The Metropolitan Police have recruited a specialist officer to focus on hate crime in football - as a direct result of a Sky Sports News investigation.
In a special documentary which aired just before Christmas, Sky Sports News highlighted the country's first football-specific hate crime police officer, PC Stuart Ward in the West Midlands.
Sky Sports News was given exclusive access to PC Ward's work over several months, with behind-the-scenes footage of a number of live police investigations, and police operations at games within the Premier League and EFL
Sky Sports News reported the first jailing of a supporter found guilty of racially abusing a footballer online.
The Metropolitan Police have told Sky Sports News it was as a result of seeing our documentary that the force decided to appoint its own dedicated officer, with a brief to focus on discrimination of all types within football in London.
The female PC - who the Met have chosen not to name - is already in post, and has been working for several months.
The Met has told Sky Sports News no one from the force is available for interview on the subject whilst they focus on other "strategic priorities".
Staffordshire Police have followed suit and last week appointed a specialist hate crime officer for football.
PC Rich Lymer will work with Stoke City, Port Vale, Burton Albion and others, and look to prosecute anyone found to be using discriminatory language or behaviour within football.
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