Scotland Yard Anti-Corruption Unit Being Probed

The United Kingdom’s storied police force, Scotland Yard, is reportedly seeing its anti-corruption unit being probed for not investigating allegations of wrongdoing, interfering in investigations and radical discrimination.

Jonathan Green, a director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), received tips from three Metropolitan cops that the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) protected officers facing charges of child abuse, fraud, physical assault, racism, and one for intentionally driving his motorcycle into a member of the public, The Sunday Times had reported.

The investigation, named Operation Embley was not made public by the IOPC but was said to be the biggest over alleged police corruption since the late 1970s when eight police officers were prosecuted over claims they took bribes to tip criminals around raids and for diluting evidence but resulted only in acquittals.

The IOPC is a redesigned version of the former Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) that was criticized for lacking independence from the rest of the police department.

“Public confidence in policing is best served by robust and independent oversight,” Michael Lockwood, the new head of the IOPC, said.

“People need to know that when things go wrong, or serious allegations are made about police officers, they will be thoroughly investigated by a truly independent body.”