Metropolitan Police launches first ever all-female operation to tackle robbery

The Metropolitan Police has held its first ever all-female operation to help tackle robbery and violent crime.

Every callout regarding robbery or violent crime in the south London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark on Saturday’s late shift was dealt with by members of an all-female team to mark International Women’s Day.

Acting Inspector Becky Perkins said: “It was important for me to bring together lots of different women from various departments to truly showcase our capabilities.

“We have women of all ages, backgrounds and cultures working at the Met who have come together for this operation to further highlight the diversity within our service.”

Every role during the shift from driver to prisoner processing, evidence review, undercover plain clothes officers and staff who went on patrols in the robbery hotspots was carried out by a woman.

A number of stop and searches led to an arrest for possession with intent to supply a Class B drug during the shift.

It also included the arrests of a man for a violent offence and a woman for criminal damage, a spokesman said.

Acting Inspector Perkins said the all-female operation “allowed officers to not only feel empowered in their current roles but to feel inspired to advance their careers further”.

She added: “What I have found personally is that those that have taken part were really excited to do so and are proud of being a pivotal part of helping keep London safe.”

The Met, which has been led by Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick since 2017, currently has 32,455 police officers – of whom 9,096 are female.

Acting Inspector Perkins hopes that more women from ethnic minorities will think about joining.

All operational policing roles ranging from responding to emergency calls, running complex investigations, tackling serious and organised crime, armed operations, supervising surveillance teams, or supporting victims of crime and abuse are open to women, the spokesman said.