(Un)trustworthy organisations? Implications of the Sarah Everard murder case

The appalling crimes committed against Sarah Everard here in Kent and the subsequent conviction of a police officer for these offences raises serious questions about policing and trust in the UK. Scotland Yard has already begun to examine its policy in response to the erosion of trust caused by such abuses of power.

The consequences of this lack of trust are potentially devastating for our society, based as it is on trust in those empowered to enforce them. In research carried out with colleagues on Police firearms officers, we identified a militaristic, macho culture which has traditionally existed in this area of policing.