The Metropolitan Police is using tactics that brought down gangster Al Capone to root out more than 1,400 officers and staff in the biggest corruption clearout in British history.
Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes said detectives are taking a '360 degree view' of misconduct, examining sickness, grievances, device use and overtime patterns. 'If you really drill into who your top overtime earners are, you will find people whose performance does not match the amount of money they're earning,' he said.
The purge follows the murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens and a review that found 'toxic or corrupt networks' in the force. Figures show 1,442 staff and officers were sacked, resigned or retired between 2022 and June 2025, up from 146 in 2021.
Nine officers at Charing Cross police station were recently suspended over racism and misogyny allegations. The entire custody team there is being disbanded. Separately, four officers have been arrested and a fifth charged over handling of a sexual assault allegation against a colleague.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley confirmed the clearout is larger than the 1970s purge by Sir Robert Mark, who removed around 500 rogue officers. Sir Robert famously said: 'A good police force is one that catches more criminals than it employs.'
