The inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Service (HMICFRS) follows a scathing 2023 report by Baroness Casey. She found that racism, misogyny, and homophobia were rife in the force and that it had failed women and children.
The Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley has since promised to get rid of officers who were unfit to serve.
On Wednesday, HM inspector Lee Freeman said the Met had made “considerable investment in its integrity arrangements”, so far rooting out 1,500 officers who should not have been in policing.
“It demonstrates the commitment and priority that Sir Mark Rowley has placed on raising standards and changing the cultures and behaviours that have been evident and widely reported on… it’s pleasing to see the impact of that that,” Freeman said.
However, he added: “The Met needs to make sure only the right people can join and remain in the service more consistently.
“Just one police officer who shouldn’t be serving is one too many, and can cause a lot of harm.”
In the report, external, inspectors detailed continuing issues with vetting officers, staff and contractors.
They identified a large backlog of vetting applications, with more than 4,000 that had not been started yet.
Nearly 2,000 contractor vetting applications were awaiting processing and the Met did not know how many contractors did not have clearance, the HMICFRS said.
Some 182 people, including 129 officers, were working without the correct level of clearance, the report said.
Inspectors said vetting interviews were not always carried out, with the force instead relying on written applications.
