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Off The Beat: My life as a brown, Muslim woman in the Met
'Nusrit Mehtab has gone through the Met like a force of nature…Her story is one worth reading.’
HH Wendy Joseph KC, author of Unlawful Killings
‘Off The Beat lifts the filthy carpets at the Met Police and shines a light on the darkness below. Gripping, fascinating and crucial to the future of UK policing.’
Alice Vinten, author of On the Line.
‘A disturbing account of institutionalised sexism and racism in the Metropolitan police told from the perspective of a tough and fiercely ambitious officer who strove to rise up through the ranks’
Harriet Wistrich, author of Sister in Law
If you can’t change a system from the inside, you have no choice but to try and change it from the outside. That act starts with telling my own story as a brown Muslim woman in the Met.
When Nusrit Mehtab joined the Metropolitan Police, the organization 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 subjected to cruel pranks.
As the years passed and her seniority grew, Nusrit was dismayed to find that these problems got worse, not better. In this searing memoir, she recounts her thirty years in the Met and the appalling treatment she endured. Now lecturing young recruits in criminology and mentoring BAME officers, Nusrit is confident that we can mould the next generation to create a more inclusive police force, safer for both the officers and the public.
Full of deeply shocking stories from the heart of the organization, Off the Beat shines a light on an institution that has lost sight of its mission to protect us and pleads the case for a brighter and safer future.
HH Wendy Joseph KC, author of Unlawful Killings
‘Off The Beat lifts the filthy carpets at the Met Police and shines a light on the darkness below. Gripping, fascinating and crucial to the future of UK policing.’
Alice Vinten, author of On the Line.
‘A disturbing account of institutionalised sexism and racism in the Metropolitan police told from the perspective of a tough and fiercely ambitious officer who strove to rise up through the ranks’
Harriet Wistrich, author of Sister in Law
If you can’t change a system from the inside, you have no choice but to try and change it from the outside. That act starts with telling my own story as a brown Muslim woman in the Met.
When Nusrit Mehtab joined the Metropolitan Police, the organization 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 subjected to cruel pranks.
As the years passed and her seniority grew, Nusrit was dismayed to find that these problems got worse, not better. In this searing memoir, she recounts her thirty years in the Met and the appalling treatment she endured. Now lecturing young recruits in criminology and mentoring BAME officers, Nusrit is confident that we can mould the next generation to create a more inclusive police force, safer for both the officers and the public.
Full of deeply shocking stories from the heart of the organization, Off the Beat shines a light on an institution that has lost sight of its mission to protect us and pleads the case for a brighter and safer future.
- GenresNonfiction
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2024
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69 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 3, 2025
An enthralling read from start to finish. A varied, challenging, and fascinating career, from a tough and feisty officer.
November 23, 2024
Addressing a falsehood
Nusrit Mehtab is not an anonymous social media voice but someone who has risen through the ranks of the Met despite severe opposition. What she has to say about policing and the inherent racism/sexism/homophobia to be found therein is based on over thirty years experience. The falsehood is that BAME individuals rise through the ranks due to politically correct diversity initiatives and not merit. This becomes blatantly untrue as you read of her own account and of other officers trying to proceed up the chain of command in the Met. Every time the matters are brought to the attention of Joe Public, the Met promise changes but nothing happens on the ground.
Nusrit Mehtab is not an anonymous social media voice but someone who has risen through the ranks of the Met despite severe opposition. What she has to say about policing and the inherent racism/sexism/homophobia to be found therein is based on over thirty years experience. The falsehood is that BAME individuals rise through the ranks due to politically correct diversity initiatives and not merit. This becomes blatantly untrue as you read of her own account and of other officers trying to proceed up the chain of command in the Met. Every time the matters are brought to the attention of Joe Public, the Met promise changes but nothing happens on the ground.
September 2, 2025
A powerful autobiography of a senior officer in the Met Police
This is a powerful autobiography book of a Met Police officer of her 30 years in the MPS. I have to confess that was shocking and left me numb in believing what Nusrit experience was something that was set in the 20th century and not recently believing that the MPS have moved with the times. Sadly it hasn't.
All I will say is that it is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in joining the Police Force Service. The book is well laid out and well written.
Overall a great read and recommended. Best wishes
This is a powerful autobiography book of a Met Police officer of her 30 years in the MPS. I have to confess that was shocking and left me numb in believing what Nusrit experience was something that was set in the 20th century and not recently believing that the MPS have moved with the times. Sadly it hasn't.
All I will say is that it is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in joining the Police Force Service. The book is well laid out and well written.
Overall a great read and recommended. Best wishes
September 14, 2024
As a POC hoping to go into policing, this was a hard read. Nusrit’s account of her time was brave and empowering, and I agree with a previous review that I don’t know how she stayed as long as she did! Whatever your opinions on policing, I think this was a really important account of the kinds of things that go on behind closed doors.
November 4, 2024
Nusrit's experiences are disgusting but unfortunately not surprising. This women has such resilience and strength for not only staying as long as she did, but for having the courage to speak up about injustices as she experienced them. I am sorry for the difficulties you have faced, and will ultimately continue to face because people fail to accept reality, accountability and responsibility.
September 1, 2024
Really interesting accout of being a brown woman police officer, rising through the ranks to a high-ranking position. Some of the issues from decades ago, like no trousers for women, were surprising, and then other very serious racist and misogist incidents and policies just seemed entrenched.
January 24, 2025
A difficult read but it opened up new perspectives for me.
Particularly because I personally never give much thought to the police force within the UK before.
Particularly because I personally never give much thought to the police force within the UK before.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2024
I do not know how she stayed in as long as she did nor how she got as far as she did! What a brave and tenacious woman. The story brings you in to the inner workings of the MET and horrifies at what was allowed to happen on a daily basis. There’s still so much to fix. Perhaps one day we will all just be humans, or do we need an alien invasion (of the space kind) to feel like one people?!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews