Met Police Failing Women and Minorities
· news
A Systemic Failure of Trust: The Met Police’s Inability to Change
The recent case of Simon Levy, a sex offender who killed two women due to police failings, has highlighted deep-seated issues within the Metropolitan police force. For Mina Smallman, mother of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, whose daughters were brutally murdered in 2020, this case is another example of systemic failure that raises questions about the Met’s ability to change.
Smallman’s words are a scathing indictment of an institution that has consistently failed to take violence against women seriously. The revelation that Levy was able to evade capture for so long due to a lack of investigation into his initial crimes raises serious questions about the Met’s priorities and procedures. As Smallman pointed out, it is not just individual officers who are at fault but the entire system that allows such failures to occur.
Levy was convicted earlier this year of sexually assaulting 11 women, including 10 on public transport in London between 2023 and 2025. His ability to inflict devastating harm after being freed by police and the courts is a stark reminder of systemic failures within the Met.
The sheer size of the force, combined with its bureaucratic structures and outdated procedures, creates an environment where individual officers can hide behind a culture of silence and complicity. This culture has been criticized in reports of police failings in the murder investigation into Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman’s deaths. The sharing of graphic images of their bodies on WhatsApp, referring to them as “dead birds,” is a particularly egregious example.
The government’s response has been lukewarm at best. While Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones described Levy as a monster and signaled an investigation into the failings, it remains to be seen whether any meaningful changes will be implemented. Smallman’s assertion that the Met is “riddled with inactivity, corruption, misogyny, and racism” raises serious questions about the effectiveness of reforms.
Mina Smallman’s criticism of Sir Mark Rowley’s leadership is a scathing indictment of an institution that has consistently failed to demonstrate its commitment to change. While Rowley may be well-intentioned, his inability to effect meaningful reform highlights systemic problems within the Met.
The consequences of these failures are far-reaching. For women and minority communities who have been subjected to violence and mistreatment at the hands of police officers, this case is just another example of a system that has failed them. It raises serious questions about accountability and whether those in power will be held accountable for their actions.
In the words of Mina Smallman, “It becomes a joke.” The Met’s inability to change effectively has become a running narrative that highlights deep-seated issues within an institution supposed to serve and protect its community. Until we see meaningful action and real changes implemented on the ground, this narrative will continue to haunt us all.
Reader Views
- CSCorrespondent S. Tan · field correspondent
The Met's systemic failure is not just about individual officers, but also about the lack of consequences for institutions that harbor and enable such behavior. While Mina Smallman's advocacy has shed light on this issue, we mustn't overlook the role of budget cuts in perpetuating these problems. A bloated force with outdated procedures can only be reformed through a fundamental overhaul of its funding and priorities, rather than just scapegoating individual officers for the failures of an institution that consistently fails to prioritize the safety of women and minorities.
- ADAnalyst D. Park · policy analyst
The Met Police's institutional rot runs far deeper than just individual officer malfeasance. The force's entrenched culture of silence and complicity is enabled by outdated procedures and bureaucratic structures that prioritize protocol over proactive policing. It's a perfect storm of incompetence and negligence. But what's truly alarming is the government's foot-dragging response, which implies that systemic reform might be less about accountability and more about maintaining the status quo.
- CMColumnist M. Reid · opinion columnist
The Metropolitan Police's systemic failure to protect women and minorities is nothing short of a travesty. But let's not forget that this isn't just about individual officers – it's also about the complicity of government agencies and institutions that enable this culture of silence. For instance, what role did the National Crime Agency play in allowing Levy to evade capture for so long? We need more transparency and accountability across the entire law enforcement apparatus, not just finger-pointing at individual police officers.