Off The Beat: My life as a brown, Muslim woman in the Met

Nusrit Mehtab's 30 years fighting against racism and misogyny in the Met police have made her uniquely placed to write this brave and insightful memoir of a deeply flawed institution and how we can fix it. When Nusrit Mehtab joined the Met Police in the late 80s the organisation was rife with racism and misogyny. Officers refused to patrol with her, or even call her by her name. Her attempts to get promoted were met with hostility and ridicule and she was subject to cruel pranks. As the years passed and her seniority grew, Nusrit was dismayed to find that these problems got worse, not better. After 30 years, she finally had enough and left the MET, initiating an employment tribunal against them in the process. Now lecturing new recruits in policing law and criminology, she's confident that we can mould the next generation of officers to create a more inclusive police force, safer for both the officers and the public. Full of gritty and shocking stories from the heart of the organisation, Off the Beat shines the light on an institution that has lost sight of its mission to protect us and pleads the case for a brighter and safer future.

About the Author :
Nusrit Mehtab is a former police officer, at one point the most senior female Asian officer in the Metropolitan Police. In 2017 Mehtab instigated an employment tribunal against them for racism and misogyny, and soon after left the police force after 30 years of service. She is now a lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at the University of East London and also mentors many young recruits and BAME officers. She hopes to change the force from the inside.

Review :
‘Nusrit Mehtab has gone through the Met like a force of nature. She has not compromised. She has fought for what is right, both for others and for herself. Her story is one worth reading.’ ‘A devastating critique of the Met’ 'Off The Beat lifts the filthy carpets at the Met Police and shines a light on the darkness below, exposing the long-standing and deeply ingrained cultures of racism and sexism within the ranks. Nusrit's impactful story of her determination to rise through the ranks of the Metropolitan Police, despite her own colleagues trying to take her down at every turn, is both inspiring and shocking. At times hard to read, but a story that absolutely needs to be told. Gripping, fascinating and crucial to the future of UK policing.' ‘Off the Beat, provides a disturbing account of institutionalised sexism and racism in the Metropolitan police told from the perspective of a tough and fiercely ambitious East End working class brown muslim woman who strove to rise up through the ranks from PC to Superintendent, facing resistance from her peers and superiors at every step of the way. The message is clear, until leadership is held accountable, the police will never change.’ This book should be read required reading for anyone even tangentially involved with policing, change management or hiring practices. This memoir is a detailed examination of how the institutional racist and sexist culture at the Metropolitan Police defeated a brilliant and tenacious woman of colour trying to improve the service from the inside.