UK police hotlines
This article touches upon an area that is rarely discussed, looking at complaint mechanisms and anti-corruption. What is important is not so much the complaint or hotline mechanism, but the ultimate conclusions drawn from the results coming from these mechanisms. The United Kingdom Metropolitan Police has created a hotline which “follows the creation of the Anti-Corruption Command in October, whose focus is on proactively rooting out any corrupt and abusive officers and staff, and is part of Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s mission for the Met of More Trust, Less Crime and High Standards.” This hotline is being run by an NGO, Crimestoppers, and it is one more tool in a holistic anti-corruption approach by the UK Metropolitan Police.
Why should we care? Complaints mechanisms are important when they function well and this hotline, working with an external group, has the potential to address serious corruption accusations which unfortunately are common within police departments. These possible violations include undue pressure, sextortion as well as bribery. The promise of such a positive tool will provide the public with the confidence to report wrongdoing, which in turn will lead to criminal prosecutions of corrupt actors within the police. How this is being publicized is also an essential part of its rollout and over the next few months and/or years the public should be provided with reports of the successes of this hotline. The fact that it has been created already is a positive step.
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