The new MET commissioner refuses to say whether the force is systemically racist.Metropolitan Police Department

new commissioner of Metropolitan Police Department He declined to say whether his unit was systemically racist, saying he was not interested in “labels” and vowed to eradicate racism within the unit.

Sir Mark Lawry’s comments were criticized by the black officer and the surviving Lawry brother when he gave a series of media interviews. Stephen Lawrence His murder by a racist gang was foiled by the Met, leading to McPherson’s investigation in 1999, which found the Metropolitan to be systematically racist.

Stuart Lawrence denounced the new MET commissioner as a “cop” and argued that approval from the Chief of Police, who vowed to reform Britain’s largest military force, was essential.

After weeks of planning, Raleigh began his mission to reform the Met, promising more trust, less crime, and higher standards.

Racing has been a longstanding problem for the Metcracking down on London, where more than 40% of people are from ethnic minorities.

Lowry, in his third week as commissioner, said scandals in recent years, including police officers being caught exchanging hateful messages, have made racism too much of a force on the military fringes. , indicating that it was “organized” and undermined the MET. He also believes the Met was too “tolerant” of cheating and promised zero tolerance.

Lowry told Crime Correspondent: I have been very clear in the past on issues such as racism and misogyny that have undermined us. I also say it very clearly, it’s an organizational problem and we’re too weak to work on it and we have too much influence in every corner of the organization. is about systems, leadership, culture, and all things. Yes, we have a lot of work to do and I’m not hiding from it. ”

asked if there was a met Institutional racist as defined by McPherson, Raleigh said: I’m not interested in using labels being kicked around by different people to raise different issues.

“I have to be really hands-on with what the problem is and what I am going to do about it. and other bad behavior will be dealt with mercilessly. The end”.

Stuart Lawrence says: It’s a bit bullshit to say “I don’t believe in labels”…it’s a cop.

Chris Excell, president of the Metropolitan Black Police Association, said the Met’s leaders, as London’s armed forces police areas where most of Britain’s black population lives, should set an example for the rest of Britain. said.

The National police The Chiefs’ Council is struggling with its race plans, facing opposition from some officials who feel it’s going too far, and community voices who feel it’s too weak. Mr Exel said:

“London needs to lead, and it starts at the top of the Met. Without the humility to acknowledge systemic racism, we cannot move forward and continue to spin the wheels of distrust within our community.”

Andy George, president of the National Black Police Association, said: The acknowledgment of institutional racism indicates that things will change this time. ”

lowrys Predecessor, Cressida DickThe Met was not systematically racist, and her predecessor, Bernard Hogan Howe, he is the METhis predecessor, Sir Paul Stevensonwas the first commissioner to declare the Met non-existent in 2009 after a McPherson investigation a decade earlier found it to be systemically racist.