Dick to leave Met police earlier than planned

The government has said that Cressida Dick’s tenure as the Metropolitan police commissioner will end in April, with the process to find a replacement to pull the Met out of crisis expected to start imminently.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said that Sir Stephen House will be acting commissioner because there will be a gap of months between Dick’s departure and a new commissioner being able to take up the role in the summer or beyond.

House is one of Dick’s staunchest defenders and the experienced senior officer is a former head of Police Scotland, where he faced a series of controversies, including ‘industrial levels’ of stop-and-search procedures.

It has been reported that Dick believes she should receive a payoff, having been granted a two-year extension last September that would have been worth £480,000. City Hall believes that does not apply because she chose to resign.

Patel said: “Dame Cressida Dick was at the helm of the Met during extremely tough times, with terror attacks and the pandemic among the challenges she faced. Her dedication to protecting London and Londoners has helped drive down serious violence in the city and for that in particular she deserves our gratitude.
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“Sir Steve House, her current deputy, will provide the stability and continuity the force needs as we focus on appointing the right person to lead the country’s largest force and make London an even safer place to live, work and visit.”