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Metropolitan Police Dismiss Two Officers as Charing Cross Probe Widens — AI-generated representative image of a London Metropolitan Police station exterior, illustrating the ongoing Charing Cross misconduct investigation.

Editorial Team

London misconduct dismissals reach 13 serving officers as IOPC scrutiny intensifies over policing standards

Two further officers have been dismissed from London's Metropolitan Police for misconduct involving offensive comments, the force confirmed on Tuesday. The dismissals bring to 13 the number of serving officers removed in a wider investigation into Charing Cross police station, described as Britain's busiest police station.

One officer was fired after a disciplinary hearing found he had told a female colleague during an off-duty night out: "I hope you get raped on your way to Waterloo." The other was dismissed over comments suggesting he enjoyed using force against members of the public and "hated" homeless people.

The cases form part of a broader accountability drive triggered by undercover footage that exposed a culture of offensive remarks within one of the United Kingdom's most high-profile police stations. They arrive at a time of sharply declining public confidence in British policing, with trust in officers to tell the truth at its lowest recorded level since 1983.

The dismissals also stand in contrast to the ongoing treatment of two officers under investigation over the death of teenager Henry Nowak, a disparity that has renewed accusations of inconsistent standards in British policing.

Disciplinary Findings and Dismissals

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched its investigation last year after allegations about officers at Charing Cross emerged in a BBC Panorama undercover documentary. The program recorded officers making offensive comments about women and migrants, as well as remarks about using force against suspects and homeless people.

Fifteen officers have now been found to have committed gross misconduct.
Fifteen further officers and staff remain under investigation.
Thirteen serving officers have been dismissed as part of the wider probe.

Contrast With the Henry Nowak Investigation

The Charing Cross dismissals contrast sharply with the handling of two officers under investigation in Hampshire and Isle of Wight for potential gross misconduct over their treatment of 18-year-old Henry Nowak before his death in December 2025. Neither officer has been suspended.

Nowak had been mortally wounded by Vickrum Digwa, who falsely told police that the teenager attacked him for racist reasons. Bodycam footage showed Nowak repeatedly telling officers that he had been stabbed and could not breathe, but they arrested and handcuffed him rather than immediately providing first aid.

Investigation Scope and Public Reaction

The IOPC is examining whether the officers failed to recognize that Nowak needed urgent medical attention and whether race or religion influenced their treatment of him and Digwa. The watchdog has stressed that the investigation does not necessarily mean disciplinary proceedings will follow.

The footage sparked public outrage and renewed accusations of "two-tier" policing. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has described Britain as "a two-tier state against white people" and argued that Nowak's death resulted from policing guidelines that led officers to treat ethnic groups differently. The IOPC has not concluded whether discrimination played a role.

Public confidence in British policing has meanwhile fallen sharply. Just 51% of Britons trust police to tell the truth, according to the Ipsos 2025 Veracity Index, down 11 percentage points in a year and the lowest level recorded since the pollster began measuring trust in police in 1983.

What Happens Next

The IOPC has confirmed that 15 officers and staff remain under investigation in the Charing Cross case, meaning further disciplinary outcomes are possible. In the Nowak matter, the watchdog has emphasized that its ongoing investigation does not guarantee disciplinary proceedings, and no conclusion has yet been reached on whether discrimination influenced the officers' actions.