Operation Onyx

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.032699

I note you seek access to the following information:

On Monday 18 September 2023, during a media briefing held at New Scotland Yard, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said 1,600 cases had been identified and reviewed under Operation Onyx. Of those 1,600 cases, he said "around 450 - 500" were live investigations.

In a subsequent interview, when asked specifically about the cases identified during Operation Onyx, DAC Cundy said: "We have live investigations, some of those are criminal investigations" and “We have some very serious cases where officers have been, not just accused, but they are charged awaiting trial for some of the most serious offences”.

Please specify how many officers and staff members are being investigated for rape and/or sexual assault as a result of Operation Onyx.

Please also specify how many total offences each of those officers is accused of, and what those offences are. For example, if one person is accused of two counts of rape, please make this clear.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Please specify how many officers and staff members are being investigated for rape and/or sexual assault as a result of Operation Onyx.

The Operation Onyx team are reviewing previously finalised cases of domestic and/or sexual abuse allegations made against Metropolitan Police employees for offences occurring between April 2012 – April 2022. There are 1418 officers and 218 staff who have such an allegation made against them – we refer to that group of officers and staff as the Operation Onyx ‘cohort’.

Those reviews will be looking for missed investigative opportunities. Where those opportunities are identified, those cases may then be re-opened for further investigation. This process is ongoing.

Separately, there are 139 officers or members of police staff who are being investigated for 183 allegations of either rape or other sexual assaults who are also part of the Operation Onyx cohort. These ‘live’ investigations are undertaken by the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences team (DASO) within the Directorate of Professional Standards Unit.

Q2 - Please also specify how many total offences each of those officers is accused of, and what those offences are. For example, if one person is accused of two counts of rape, please make this clear

The breakdown of each officers or member of police staff allegation:

• 1 officer/staff member has 8 allegations
• 1 officer/staff member has 6 allegations
• 1 officer/staff member has 4 allegations
• 4 officers/staff member have 3 allegations
• 21 officers/staff member have 2 allegations
• 111 officers/staff member have 1 allegation