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Met police to reform royal and political protection squads after Plebgate | Met police to reform royal and political protection squads after Plebgate |
(35 minutes later) | |
Police chiefs hope a radical reform of elite protection officers will stop incidents like the so-called Plebgate scandal ever happening again. | |
The shakeup will ensure those who guard the royal family, Downing Street and top politicians are prevented from remaining in their units for years on end. | |
Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said unacceptable “pockets of behaviour” had built up and would be broken. | Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said unacceptable “pockets of behaviour” had built up and would be broken. |
Scotland Yard has been embarrassed by allegations that officers at Buckingham Palace stole items confiscated from the visiting public. | Scotland Yard has been embarrassed by allegations that officers at Buckingham Palace stole items confiscated from the visiting public. |
Perhaps most infamously, the Plebgate affair led to the sacking of four officers for leaking details of then cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell’s clash with a police guard in Downing Street. The unit involved, the diplomatic protection group, will be affected by the reforms. | Perhaps most infamously, the Plebgate affair led to the sacking of four officers for leaking details of then cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell’s clash with a police guard in Downing Street. The unit involved, the diplomatic protection group, will be affected by the reforms. |
Rowley said: “You’ve seen the awful behaviour of a small number of officers – Operation Alice, which is our investigation into what went on at Downing Street – and there are one or two other current misconduct investigations such as the investigation linked to property seizures at Buckingham Palace.” | Rowley said: “You’ve seen the awful behaviour of a small number of officers – Operation Alice, which is our investigation into what went on at Downing Street – and there are one or two other current misconduct investigations such as the investigation linked to property seizures at Buckingham Palace.” |
Rowley, head of specialist operations, said people staying in the same role for years on end can lead to a “separate culture developing”. He said only a minority of protection officers had misbehaved. | Rowley, head of specialist operations, said people staying in the same role for years on end can lead to a “separate culture developing”. He said only a minority of protection officers had misbehaved. |
The reforms will see four protection commands merged into two, with money saved. | The reforms will see four protection commands merged into two, with money saved. |
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