted it “had systems and processes in place which have led to bias and discrimination in the way we have policed London’s communities, and in the way we have treated our officers and staff, over many decades.
“Recent cases of appalling behaviour by some officers have revealed that there are still racists, misogynists, homophobes and transphobes in the organisation, and we have already doubled down on rooting out those who corrupt and abuse their position.”
He added: “I am clear that there is much for us to do. I am sorry to all of the communities we have let down for the failings of the past and look forward to building a new Met for London, one all Londoners can be proud of and in which they can have confidence.”
In response, Mr Tatchell thanked Sir Mark for “being the first UK police chief to say sorry” adding he hoped his apology would spur other police forces to follow suit.
“This will help strengthen LGBT+ trust and confidence in the police; encouraging more LGBTs to report hate crime, domestic violence and sexual assault,” he added.
