Met Police given £3m to overhaul treatment of crime victims

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced a £3m annual fund to overhaul how the Met treats victims of crime.

It will be used to fund a free phoneline for victims and make it easier for them to access key information about their case.

Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said it would help put victims' voices at the "heart of everything we do".

It will also boost the number of staff responsible for caring for victims and direct them to support services.

The announcement came as it emerged that one in three victims of crime in London was unsatisfied with the Met's level of service, according to a report by the mayor's office.

Sir Mark said his officers and staff did "a great job in the vast majority of cases" but that sometimes their follow-up and co-ordination with specialist victim support was not good enough.

"That is why we are harnessing new technology and creating a dedicated team to boost our service," he added.

"I know my entire service wants to put the victim voice at the heart of everything we do.

"We are committed to listening to victims' experiences and using this feedback to implement the practical measures that will make a real difference for victims."

Mr Khan said that crime "blights lives" and it was "imperative" that victims were "treated with the utmost compassion, sensitivity and respect".

"That's why I've provided an additional £3m per year to significantly improve the support victims receive in their journey through the criminal justice system," he added.

"Successful prosecution of cases often rely on victim's testimonies, so we need to do much more to inspire victims' confidence."

The investment came after Mr Khan set out a £14.2m proposal to "raise standards, improve performance and rebuild trust" in the force in January.

Under the proposals another £2.5m would go to improve the Command and Control Centre, handling emergency calls and emails.

The cash will help Sir Mark to raise standards and rebuild public confidence and trust in the force as part of its two-year "Turnaround Plan".

It is currently in a form of special measures, following a series of damning reviews and scandals.

Mr Khan is due to unveil the plans during a speech at the Victims' Summit in London on Friday which bring together victims of crime, community advocates and senior figures in criminal justice.

He is also expected to call on the government to ensure victims rights are enforceable through the delivery of a Victims Bill.

London's Victims' Commissioner, Claire Waxman, welcomed the investment because it would "greatly help" improve the force's service to victims.

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