Kent police are facing a protest after internet users shared images of a poster displayed in the station window in Maidstone classifying rape and assault as ‘non-emergency’ crimes.
The poster – a black and white A4 print – told passers-by how ‘non-urgent questions’ could be shared with police via an online form, and rape and assault were placed in the same category as anti-social behaviour, fraud and traffic incidents.
Part of the poster has been circulated on social media, with one user writing a message to Kent Police saying, ‘This just goes to show how done things are getting in this country!
“How can you downplay such a heinous and violent crime?
“I understand it’s hard to prove, but that’s not the way to go. Absolute tools.’
Another came in: ‘Kent Police in Solidarity with the Met’, following the release of a scathing report that described the Met Police as ‘broken and corrupt’ based on a year-long investigation into the organization led by Baroness Louise Casey.
The poster – a black and white A4 print – told passers-by how ‘non-emergency questions’ can be shared with police, and rape and sexual assault were put in the same category as anti-social behavior
Kent Police said the poster was displayed at Maidstone Police Station and has since been removed
The image of the poster was shared on March 15. It’s unclear when the sign was first displayed, although a spokesman for Kent Police said The Telegraph it had since been removed.
“The poster in question was put up on the desk at Maidstone Police Station by a police officer, but has since been removed and replaced with a poster clarifying our advice on how best to report crimes to us,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, a statement from Detective Superintendent Emma Banks – the head of vulnerable people protection at Kent Police – said police take the investigation of sexual assault ‘extremely seriously’.
She said: “We urge everyone to call us on 999 if there is a crime going on or if someone is in immediate danger. This can make the difference between apprehending a suspect on the spot and, in some cases, saving a life
Kent Police take the investigation of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault very seriously and we support victims to come forward and speak to us.
‘They can report the crime anonymously and also contact us through all kinds of aid organisations.
“All reports of rape or sexual assault, through any channel, are reviewed by a detective and are ultimately reviewed by a senior officer as part of a thorough review process aimed at ensuring justice and support for all victims.”
Social media users shared images of the poster and lashed out at Kent police
A social media user said Kent Police stand in solidarity with the Met – in reference to a new report from Baroness Louise Casey (pictured) that Scotland Yard is ‘broken’ and its ‘rotten’ ranks torn apart by racism, misogyny and homophobia
The anger at the Kent police is coming like a bombshell. New report claims the Met police cannot be trusted to police the police themselves and may harbor many more predatory cops, such as Wayne Couzens, the killer of Sarah Everard, and serial rapist David Carrick.
The most damning report in its nearly 200-year history describes the force as institutionally racist and corrupt, as well as misogynistic and homophobic.
Baroness Casey, who spent a year researching Scotland Yard’s culture and practices, said there was a ‘rot’ at its heart that allowed racism to go unchallenged and predatory behavior to ‘flourish’.
She said successive Met commissioners had “failed to ensure the integrity of its officers and the organization.”
She demanded a ‘complete overhaul’ of the £4bn service, saying anything less would be ‘clinging to straws’.
Baroness Casey warned that there was nothing to stop other rapists in the ranks, adding: ‘In the absence of vigilance towards those who intend to abuse the office of constable, predatory and unacceptable behavior has been able to flourish. There are too many places for people to hide.’
Indicative of a culture of “blindness, arrogance and prejudice,” her report identified shortcomings in nearly all departments, which were ignored due to a “culture of denial and defensiveness.”
In conclusion, Baroness Casey said the force had lost public confidence and was “no longer anchored” in the tenets set by Robert Peel in 1829.
“The Met is in danger of losing its way — permission has been broken,” she said. “Too often the Met seems to be acting in its own best interest rather than the interest of the public it serves.”