The leader of the Metropolitan Police has announced intentions to remove senior officers deemed “unwilling or unable to meet our performance standards or exemplify our values.”
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley reached out to personnel ranging from chief inspector to chief superintendent in a letter earlier this week, stating his desire to create a voluntary exit scheme that would offer financial incentives for senior staff to leave.
The Met Police Federation, representing officers up to the chief inspector level, criticized the initiative, labeling it “a thinly veiled threat.”
This voluntary exit plan is a component of a broader strategy aimed at achieving a “fundamental shift in mindset, behavior, and capabilities” among senior police officials. The letter, co-signed by Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes, also introduced enhanced performance evaluations and development centers designed to assess the leadership skills of police officials.
Sir Mark indicated that prior performance assessments within the force were often “less than candid.” He pointed out, “I recognize that confidence does not always equate to competence; some individuals unjustifiably lack self-assurance, while others may possess more confidence than their skill level warrants.”
Additionally, the letter mentioned ongoing discussions with the Home Office to reinstate regulations that would allow for mandatory retirement on “efficiency grounds,” which aims to facilitate a “healthier turnover” and create space for new talent.
Matt Cane, the general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation, expressed that a significant majority of chief inspectors work tirelessly, often at personal expense, to meet the increasing complexities of their roles. He stated, “They warrant support and respect, rather than threats of ‘forced distribution,’ ‘performance evaluation processes,’ or ‘dignified exits.'”
Cane also conveyed his intention to write to Sir Mark regarding his apprehensions about the proposed voluntary exit scheme, which he described as a “thinly veiled threat” masked as a “quick and dignified route out.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police remarked that the commissioner has clearly indicated that those resistant to change do not have a future within the organization.
Last month, the Met revealed it had dismissed over 1,400 officers and staff in a span of three years, a move that Deputy Commissioner Jukes termed an “Al Capone” tactic for identifying misconduct. This extensive turnover, which followed the murder of Sarah Everard by an active officer, marks the largest in the force’s history.
Data indicates that from 2022 to June 2025, a total of 1,442 officers and staff either resigned, retired, or were terminated.
An independent report released on Friday determined that the Metropolitan Police grapples with a structural issue of “systematic racism.” The review scrutinized the Met’s systems, leadership, governance, and culture, concluding that racial harm is perpetuated through a consistent institutional framework.
Dr. Shereen Daniels, the report’s author, emphasized that racism and “anti-blackness” are entrenched elements of the force’s “institutional design.”
On the same day, a sixth officer from the Charing Cross police station was dismissed following a BBC investigation. Detention sergeant Lawrence Hume was terminated in an expedited misconduct hearing, during which it was revealed that he had used a derogatory term to refer to a detainee.
The Panorama program, which aired in October, had previously depicted officers advocating for violence against immigrants, exhibiting excessive use of force, and dismissing victims’ reports of sexual assault.
