Met lambasted over ‘institutional racism’

One of the most senior officers in the Metropolitan Police said it is “a matter of huge regret” that it has taken nearly two decades to bring anyone to justice for the racist killing of Stephen Lawrence.

Yesterday’s conviction of Gary Dobson and David Norris for their role in his death comes after an investigation lasting nearly 19 years, during which the force has faced coruscating criticism for the way it handled the probe.

The first investigation into Mr Lawrence’s death in April 1993 was lambasted after a public inquiry.

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Sir William Macpherson’s 1999 report of the inquiry’s findings called the standard of command in the vital first few hours after Mr Lawrence’s killing “abysmal”.

He branded the Met Police institutionally racist, and there were allegations by lawyers representing Mr Lawrence’s parents that some officers were influenced by the former drugs baron father of David Norris.

Acting deputy commissioner Cressida Dick said the inquiry was a “turning point” and that major changes had been made. She said: “We’ve put into place a number of things as a direct result of the public inquiry which allow us both to understand what individuals and families and communities want, to involve them in the policing that they receive and to seek specific advice about particular cultural or religious issues that we might not understand that well.”