Metropolitan Police – accelerated causes of concern

Published on: 6 October 2023

Publication types: Accelerated cause of concern

Police Forces: Metropolitan

If our inspection identifies a serious or critical shortcoming in a force’s practice, policy or performance, we will report it as a cause of concern. A cause of concern will always be accompanied by one or more recommendations. When we identify a cause of concern during our inspections, we normally provide details in the published force report.

In some cases, such as when we discover significant service failures or risks to public safety, we report our concerns and recommendations earlier. This is called an accelerated cause of concern.

This accelerated cause of concern has been issued to the Metropolitan Police because the force has failed to identify and asses risks appropriately, and to respond adequately, when children are reported missing. It has also failed to carry out sufficiently effective investigations when children are at risk of, or harmed by, criminal or sexual exploitation.

Get the report

Metropolitan Police – accelerated causes of concern

Get the press release

Metropolitan Police putting vulnerable children at risk