Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom are calling for a public enquiry into claims of institutional homophobia within the London Metropolitan Police Service.
Shocked by the Stephen Port probe, which looked into the murders and rape by Port of at least four young men, MPs from London are scrutinising the wide range of Police failures that incurred and “probably” allowed Port to kill more people.
The group of London MPs say that a public inquiry into claims of “institutional homophobia” within the Metropolitan Police Service is essential in not only addressing the failures that occurred but also ensuring toxic and homophobic behaviour or beliefs are snubbed out.
In a letter to the Metropolitan Police Service Commissioner Cressida Dick, the MPs stated that “the police have admitted their mistakes, instituted new protocols and emphasised that a lack of resources was to blame.”
“However, resourcing alone does not ee explain the sheer number of failures by the police in this matter.”
“The key question everyone is asking is yet to be answered – whether institutional homophobia in the Met played a role in these investigations.”
The letter, which was signed by Dame Margaret Hodge and 17 other lawmakers, added that of the 17 officers investigated for misconduct, none were dismissed, while some even received promotions.
The MPs are also supported by family members of the victims who wrote, “Had four, white, heterosexual girls been found dead in the same manner as Anthony, Gabriel, Daniel and Jack, then the police’s actions and the likely outcomes would have been different.”
Stephen Porter was sentenced to life in prison in 2016 after he was found guilty of murdering four men who he found on queer dating sites such as Grindr and Fitlads.
The investigation into the murders found that officers ignored concerns raised by friends about a string of gay men being drugged and killed, refusing to hear from partners and believing a fake suicide note at face value.
