If You're Worried About Police You Should Call the Police, UK Police Say

Police in London have caused outrage after advising women who are stopped by lone police officers to “wave down a bus” or “call 999” if they are unsure that the officer is who they say they are.

The advice comes in the wake of the whole-life prison term given yesterday to Wayne Couzens, a Metropolitan Police officer who raped and murdered Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old woman who was walking home after visiting a friend in Clapham, south London. Everard’s remains were later found in a woodland in Kent.

Harrowing details emerged in court this week before Couzens was given a whole-life term without the possibility of parole, meaning he will likely die in prison. The Old Bailey heard how he had used his police ID and handcuffs to falsely arrest Everard before he raped and murdered her. The court also heard that Couzens had been on patrols policing the public’s compliance with COVID restrictions and would have known the language to use to people in breach of the restrictions.

Everard’s murder has piled pressure on the Metropolitan Police and its embattled commissioner Cressida Dick, who is facing increasing calls to resign.

On Thursday, the Metropolitan Police released a statement titled, “Metropolitan Police: Our response to issues raised by the crimes of Wayne Couzens”. The statement said that if you “find yourself in an interaction with a sole police officer and you are on your own, it is entirely reasonable for you to seek further reassurance of that officer’s identity and intentions.”

People are advised to, “ask some very searching questions of that officer” including, “Where are your colleagues? Where have you come from? Why are you here? Exactly why are you stopping or talking to me?”

The statement also advises, “Try to seek some independent verification of what they say, if they have a radio ask to hear the voice of the operator, even ask to speak through the radio to the operator to say who you are and for them to verify you are with a genuine officer, acting legitimately.

“If after all of that you feel in real and imminent danger and you do not believe the officer is who they say they are, for whatever reason, then I would say you must seek assistance - shouting out to a passer-by, running into a house, knocking on a door, waving a bus down or if you are in the position to do so calling 999.”

The advice was met with bafflement and anger on social media. As Couzens was a serving police officer when he committed his crimes, it is unclear why the police released advice on how to check if you are being stopped by a “genuine officer”.

A spokesperson for Reclaim These Streets, a group set up in March 2021 to organise a vigil for Everard said, “Yet again this puts the onus on women to keep themselves safe – and what's worse is that it's keeping themselves safe from the people supposed to protect them. When is the Met going to take measures to ensure that a police officer isn't a predator rather than giving women yet more advice on how to change their behaviour?”

A spokesperson for campaigning organisation Sisters Uncut said, “We are shocked and appalled that the Met police have encouraged women to ‘shout or wave down a bus’ if they believe they are being harassed by a male officer. This advice, alongside the advice to ‘run away and call 999’,  should concern everyone as it shows a deep internal distrust – Cressida Dick does not trust her officers to not abuse their powers. If the head of the Met can’t trust the police, why should we?”

The organisation said that the advice showed that its “CopWatch” training which includes, “how to intervene when you see a stop and search, basic know your rights, and how to support those most targeted by racist and sexist police” is “needed more than ever”.

The Metropolitan Police are facing questions about how Couzens was able to become an officer in the first place. A vehicle registered to Couzens was linked to a report of indecent exposure in 2015. Yesterday’s statement admits that in its vetting process “one of a range of checks” – related to this incident – “may not have been undertaken correctly”.

Couzens was nicknamed “the Rapist” by colleagues in the Civil Nuclear Constabulary where he worked before joining the Met as he made women feel uncomfortable. It has emerged that Couzens shared misogynistic, racist and homophobic material on a WhatsApp group with other officers. Five serving officers – three from the Metropolitan Police, one from Norfolk Constabulary and another from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary – are now under criminal investigation.

The Metropolitan Police were criticised in March when officers used force and made arrests at a peaceful vigil for Everard held in Clapham. A report commissioned by the Home Secretary later said that the police actions had been “appropriate”.