A 15-month inquiry by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into whether a senior Metropolitan Police officer perverted the course of justice by avoiding driving charges has widened to examine the conduct of four other individuals, the watchdog said.
The investigation centers on allegations that Assistant Chief Constable Karen Findlay, who oversaw policing for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and the coronation of King Charles III while a senior officer at the Metropolitan Police, made personal use of police vehicles and claimed to be on duty after receiving notices of intended prosecution (NIPs) for driving offences. The IOPC said the probe has now identified issues involving a serving officer, two retired staff and a civilian member of staff.
The watchdog said another criminal notice was served in May on an officer for the same alleged offence, and that in June it asked the Metropolitan Police to refer the conduct of three more individuals connected to what it described as "alleged inappropriate disposals of NIPs." As a result, the IOPC said, a former senior officer, a former member of staff and a serving staff member have been served with criminal and gross misconduct notices.
"The serving of notices does not mean that any proceedings will necessarily follow," the IOPC said. It added that decisions on whether to refer a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for criminal charges, and whether any individuals will face disciplinary proceedings, will be made at the end of the investigation. The parties involved are being provided with regular updates, the watchdog said.
The revelations emerged after a Freedom of Information request by former police officer Oliver Laurence, managing director of the Public Safety Foundation, a non-profit body that campaigns for a properly resourced criminal justice system. Laurence said the disclosures help explain public concern about policing standards.
"Public disillusionment with police is understandable when senior officers often continue to draw huge salaries while protracted investigations into their conduct proceed," Laurence said. "Time and again, senior officers facing misconduct allegations remain in post or negotiate discreet exits. They continue to draw six-figure salaries while investigations crawl forward, costing the taxpayer a small fortune. The public will rightly be asking why an investigation of this nature can take so long to finalise. These are not complex international cases. They are administrative and procedural matters that should be resolved swiftly. Yet they are allowed to linger, eroding trust both within the ranks and among the public."
Findlay was promoted early in 2024 from a temporary chief officer role at the Metropolitan Police to assistant chief constable of the British Transport Police (BTP). The appointment was met with an immediate wave of misogynistic and homophobic online abuse. The Met's commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, and Lucy D'Orsi, chief constable of the BTP, publicly condemned the attacks and praised her record. The BTP appointment, however, did not proceed while the IOPC investigation continued.
The IOPC has not identified the other individuals by name. It said the matter remains under investigation and that any referral for prosecution or disciplinary action will be considered only once the inquiry is complete.
The widening probe comes at a time of heightened public scrutiny of police conduct in the United Kingdom. Allegations that senior officers may have used their positions to avoid routine penalties have drawn criticism from campaigners and former officers who say lengthy investigations and continued remuneration during inquiries undermine confidence in senior leadership. The IOPC's next steps and any decisions by the Crown Prosecution Service will determine whether criminal charges or misconduct hearings follow.
The watchdog's statement and the disclosures made in response to the freedom of information request make clear the inquiry remains active, and that decisions on potential charges or disciplinary action will be announced after the investigation concludes.