Recommendation - Metropolitan Police Service, May 2026

The IOPC recommends that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) takes steps to ensure that officers and staff, including the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), have an appropriate level of awareness and understanding of how stalking and harassment cases should be handled and investigated. This should include consideration of:

1. whether officers and staff are sufficiently aware of the MPS’ Standard Operating Procedure (MPS SOP) and the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (CoP APP) on stalking and harassment, and understand how these should be applied in practice 
2. whether training relating to stalking and harassment is effective, accessible, and delivered to all officers and staff whose roles may require them to investigate such cases 
3. how well officers and staff identify and respond to risk, including understanding the needs and vulnerabilities of victims and applying relevant safeguarding measures
4. whether existing supervision, oversight, and quality assurance arrangements support consistent and appropriate case handling; and 
5. whether officers and staff know where to access further information, guidance, or specialist advice when needed. 

This follows an IOPC review of a complaint investigated by the MPS concerning the handling of a stalking and harassment report. The complainant said their daughter had previously blocked the suspect on social media due to inappropriate messages, and that he had repeatedly visited her workplace and home and created a social media account using a photo of her house with the word “killer” in the profile name. Several weeks later, in another force area, the suspect murdered one woman and attempted to murder another. Neither of the women had any connection to the victim in this case.

The MPS concluded that the service it provided in its investigation of the alleged stalking and harassment was acceptable. On review, the IOPC found this outcome was not reasonable and proportionate due to departures from both the MPS’ SOP and the CoP APP. We found that the officer in the case (OIC) did not obtain further information from the victim, carry out a risk assessment, or check intelligence on the suspect. The advice given to the victim to block the suspect, and the decision to deal with the suspect with “words of advice”, were both contrary to the CoP APP and could have increased the risk to her. While the MPS has since updated its SOP, the requirements around risk assessment, intelligence checks, and thorough investigation featured in its policy at the time. 

The actions and decisions of multiple officers – including the OIC and their supervisor and, within the DPS, the complaint investigator and the Appropriate Authority for the complaint – indicate that a number of staff did not recognise that the response in this case diverged from both force and national policy. Recent reviews, including the 2024 SLT Supercomplaint report and the 2024 Victims’ Commissioner’s London Stalking Review, have identified similar issues within the MPS and across policing more widely.

The IOPC is aware that work to implement the recommendations from those reports is already underway and welcomes the steps the MPS has taken to improve its performance in this important area. We nonetheless still consider a learning recommendation to be appropriate to ensure the MPS has sufficient processes in place to improve how stalking and harassment cases are handled. The IOPC also considers that, given the critical role played by the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) in recognising when the service provided by the MPS has not been acceptable and identifying appropriate learning for officers in such cases, the MPS should take steps to ensure that DPS officers and staff have sufficient understanding and knowledge in the area of stalking and harassment to be able to recognise when such cases have not been handled appropriately.

Accepted

The complaint relates to behaviour reported to the MPS in February 2024 and predates the MPS response to the Stalking Super Complaint. 

The MPS has taken steps to ensure officers and staff are aware of, and able to apply, both the MPS Stalking Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP) in relation to stalking and harassment. 

The MPS Stalking SOP has been updated and is available within the Public Protection Portal. The Public Protection Portal is a single location on SharePoint for Public Protection staff to access key material. This brings together guidance and knowledge across all Public Protection strands in one place. It is designed to reduce your need to search multiple systems/locations when looking for the key material you need, including SOPs, guidance, latest news, links to wellbeing information and support relating to the different Public Protection departments. It aligns with the Stalking Super-Complaint recommendations and the College of Policing APP, ensuring consistency with national standards and best practice. 

To support practical understanding and day-to-day application, the Public Protection Portal includes a dedicated stalking resource developed with specialist input from the Stalking Threat Assessment Centre (STAC). This provides accessible and operationally focused guidance, enabling officers and staff to understand how policy and APP requirements should be translated into investigative activity.

The resource also directs users to the College of Policing stalking and harassment e-learning product, reinforcing awareness of national guidance. 

In addition, stalking-specific training delivered to domestic abuse practitioners explicitly aligns with the Public Protection Policing Curriculum and APP learning outcomes, further embedding understanding of how SOP and APP should be applied in practice. 

Awareness and application are supported through supervisory structures and internal governance processes, which reinforce expectations around policy compliance. 

The MPS has taken substantive steps to ensure that training relating to stalking and harassment is effective, accessible, and delivered to those officers and staff whose roles require them to investigate such offences.

In 2022, the MPS secured MOPAC funding to deliver a bespoke Stalking Awareness Training package. This was developed in collaboration with external subject matter experts and St Mary’s University, ensuring it reflects current evidence, academic research, and best practice. The programme incorporates inputs from victim advocates, health professionals, and academic specialists, providing a comprehensive and evidence informed learning experience.

The training has been delivered in person to approximately 400 domestic abuse practitioners, focusing on intimate partner stalking, which accounts for around 80% of MPS stalking demand. 

It aligns with the learning outcomes set out in the Public Protection Policing Curriculum and the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP), ensuring consistency with national standards.

A New Met for London (NMFL) sets out our three priorities for reform: community crime-fighting, culture change and fixing our foundations. Stalking Awareness was incorporated into the NMFL and delivered in person across the organisation. 

The Stalking Awareness Training has been developed into an e-learning package and in April 2025 this was rolled out across the organisation and is mandatory for all front-line officers (Police Constables/Detective Constables – Inspectors/Detective Inspectors) and staff. 

Completion compliance is audited through the MPS Learning Management System. This e-learning was also promoted through the Public Protection Portal, Viva Engage and the Stalking and Domestic Abuse leads network. 

In terms of effectiveness, the training is designed to equip officers with the knowledge and skills required to recognise stalking behaviours, understand associated risks, and conduct investigations sensitively and effectively.

Following the launch of mandatory stalking e-learning, there has been a sustained increase in stalking offence volumes, with year-on-year growth across both Section 2A Stalking and Section 4A Stalking with fear of violence or Serious Alarm & Distress offences from April 2024 to March 2026. 

This reflects stronger frontline awareness and earlier recognition of stalking behaviours. 

Positive outcomes for stalking offences have increased by 1.8%–9.3%, demonstrating improved investigative quality and better victim outcomes. 

To further support frontline officers, STAC has continued to deliver organisation-wide training including the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) and introduced face-to-face investigative clinics, enabling officers to seek direct specialist advice on live cases. 

The STAC undertook three in person training sessions with DPS Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences (DASO) colleagues, between January 2025 and January 2026, and continue to support them with training. This has strengthened officer confidence, improved investigative standards, and ensured greater consistency in approach.

In addition to the above there is the MPS Stalking Threat Assessment Centre made up of Police, Health, Probation and Suzy Lamplugh Trust. Police officers within the STAC will review every Stalking 4A Stalking with fear of violence or Serious Alarm & Distress crime report and offer additional support to officers in the case where required. 

Furthermore, in October 2025 a stalking behaviours CONNECT tag can be allocated to any crime where stalking behaviours are identified. Connect is the primary, integrated digital policing and crime recording system within the MPS. 

The MPS have also procured a four-year licence for the Screening Assessment for Stalking and Harassment (SASH). This is a question set for frontline officers to enable them to assess the level of concern to the stalking and harassment. 

An e-learning package has been developed to support officers, and the SASH has been implemented into CONNECT. This is due to be rolled out within the next 1-2 months and will support officers to implement the appropriate safeguarding measures to victims and raise the risk to supervisors where required. 

Computer Aided Despatch (CAD) is the mission-critical command and control system used by call handlers and dispatchers to process 999/101. In October 2025 we also introduced a unique CAD code for stalking so that immediately, first contact officers can direct officers to a stalking report rather than harassment.

The MPS has taken comprehensive steps to ensure that officers and staff, including those within the DPS, have an appropriate level of awareness and understanding of how stalking and harassment cases should be handled and investigated. 

This has been achieved through updated policy aligned to the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP), accessible operational guidance via the Public Protection Portal, and a structured training programme that includes both in-person delivery and mandatory e-learning for frontline officers and staff. 

This will soon be supported with the introduction of the screening assessment - SASH, enhanced case identification through Connect tagging and CAD codes, and specialist oversight from the Stalking Threat Assessment Centre (STAC), which reviews high-risk cases and provides direct advice to officers. Supervisory oversight, governance processes, and Learning Management System monitoring ensure that training is completed and applied in practice. 

Together, these measures provide officers and staff with the knowledge, tools, and ongoing support required to recognise stalking behaviour, assess and manage risk, safeguard victims, and conduct investigations in line with national standards and best practice.