Met Police to Apologise for Mishandling Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry Missing Reports
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) will officially apologise to the family of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry over their bungled response when the sisters were reported missing in June 2020.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) slammed the Met for falling short over that weekend, stating the police service provided was well below acceptable standards.
Failings Exposed – No Misconduct, But Performance ‘Inadequate’
No individual officer or staff member was found guilty of misconduct, but the report highlighted poor performance by three Met personnel involved in the case.
- An inspector and a communications supervisor will face formal unsatisfactory performance procedures.
- A call handler received “management action” for a dismissive response.
Met Commissioner Cressida Dick expressed deep sympathy and vowed to make amends.
“The way we responded to information that Nicole and Bibaa were missing that weekend was below the standard we should have achieved and compounded the distress felt by their loved ones,” she said. “I am very sorry that the level of service we provided fell short.”
She added that better police action might have spared the families immeasurable pain—even though the sisters were tragically murdered before their disappearance was reported.
What Went Wrong? Police Logs Closed Prematurely
Following calls on 6 June 2020, police opened missing persons investigations for Nicole and then Bibaa the next day. However, the IOPC found the inspector closed police logs after receiving unverified information from a family member. This led to no officers being sent to Nicole’s home.
The communications supervisor misrecorded this family information, and the inspector took it as a valid explanation for the sisters’ absence, halting urgent enquiries.
The inspector admitted it was one of his toughest shifts, managing 16 missing persons cases amid a 50% staff shortage during the Covid crisis.
The call handler, meanwhile, was criticized for a “dismissive” tone when taking a report from one of the sisters’ friends.
Race Not a Factor, But Training Overhaul Urged
The IOPC carefully examined whether racial bias played any part in the police response. They found no evidence of racial stereotyping or prejudice linked to the sisters’ ethnicity or where they lived.
The watchdog recommended reviewing the different computer systems used by call handlers and ramping up training. The Met has already created enhanced training packs to ensure all staff fully understand these systems.
Further recommendations from the IOPC are still being considered.
