by M. Victoria Calabrese
People are voicing their displeasure over the lack of accountability for the police.
The kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard struck a chord with many women. The fact that the man arrested and charged was a serving police officer who had previous offences struck an even deeper chord, and the barrel of pent up anger and frustration exploded after the Metropolitan Police arrested people at the vigil at Clapham Common held in Sarah’s honour.
The recent negative attention the police has received isn’t new. Let’s not forget that just last summer, massive protests against police violence erupted across the world in the wake of the brutal murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the US.
It seems that the public is fed up with the lack of accountability for the actions of officers within the police force.
Annie Karlson, a 22-year-old, technician said: “In many cases, I do not feel as if police are being held accountable for their actions. That has been proven by the news recently.
“There are too many things that can be brought up to justify this statement. What needs to change is that as soon as you commit a crime as a police officer you can not continue to work.”
Her sentiment is echoed by many on an Instagram poll, with 91% of the people polled saying that they did not feel that the police were being held sufficiently accountable for their actions.
Mark Galloway, a mature student at London Metropolitan University said: “The system that is in place now with the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) isn’t working because it is basically run by the police. So it is the police basically marking their own homework.
“Of course they are not going to do something that might ruin one of their friends’ careers.”
The 53-year-old added: “What needs to change is that there needs to be a truly independent system that checks the police. Because right now the fact is that they can do whatever they want without the fear of consequences.”
The police have declined to make a direct statement regarding the concerns about accountability within the police but they did provide an official statement regarding the safety of women.
“We know that Sarah Everard’s murder has meant that many people, especially women are feeling scared. Women, like men, should be able to walk our streets without the fear of abuse or violence. If you have any concerns please speak to officers on patrol or get in touch. Our advice hasn’t changed from the normal personal safety precautions that we advise everyone in the capital to routinely take,” the statement said.
Boris Johnson said that he is “very concerned” about the way police handled a vigil saying:
“The death of Sarah Everard must unite us in determination to drive out violence against women and girls and make every part of the criminal justice system work to protect and defend them,” he added.
But is that enough? The public and those affected deserve to see that the police are being held accountable and responsible for their actions. It isn’t enough to say “sorry” and move on. People are demanding a change and it has to happen now.
Leave a Reply