The Prime Minister condemned Wayne Couzens as a “prolific sex offender with a warrant card” who should never have been allowed to serve as a police officer, following the release of a report detailing Couzens’ extensive history of crimes spanning nearly 20 years. The report, compiled by Dame Elish Angiolini, revealed a pattern of sexual offending by Couzens dating back to 1995, including incidents of sexual assault, attempted kidnapping, and indecent exposure. Despite numerous allegations and reports to the police, Couzens was never arrested or prosecuted for his crimes, allowing him to pass police vetting and become an armed officer with both the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) and the Metropolitan Police.
The report highlighted a “lamentable and repeated failure” by the police to address the allegations against Couzens before the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021. Rishi Sunak expressed his shock and disgust at the new revelations, emphasizing that police officers are meant to keep the public safe and should be trusted guardians of the community. The failure to prevent Couzens’ crimes and hold him accountable for his actions has eroded public trust in policing, prompting calls for urgent reforms to address systemic failures.
In addition to the missed opportunities to investigate and apprehend Couzens, the report also identified failures in the vetting process that allowed him to conceal his troubled financial state and gain entry into the police force. His unexplained disappearance in 2013, while working as a firearms officer with the CNC, should have raised red flags during the vetting process for joining the Metropolitan Police, but these warning signs were overlooked.
The inquiry report concluded that Couzens’ crimes were not only a failure of individual accountability but also a failure of the entire policing system. The family of Sarah Everard expressed their belief that Sarah died because Couzens was a police officer, highlighting the devastating consequences of the systemic failures that allowed him to continue his career unchecked. They called for all the recommendations in the report to be implemented promptly to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The report has sparked widespread outrage and calls for urgent action to address the systemic failures within the police force. Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, described the report as an “urgent call to action” and emphasized the need for comprehensive reforms to regain the trust of the public. However, rebuilding trust and addressing the root causes of systemic failures will require sustained efforts and meaningful reforms across the entire policing system.
In response to the inquiry findings, the National Police Chiefs’ Council acknowledged the gravity of the situation and pledged to take urgent action to address the systemic failures identified in the report. The report has also raised concerns about how disciplinary concerns about police officers and recruits are shared, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability in policing practices.
Overall, the report underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to address systemic failures within the police force and rebuild public trust. The devastating consequences of these failures, as evidenced by the tragic death of Sarah Everard, serve as a stark reminder of the importance of holding the police accountable and ensuring that such failures are not repeated in the future.