Political leaders and law enforcement have called for immediate institutional reform and a full independent inquiry following a BBC investigation exposing allegations of rape and abuse against teenage recruits at the Army Foundation College (AFC) in Harrogate. A British Army spokesperson said: The allegations reported by the BBC are extremely distressing and serious. We have established the Defence Serious Crime Command to ensure all serious crime investigations are conducted independently of the normal military chain of command, ensuring impartiality and dedicated victim support. Serious crime allegations are processed through the Defence Serious Crime Command completely outside of the normal military chain of command. The MP emphasized the local impact on the Harrogate community, where the college has been a fixture for decades.