Righting ‘serious failings’ of force centre of Met advert

The job advert posted for a new commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has said that candidates must lead efforts to tackle the problems blighting Britain’s biggest force.

The advert seeks candidates to replace Cressida Dick, who quit in February after her ability to drag the force out of a series of scandals was criticised, with the Home Office declining to save her after Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called for her to quit.

The advert says: “It has become evident that significant and sustained improvements need to be made within the [Met] to restore public confidence and legitimacy in the largest police force in the UK.”

The post also claims the force is seeking ‘empowering leadership to address concerns around police conduct and tackling institutional culture’, with the £293,000-a-year role also needing a figure who can deliver ‘a police force that better reflects the diversity of London’ and implement ‘a strong ethical framework of behaviour for the Met’.

Potential candidates include the former head of counter terrorism Sir Mark Rowley, who left policing four years ago, Lynne Owens, former director general of the National Crime Agency, Matt Jukes, the Met’s current head of counter terrorism, and Shaun Sawyer, chief constable of Devon and Cornwall.

Neil Basu, once viewed as Dick’s heir apparent, is reported to have impressed in his interview to be the next head of the National Crime Agency.