by 
The Met Police has told the public if they are stopped by a plainclothes officer it is ‘entirely reasonable’ to ask if they go by the nickname ‘The Rapist’.
As criticism following the Wayne Couzens conviction continues, senior officers are beginning the arduous task of rebuilding trust in the police among millions of potential victims.
Policing minister Kit Malthouse said, “We have a job ahead of us to restore trust in the police, and we understand that. Which is why we think it is entirely appropriate that anyone stopped by a plainclothes officer should be free to check if their reputation on the force has led them to receive a nickname which implies they might be about to commit a horrific crime.
“If a policeman is known by those working around him as ‘The Rapist’ or ‘Beats up Black People’, or ‘The Throat Crusher’, then I think it’s only right that the public is made aware of that, if they ask.”
Meanwhile, some members of the police force have asked if now might be a good time to look again at the behaviour of any colleagues they have nicknamed ‘The Rapist’.
PC Simon Williams told us, “We have a police five-a-side team that plays in a local league on Thursday nights, and they’re all good lads.
“There’s me, Wazza, Goldilocks, Dee-Boy and The Rapist. But now, with all this stuff in the news, I’m beginning to wonder if that nickname means we should look into one of our team a bit more closely.
“I mean, I don’t want to go around accusing police officers of committing crimes without evidence, but Goldilocks was well known for breaking and entering.”
Extra material written by Mark Molloy
