Findings of inquiry into Wayne Couzens is a wake-up call for police forces

This was not a one-off and subsequently there has been enough evidence to suggest that a radical overhaul of policing practices and culture is going to be needed if the police are to regain the trust of the public.

The image of Patsy Stevenson being handcuffed on the ground by two police officers at the vigil for Sarah Everard on Clapham Common in 2021 became symbolic of the relationship the police have with half the population.

Now, the publication of findings by the inquiry led by Lady Elish Angiolini should be a wake-up call for police bosses and the Home Secretary.

The inquiry found that. Wayne Couzens should never have been given a job as a police officer in the first place. This is a damning indictment of the Met’s judgement.

More worryingly, the report goes on to say that there is “nothing to stop another Couzens operating in plain sight”.

Screening of would-be recruits needs to be more robust, that much is clear, but it must also be treated as a continual process post-recruitment. Regular checks need to be made to ensure that no officers bring shame on the police like Couzens did.

It would be wrong to dismiss this as simply a problem at the Met. If police forces across the country are not seen to be taking a strong approach then it will undermine the fundamental principle of policing by consent.