DAC Haydon new SNC for counter terrorism policing

The Metropolitan Police has announced that Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon has been appointed as the new Senior National Coordinator (SNC) for counter terrorism policing. Appointed as the permanent successor to Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, who took over as head of the Met’s Specialist Operations in March, DAC Haydon was the head of the force’s Counter Terrorism (CT) Command, leading the CT Command through unprecedented levels of demand, including the response and investigations into the terrorist attacks that took place in London last year. Previous to that appointment at the end of 2015, DAC Haydon has previously worked as the Commander for Specialist Crime Investigations and Serious and Organised Crime, as well as being the head of the Met’s Trident Gang Crime Command. DAC Haydon said: “I feel extremely privileged to have been asked to carry out the role of Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing. There is a fantastic group of extremely dedicated, skilled and professional officers and staff working across the counter terrorism network in the UK and I look forward to working with them to counter the threat we face from terrorism.” Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said of the appointment: “I am delighted to announce that Dean Haydon has been appointed as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner and Senior National Coordinator for counter terrorism policing and offer my congratulations to him. “Dean is one of, if not, the most experienced senior detectives in UK counter terrorism and major crime. He brings a wealth of operational and strategic wisdom to the role, which, from personal experience, I know is one of policing’s most demanding. His appointment will provide CT policing with the stability needed to continue with our work following the unprecedented year we experienced in 2017 and I look forward to working closely with him on this.”