Dame Cressida Dick will continue to lead the Metropolitan Police
Service until 2024, Home Secretary confirmed today (10 September 2021).
A two-year extension to Dame Cressida’s current fixed-term
appointment – which was due to end in April 2022 – was granted by
Her Majesty the Queen.
In making her recommendation to the Queen, the Home Secretary has
had regard to the views of the Mayor of London, , as is her
statutory duty.
The extension means that Dame Cressida will continue to serve as
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police until April 2024.
Home Secretary said:
“I am pleased to announce that Dame Cressida will continue to
lead the Metropolitan Police until April 2024 and wish to thank
her for her service to date.
“Her extension will provide continuity and stability as we emerge
from the coronavirus pandemic and recruit 20,000 additional
police officers.
“Londoners know there is more to do to keep our capital safe,
including by driving down violent crime, and I look forward to
continuing to work with the Commissioner and Mayor of London to
protect the public.”
Mayor of London
said:
“I support the Home Secretary’s decision to extend the
Commissioner’s contract. This will provide the experienced and
strong leadership we need as our city emerges from the pandemic.
“The Met Commissioner has the most difficult policing job in the
country, overseeing the safety of more than ten million people
living, working and visiting our global city. The last
four-and-a-half years have also presented significant additional
challenges for the Met, including terror attacks, the tragedy of
Grenfell Tower, rising public order incidents and policing
challenging Covid-19 restrictions.
“It's my role as Mayor to both support the Commissioner and hold
her to account and I will continue to do so to ensure we continue
to reduce serious violence in all its forms and increase trust
and confidence in our police force among London's diverse
communities."
Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said:
“I am immensely honoured and humbled to have been asked to extend
my time as Commissioner for a further two years. I am proud to
continue to serve my city.
“In the last four-and-a-half years Met teams have dealt with some
extraordinary challenges, including most recently in the
pandemic, and delivered some fantastic results – critically in
reducing violent crimes. In addition, we have grown and
modernised.
“I look forward to continuing to work with my dedicated,
courageous colleagues and the public to create an even more
visible, stronger and professional Met. We will strive to prevent
and reduce violence and the crimes Londoners care most about,
bring more criminals to justice, and protect, support and build
the confidence of all our communities.
“I'd like to thank the Mayor, the Home Secretary and the Prime
Minister for the confidence they have shown in me. I am acutely
aware that there are many excellent leaders in policing.
“Every day across the capital, officers and police staff come to
work focused on protecting people and making London safer – it is
not only what the public expect and demand of us, but it is what
inspired each of us to join and why after more than 35 years in
policing I remain so passionate. Londoners have my word that I
will keep working as hard as I can for them and for this
wonderful city that I love. I take the responsibilities I have
been entrusted with extremely seriously.”
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police is a key role in UK
policing. The Commissioner leads the largest force in England and
Wales, made up of more than 43,000 officers and staff.
Working with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC)
and partners across the criminal justice system, the Commissioner
is responsible for driving a reduction in crime in London,
bringing offenders to justice, and upholding public confidence in
the force. She is accountable to the Home Secretary and the Mayor
of London.
The Commissioner also has national responsibilities, including
continuing to ensure an effective nationwide response to
terrorist threats.
The Home Secretary will continue to support the Commissioner, and
other police leaders, with the resources and tools they need to
protect the British public.
Under the Government’s campaign to recruit 20,000 additional
police officers by March 2023, 9,814 additional officers have
joined forces across England and Wales as of 30 June 2021. This
includes an additional 1,708 recruits at the Metropolitan Police.
