A NEW documentary by the BBC will focus on police failings in the probe of Sarah Everard's murder by cop Wayne Couzens.
The Met officer carried out a fake arrest to kidnap Sarah, 33, as she walked home from a friend's home in Clapham, South West London.
Couzens then raped and murdered the marketing executive, whose burnt body was found a week later more than 50 miles away in Kent.
The new documentary looks at the Met's investigation into Sarah's murder, how the devastating crime unfolded and its impact.
It is told by those closely involved in the case including the Senior Investigating Officer, the Prosecuting Barrister and Sarah's local MP.
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Many of them are speaking on camera for the first time.
The film - called Sarah Everard: The Search For Justice - is being made by BBC Studios Documentary Unit.
During the making of the 60-minute programme, the production team was in close contact with Sarah's parents.
They hope that it will bring increased focus to issues of women's safety, and abuse of power by police and other in positions of authority.
Emma Loach, BBC Lead Commissioning Editor, Documentaries, said: "The murder of Sarah Everard sent shock waves across the country and ignited an urgent conversation about police failings and violence against women and girls.
"This is an important and timely film and we, like Sarah's family, hope it will contribute to the ongoing dialogue around the issues raised."
Couzens, who was an Metropolitan Police officer off-duty, kidnapped Sarah as she walked home through Clapham, south west London, on March 3, 2021, and then raped and murdered her.
The actions of Couzens, who was later convicted of a series of earlier offences of indecent exposure, prompted a widespread outpouring of grief and demonstrations over concern for women's safety.
A vigil for Sarah, held amid ongoing Covid restrictions in March 2021, led to arrests by the Met which subsequently made pay-outs to two women.
An outpouring of anger at Sarah's murder by a serving police officer led to hundreds of people attending the event, including the Princess of Wales.
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The Met was criticised for its heavy handling of the later stages of the vigil, with outrage that some women were bundled to the ground, and its "tone-deaf" reaction in the aftermath.
In the wake of a series of scandals including Couzens and then-Pc David Carrick being unmasked as a serial rapist, it was placed into special measures.
The Casey Review, published in March 2023, found the Met to be institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic.
An inspection, commissioned in October 2021 by then-home secretary Dame Priti Patel in the wake of Sarah's murder, concluded a culture of misogyny, sexism and predatory behaviour towards female police officers and staff and members of the public still exists and is "prevalent" in many forces.
Last year, plans were unveiled by the Government that would give chief constables or other senior officers greater powers to root out and sack rogue staff from their forces, and for senior officers to preside over misconduct hearings.
These new disciplinary powers for police chiefs, including the ability to sack officers found guilty of wrongdoing, could be introduced from April, a minister said in November.
It is understood the documentary will not feature pictures of Couzens next to Sarah in the film, in line with the family's wishes.
