All change at Metropolitan Police
Thursday has seen two major announcements regarding the future leadership of the Metropolitan Police.
This morning it was announced that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, will be stepping down when his term comes to an end in February.
Then this afternoon Len Duvall’s election as the new chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority was confirmed.
Mr Duvall is the leader of the Labour Group in the London Assembly and has previously been Leader of Greenwich Council and a member of London’s Fire Authority.
Commenting on the election Mr Duvall said: “It is a privilege to be elected as Chair of the MPA. My three priorities are to oversee London’s police expansion, to promote greater equality in policing and to make the police service more responsive, effective and efficient.
“I will work with the Mayor, Commissioner and Government to achieve the 35,000 officers that the Commissioner has asked for. I will make reintroducing community policing across London a priority whilst maintaining the key specialists units that protect us from terrorism, violent crime and drugs.
“I will seek to cut waste to reinvest in frontline policing. I will make the drive for better performance a key issue for the MPA and will continue the drive to modernise London’s police service.”
Mr Duvall praised the legacy of the departing Commissioner, saying: “Sir John’s tenure as Commissioner has encapsulated both the tenacity and commitment of traditional policing and the far-reaching vision of a moderniser, alert to the needs of the most diverse capital city in the world.
“The MPS has undergone massive change and reform in the last four years since the MPA came into being, and for the first time in its history it is publicly accountable. The Commissioner’s theme has been ‘new challenges, new thinking’ and his time in office certainly bears testament to this. Sir John has worked steadfastly alongside the Authority to help us deliver an efficient and effective police service for all Londoners and increase community trust and confidence in the police.
“The Commissioner has had to deal with the highest level of terrorist threat our capital has ever experienced and it is an accolade to the diligence and resilience of his officers and staff that London has held fast against terrorist attack.”
The Home Secretary , David Blunkett, also paid tribute to Sir John, saying: “Sir John Stevens has been a remarkably successful Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, as the culmination of a long and distinguished police career. He has driven big reductions in crime throughout the capital, instituted a major reform programme ‘Step Change’ as well as helping to pioneer the development of neighbourhood policing and the introduction of community support officers. As such he has made a significant contribution to the most comprehensive police reform agenda in a generation.
“We all owe him and his officers an enormous debt of gratitude for their continuing work with the Security Service in protecting our country from the terrorist threat.”
Sir John will continue to lead investigations into the death of Princess Diana and alleged collusion between security forces and paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland.
It has not yet been decided who will be replace him as Commissioner.
