The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched a major investigation into allegations of gross misconduct involving eleven individuals based at Charing Cross police station in central London. The probe, initiated following a mandatory conduct referral from the Metropolitan Police, involves nine serving officers, one former officer, and a serving designated detention officer. The watchdog confirmed that one constable is also under criminal investigation for allegedly perverting the course of justice.

Allegations against the officers include excessive use of force, making discriminatory and misogynistic comments, and failing to report or challenge inappropriate behavior. The incidents are said to have occurred both on and off duty between August 2024 and January 2025. In response to the allegations, the Metropolitan Police has suspended nine officers pending the outcome of the investigation, demonstrating the seriousness with which the force is treating the matter.

IOPC Director Amanda Rowe stated that her organization is 'treating this matter extremely seriously' and has deployed a team of investigators to carry out inquiries. The investigation will involve analyzing a significant amount of CCTV footage from the station's custody suite, with the watchdog acknowledging that the volume of evidence and number of individuals involved means the process will take considerable time to complete thoroughly.

The investigation has gained additional prominence as the allegations are scheduled to feature in a Panorama documentary airing on BBC One and iPlayer. The IOPC is appealing to both current and former Charing Cross staff members, as well as members of the public, for any information that could assist their ongoing probe into the conduct of officers at one of London's busiest police stations.

Families of the 29 victims killed in the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash are escalating their decades-long fight for answers, preparing to deliver a petition with more than 47,000 signatures to Downing Street demanding a public inquiry. The Chinook Justice Campaign has published 110 "critical questions" they want answered about the tragedy that claimed the lives of 25 intelligence experts and four special forces crew members when the aircraft crashed on the Mull of Kintyre on June 2, 1994.

The campaign comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer rejected calls for a judge-led inquiry into the incident, prompting families to declare they will "see the UK government in court." Among those delivering the petition on Tuesday are brothers Andy and Matt Tobias from Watford, whose father John Tobias was killed in the crash. The petition delivery will be accompanied by an attempt to deliver a letter directly to the Ministry of Defence.

Central to the families' concerns are questions about mission authorization, aircraft selection, and whether those on board were properly warned of risks. The campaign has gained momentum amid revelations that key documents related to the crash have been sealed until 2094—a century after the incident occurred. David Hill, technical expert for the Chinook Justice Campaign, characterized the government's position as "a betrayal by the state of them and their loved ones."

The crash investigation has followed a contentious path over the past three decades. Initial findings blamed pilot error for the tragedy, but this conclusion was overturned in 2011. The continuing secrecy surrounding the incident has drawn criticism from campaigners who argue it "undermines trust not only in the MoD but in the government itself." As families prepare to confront the government directly, the case represents one of Britain's longest-running military accountability battles.