London police warn women to be wary of lone officers after Sarah Everard murder

Prosecutors said Everard was walking to her London home on March 3 when serving “It is very unusual for a plain clothes police officer to be deployed on their own, and even more unusual for them to engage with a member of the public on their own,” Ephgrave said.The Met added in a written statement made Thursday that if someone is approached by a single plain clothes officer, they should “seek further reassurance of that officer’s identify and intentions,” by asking “some very searching questions of that officer.”The questions recommended are: “Where are your colleagues? Where have you come from? Why are you here?, and exactly why are you stopping or talking to me?”The statement added those approached should “try to seek some independent verification of what they say, if they have a radio ask to hear the voice of the operator, even ask to speak through the radio to the operator to say who you are and for them to verify you are with a genuine officer, acting legitimately.””If after all of that you feel in real and imminent danger and you do not believe the officer is who they say they are, for whatever reason, then I would say you must seek assistance — shouting out to a passer-by, running into a house, knocking on a door, waving a bus down or if you are in the position to do so calling 999.”However, the Opposition Labour MP Angela Rayner, tweeted in response to the advice: “What is going on at the top of the Metropolitan Police? Give me strength.”The UK government’s crime and policing minister on Friday also said people should question a plain clothes officer and if in doubt, call the police, as the service reckons with a wave of public distrust in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder. Speaking to Sky News, Kit Malthouse said: “If anybody has any doubts about a police officer, then obviously they should question the officer about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. If there are any doubts at all, they should ask to either speak to the control room using the officer’s radio, or if in doubt, call 999 and ask a question.”Officers “rarely deploy singly” and it would be “perfectly reasonable” for anyone approached by a lone officer to “seek reassurance,” he said. “I’m afraid that’s where we’ve got to,” he added. The minister also defended Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick who is under pressure to resign given the misconduct in the force under her watch, particularly in its handling of Everard’s case and the police’s response.