Officer suspected of murder and indecent exposure in case of serious concern for the safety of women in the UK.
Police’s watchdog for England and Wales has launched an investigation into the Metropolitan Police Service (Met) in London over the handling of alleged indecent exposure by a police officer suspected of killing a 33-year-old woman.
The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) said in a statement on Thursday that it would consider whether the force was responding “appropriately” to the report, which took place three days before Sarah Everard’s disappearance.
The IOPC’s announcement came as women in the UK shared their fears and anger about how unsafe it feels to walk the streets after Everard went missing in London last week, and the subsequent arrest of a Met police officer , presumably from her kidnapping and murder.
A vigil ‘reclaim the streets’ has been set for Saturday night in south-west London, near where Everard was last seen, to highlight the challenges women face.
It was not yet clear if the incident would take place, and police have expressed concern that the COVID-19 closure restrictions could be violated.
Similar events were planned in other cities and towns.
Human remains found
Everard, 33, disappeared shortly after 9 p.m. GMT when he walked home from a friend’s apartment in the capital on March 3.
Her image, which smiles for the camera that night or was captured on CCTV, has been splashed by British newspapers all week.
London Police Chief Cressida Dick said on Wednesday that officers investigating her case had found a human remains in the woods near Ashford, a town in neighboring Kent.
The Met had earlier confirmed that one of its officers, a man in his 40s, had been arrested in Kent late Tuesday for kidnapping and murder as part of the ongoing investigation into Everard’s disappearance. The man remains in custody.
A woman in her thirties was also arrested at the same location, presumably an offender. She has since been released on bail.
‘Terrible crime’
The arrested officer was reported to police on 28 February for alleging indecent exposure in a fast food restaurant in south London.
The IOPC announced its investigation on Thursday, saying it had received a voluntary referral from the Met over a behavioral issue related to the case of indecent exposure.
The watchdog also said it would investigate how the suspect sustained head injuries while in custody that required hospital treatment; According to police, the officer was injured when he was alone in his cell after being arrested.
Although her remains have not yet been formally identified, Everard’s family paid tribute to her on Thursday, saying their ‘beautiful daughter Sarah has been taken from us and we are appealing for all information that will help solve this horrific crime’.
‘Sarah was bright and beautiful – a wonderful daughter and sister. She was friendly and considerate, caring and trustworthy, “the family said in a statement.
Their statement comes as lawmaker Jess Phillips, the Labor Party’s opposition leader on domestic violence, read out the names of all 118 women killed by men last year.
“The message that needs to be sent is that male violence is something that needs to be tackled and challenged, and the justice system and society need to wake up with this,” Phillips said.