WOMEN’S rights groups have warned that the new Metropolitan Police commissioner cannot start building public trust in policing without acknowledging the force’s problem with racism and misogyny.

Sir Mark Rowley, 57, the former head of the Met’s counter-terrorism unit, was appointed earlier this month despite having retired from the force in 2017. 

As commissioner, he has promised to “deliver more trust, less crime and high standards for London and beyond.

“Our mission is to lead the renewal of policing by consent which has been so heavily dented in recent years, as trust and confidence have fallen,” Sir Mark added. 

But campaigners have questioned whether he will be able to tackle racism and misogyny within the Met. 

End Violence Against Women Coalition director Andrea Simon said: “An overwhelming number of police failings relate to sexual violence and domestic abuse, and abuse of power for sexual purposes is now the single biggest form of corruption dealt with by the police complaints body.

“It’s abundantly clear that the Met has a serious problem with institutional racism and misogyny.

“Until we see problems with racism and misogyny named and acknowledged by the Met and transformation begin to occur, we cannot talk about rebuilding public trust and confidence in the police.”

A spokesperson for Police Spies Out of Lives, a campaign group that represents women deceived into intimate relationships by undercover police officers, said that the group would be watching Sir Mark’s leadership of the force closely. 

“Our … demands are simple: no more closing rank, no more covering up abuse, no more behaving as if you’re above the law,” they added.