Met Police Chief Vows to Tackle Violence Against Women and Girls
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap, head of the Met’s fight against violence towards women and girls, says the force is committed to making London safer. She welcomed the first detailed report by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) revealing the scale of police-perpetrated abuse.
Zero Tolerance for Abuse Within the Met
Millichap said: “Every day, we’re arresting predatory men and using specialist tactics and tech to catch offenders just like for serious crimes.” She added the Met is working closely with partners to improve support for victims.
She laid out key steps already taken:
- Creation of the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences (DASO) Unit to investigate allegations against officers and staff with victim-survivor care at its heart
- Launch of a new Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command focusing on rooting out wrongdoing within the force
- Introduction of the first-ever public Crimestoppers Police Integrity Hotline, now planned for national rollout
“We know there’s more to do and will publish an updated Violence Against Women and Girls Action Plan in spring,” Millichap added.
Stark Data on Police-Perpetrated Abuse
The NPCC report covers new allegations from October 2021 to March 2022 and found 1,177 cases with 1,483 allegations nationally. The Met accounted for 241 cases with 287 allegations during that time.
In the last six months alone (September 2022 to February 2023), the Met saw 268 new allegations — nearly the same as before.
Millichap urged the public and officers alike to report concerns via the Crimestoppers hotline or directly to police.
Internal vs Public Reports: A Closer Look
- Nationally, 653 conduct cases were reported internally against 672 officers, with 524 public complaints involving 867 officers — about 0.7% of all police personnel (March 2022)
- In London, 213 internal cases vs 28 public complaints were recorded during the same period — around 0.5% of Met staff
- Recent six months data shows steady numbers with 183 internal cases and 28 public complaints in the Met
Project Onyx: A Decade of Scrutiny
Alongside the NPCC data, the Met has reviewed a decade’s worth of domestic and sexual misconduct allegations through Project Onyx, covering nearly 1,100 officers and staff. While most cases were previously closed, the Met vows to re-examine any needing further action and will impose suspensions or restrictions where necessary.
Millichap concluded: “We must start with ourselves. Rebuilding trust means holding all officers accountable and ensuring women and girls feel safe and supported by the Met.”
