Met Police: around 1,000 officers currently suspended or on restricted duties as force attempts clean-up

New staffing numbers have revealed that around 1,000 Met Police officers are currently serving suspensions or are on restricted duties as the force continues to attempt to overhaul the institution.

The number suggest that around 60 officers could face the sack per month over the next two years. It comes as the Met Police attempts to weed out corrupt and incompetent staff following high profile cases such as Wayne Couzens, a then-serving officer who raped and murdered Sarah Everard, and David Carrick, a then-serving officer who was revealed to be a serial rapist.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said that the process of getting rid of officers who have breached standards or failed vetting could take year. Speaking to reporters, he said: “This is going to take one, two or more years to root out those who are corrupt.”

The Met Police currently employs around 34,000 officers. Of this cohort, 201 are currently suspended, while 860 others are serving on restricted duties.

Mr Cundy said: “If you add those two figures together, that’s over 1,000 police officers and that’s nearly the size of a small police force in other places in the country. It is a significant number.”

Amid the Met Police's cull of incompetent and corrupt staff, there has been a 66% uptick in officers being sacked for gross misconduct over the past year. Meanwhile the number of reports from the public and other officers of alleged misconduct has also doubled in the same time frame.

Reviews have been undergoing into officers who faced allegations of domestic abuse or sexual violence. Bosses have also been sweeping the police database to cross reference any concerning information found.

This has led to 11 cases being subjected to further investigation, while five progressed to gross misconduct investigations.

It comes as Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced plans on Monday (18 September) to make it easier for police chiefs to sack incompetent and corrupt staff. Plans include a presumption that those found to have committed gross misconduct would face being sacked in the first instance, as well as those who fail vetting being expected to be dismissed.