The Metropolitan Police sent letters to 2271 people informing them of charges against them from 2016 to 2019. Pictured is Met commissioner Cressida Dick Britain's largest police force has charged thousands of suspects by post - including those accused of violent offences such as murder, rape and firearms possession. The Metropolitan Police sent letters to 2271 people informing them of charges against them from 2016 to 2019. They were accused of a variety of offences but included 19 suspected murderers. The rise in potentially violent suspects hearing of their charges by post is largely due to changes introduced in 2017, which increased the number of suspects being released under investigation with no bail conditions.