Search Result

HMICFRS MPS Report 2023

Stephen Port murdered four young men in East London between June 2014 and September 2015 – but despite the obvious similarities, the Met failed to recognise the deaths were connected.

In its new report, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found that the Met had made some improvements since the Port case, including better working arrangements between local officers and specialist murder investigation teams, and training and guidance for officers on chemsex.

However, inspectors also found that Met police officers admit they still rely on luck to identify links between deaths at a local level. Inspectors concluded that the Met’s flawed handling of the Port investigations could broadly be explained by the following issues:

• Poor training and supervision for inexperienced police officers responding to unexpected deaths
• Unacceptable record keeping, confusing case management systems and poor handling of property and exhibits
• Confusing policy and guidance
• Inadequate intelligence and crime analysis processes, which make it difficult for officers to link deaths

HMICFRS has made 20 recommendations for the Met, which include increasing the use of intelligence by officers responding to deaths and improving family liaison in unexpected death cases.

An inspection of the Metropolitan Police Service’s response to lessons from the Stephen Port murders | HMICFRS | 27 Apr 2023
Transcript: Interview with Donna Taylor, sister of Jack Taylor, and Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe | PDF | BBC Today Programme | 28 Apr 2023

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
HMICFRS independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire & rescue services – in the public interest.

Inquests into the deaths of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor | MEN R US
Stephen Port | MEN R US