'INSULTING'
Fury at cops as women told to ‘flag down a bus’ if they don’t trust a lone male officer after Sarah Everard murder
POLICE have been slammed for urging women to "flag down a bus" if approached by a lone male cop in the wake of Sarah Everard's murder.
Scotland Yard have released a new strategy aimed to protect women after Met officer Wayne Couzens killed Sarah while pretending to arrest her.
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They say any woman stopped by a male officer they don't trust should "run into a house" or "wave down a bus".
The Met is also advising Londoners to "shout out to a passer-by" or call 999 despite women highlighting a deep mistrust of police after Sarah's killing.
But their new guidance has sparked outrage - with many branding it "deeply insulting" and "derisory".
Labour MP Wes Streeting said: "Apparently bus drivers should stop if someone is waving them down in the street away from a bus stop, just in case, because that’s a better answer than the Met getting their act together?! The more ministers and the Met are saying, the less reassuring they are. Utterly woeful".
Activist Patsy Stevenson, who was wrestled to the ground at a vigil for Sarah, said: "Telling us that we should scream and draw attention to ourselves, or call 999 to check, or wave down a bus, is like saying she could have stopped it.
"She couldn’t have. This was not down to her. We should be able to trust that a police officer is not going to murder us."
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Another person said: "Has anybody yet found the part where the police ask men not to kill women?
"All I'm finding are the parts where women if frightened for their lives have to 'wave down passing buses'."
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One woman tweeted: "How are you meant to wave a bus down if you’re in handcuffs?
"Why are bus drivers now responsible for policing the police? What if there aren’t buses running?"
While someone said: "Oh yeah cause buses are notoriously easy to wave down. bus drivers love to stop the bus because it's such a casual job with no schedule or anything".
Other parts of the Met's strategy include telling members of the public to first ask "very searching" questions if they don't trust an officer.
These include:
- Where are your colleagues?
- Where have you come from?
- Why are you here?
- Exactly why are you stopping or talking to me?
Fury is also growing against comments made by police boss who said women "need to be streetwise" following Sarah's death.
North Yorkshire commissioner Philip Allott said: "So women, first of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can't be arrested. She should never have been arrested and submitted to that," he said.
"Perhaps women need to consider in terms of the legal process, to just learn a bit about that legal process".
POLICE FURY
He has been slammed by campaigners - including group Reclaim the Streets.
Lucy Arnold said: "I think frankly that was a horrifically offensive thing to say," she said.
"Does anyone really feel like they can stand up to a police officer?
"I am very confident I know my rights, I know the law, but no I wouldn't feel confident at all."
It comes after it emerged serving cop Couzens used his warrant card and handcuffs to abduct, rape, and kill Sarah, 33.
He stopped her on a street in South London claiming to be an undercover officer arresting her for breaching Covid lockdown laws.
He then drove her handcuffed to Kent where he raped then strangled her with a police belt.
Policing minister Kit Malthouse has now said people have a right to check an officer's credentials "before complying" if they have any "doubts".
Mr Malthouse was asked what women should do if they find themselves in the position of being stopped, especially at night.
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He said that people should be aware police officers are "rarely deployed" on their own to patrol the streets.
And he added: "If anybody has any doubts about a police officer they should question them about what they're doing and why they're doing it.
"They should ask to either speak to the control room using officer's radio or, if in doubt, call 909 and ask the question.
"If they feel in danger, then I'm afraid that's where we've got to."
Sir Stephen House, the Met's deputy commissioner, said plain-clothes officers will now always be deployed in pairs.
But there will be occasions when lone off duty cops intervene in incidents as they swear an oath to safeguard life and protect the public at all times.
Mr Malthouse acknowledged the murder of Ms Everard has "raised the question mark in people's minds" about how to act in such situations.
TRUST GONE
He said it has "struck a devastating blow to the confidence people have in police officers" and the Met in particular.
And he added: "The fact this awful man used the cover of being a police officer to commit his crime does have devastating implications for trust.
"I know that has caused distress throughout the ranks in British policing, in the thousands of police officers up and down the land.
"What we hope is that over time the police can rebuild the trust of the
public."
Mr Malthouse also defended under-fire Met Police chief Dame Cressida Dick for her handling of the crisis.
The capital's top cop is facing calls to quit amid mounting questions over how Couzens was allowed to stay with the force.
During the case it emerged that Couzens was known by other officers as "the rapist" and had previously been a flasher.
CHIEF UNDER FIRE
Dame Cressida has apologised to Ms Everard's family and admitted the incident has "brought shame" on Scotland Yard.
But the scandal-plagued police chief has resisted the growing clamour for her to go and is being backed by the Government.
Asked why she shouldn't quit, Mr Malthouse said she is a "talented detective" who is "willing to learn".
He said Dame Cressida is the right person to lead the force through "probably the worst moment" in its 192 year history.
And he added: "What I want from a police leader in those circumstances is somebody who's transparent and open and non defensive.
"Who's willing to chance and willing to embrace the problem and own it and deal with it and that's what I see with Cressida Dick.
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"I know her to be a talented detective and a committed police officer who has worked very hard for her entire career to improve the culture and the practices, particularly of the Metropolitan Police to make it a much better force.
"She is very committed to the fight against violence in London, where we're seeing some good progress, and in particular committed to the fight against violence and women against women and girls."
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Cressida Dick says 'I'm so sorry' to Sarah Everard's family
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