The Metropolitan Police Service (Met) spent a staggering £15.2 million on external legal fees in 2023–24, including £7.6 million to settle claims for officer wrongdoing. These figures, while headline-grabbing, underscore a deeper issue: persistent misconduct, insufficient accountability, and the slow wheels of justice that often fail to deliver meaningful change. A recent case involving the Actions Against the Police team sheds light on how these dynamics play out in real life.
A recent case won by our Actions against the Police team highlights some of the issues
In June 2021, a man was driving with a friend in Bromley when police signalled him to stop. What followed was an encounter marred by unclear legal justifications, excessive force, and procedural confusion. The police initially cited “erratic driving” and attempted to invoke s164 of the Road Traffic Act to request driver details. When the officer appeared to forget the necessary verbal formulation, he pivoted to questioning ownership of the vehicle.
Frustrated, the driver responded with “no comment.” Officers then reached into the vehicle, took the keys, and applied force to restrain his arm. He was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft. Only after being handcuffed and detained for 10 minutes did police confirm the car was registered to him, insured, and he was promptly de-arrested.
Meanwhile, the passenger was subjected to an unlawful search, seemingly as a way for one officer to fill time while the others dealt with the driver.
The Met eventually settled the driver’s claim for £2,000 for an illegal arrest. That’s in addition to a £2,000 settlement to the passenger – in his case for an unlawful drug search. So, that’s £4,000 because of, at best a sloppy bit of policing, and at worst something much more sinister. Notably, this was the second successful claim the driver had brought against the Met, but this one took four years to reach this conclusion.
The broader context: Stop and Search
According to the House of Commons Library, there were 535,000 stop and searches in England in a recent year, with 76,000 resulting in arrests. Over a quarter occurred in London. These figures raise significant questions about efficacy, proportionality, and racial bias in the use of stop-and-search powers. Financial settlements may reflect these systemic issues, but they rarely address root causes.
In the year to March 2024, people identifying as Black or Black British were searched at a rate 3.7 times higher than those from a White ethnic group across England and Wales. This disproportionality continues to erode public trust in policing and highlights the urgent need for systemic reform. Financial settlements may reflect these systemic issues, but they rarely address root causes. And in case it needs to be confirmed, yes the client in the case above is a young black male…
Financial penalties: A blunt instrument?
Settlements and legal costs are often seen as a tool for accountability, but do they actually deter misconduct or drive meaningful reform?
On the positive side, financial losses can become politically embarrassing for police leadership, prompting them to take action. Payouts can lead to media exposure, which in turn informs the public and fuels calls for reform. Additionally, the recurrence of legal claims may prompt police departments to reassess and revise their training and operational procedures.
However, there are significant drawbacks. Settlements are paid from public funds, meaning there is no personal financial consequence for the offending officers. This lack of personal accountability limits the deterrent effect.
If claims against the police continue to rise, will it deter the kind of lazy policing that has crept into certain areas of our police force? If every instance of shoddy policing carries a financial cost for the force, then surely standards must improve. Whether this proves true in practice, however, only time will tell.
Our client
I want to thank the entire team at MK Law — this situation has not only changed the direction of my life but given me a sense of closure I didn’t think I’d ever get.
This wasn’t my first encounter with the police, and sadly, I know it may not be my last. But what I can say is this: people like Duncan and the team make navigating life after injustice just a little easier.
For me, this was never about the money. It was about the principle. Before all of this, I didn’t have a personal distrust of the police — only the secondhand stories I’d hear from friends or online. In fact, my only real encounter with officers had been neutral. But what followed — the arrests, the car stops, the room raids, the mental strain, the tears, the fear from my family — changed everything.
At one point, I honestly gave up. Especially after being arrested and kept in a cell for nearly a full day, only to be released with no evidence. I was done.
But Duncan didn’t give up. He reached out to me when I didn’t know what to do, and five years later, he’s still here. That’s rare. That’s real. And that’s doing God’s work.
Growing up, we were taught to just accept these things. “That’s what happens to young Black men.” But this case proved otherwise. You’ve not only helped me reclaim my voice — you’ve inspired me to help others realise they don’t have to accept this as normal.
Today, I walk outside with a different kind of peace. Not just for me, but for my family. Because I know there are people like you fighting for those of us who once felt powerless
So thank you. Truly. For everything.
When police forces fail to uphold the law themselves, it’s vital that individuals seek accountability through the courts. These claims are not just about compensation—they’re about challenging a culture of complacency and demanding higher standards in policing.”
To find out more, visit our Actions Against the Police pages, where you can learn about your rights, see how we can help, and get in touch with our team for confidential advice.
Photo by Petra Reid
