The Mayor of London today (Monday 3 April) confirmed that the newly appointed Met Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick, will formally take up her role leading London's police service on 10 April.
Sadiq Khan is looking forward to working with the new Commissioner to oversee the Metropolitan Police's crucial work preventing crime, bringing offenders to justice and keeping Londoners safe, in line with his new Police and Crime Plan.
Cressida Dick first joined the Met in 1983 and has already had a long and distinguished career as a senior police officer. She will be the first female Met Commissioner in the force's 188 year history and the most powerful police officer in the country.
Her appointment was announced on 22 February, following a comprehensive and robust selection and interview process involving the Home Secretary and the Mayor.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "Our Metropolitan Police do an incredible job, working hard with enormous dedication every single day to keep Londoners safe, so it is vital that they have the best possible leader and I know we have found her in Cressida Dick.
"Cressida has already had a long and distinguished career, and brings enormous experience and expertise to lead the Met through some challenging times. I am very much looking forward to working with her to keep our capital safe and protected."
The Met Commissioner Designate, Cressida Dick said: "It is a great honour and privilege for me to be taking up this role. I am looking forward to leading what I believe to be the world's best police service.
“The Met's response to the terrible events in Westminster demonstrated it is highly professional and effective. I am grateful to my predecessor and his team for the planning that went into building such a response and also to Craig Mackey and Mark Rowley for the way in which they have demonstrated such capable and compassionate leadership.
"Terrorism is just one of the challenges we face. Alongside the Mayor and every single one of our officers and staff I will work tirelessly to keep our city safe."
The new Commissioner takes the helm just weeks after the Mayor published his new Police and Crime Plan. It aims to create a safer city for everyone with the restoration of real neighbourhood policing, and better protection for the most vulnerable Londoners.
It is a challenging time in the Met's recent history, when budgets continue to be tightened, London's population is booming, some crimes are rising and following the recent horrific terrorist attack in Westminster. One of the new Commissioner's first engagements will be to attend the full police funeral of PC Keith Palmer in Southwark Cathedral. PC Palmer was killed in the attack as he carried out his duties outside the Palace of Westminster.
Cressida Dick returns to the Met after a stint as a Director General at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Notes to editors
- The new Commissioner was offered a salary of £270,648 (plus benefits), the same as that of her predecessor, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, and as advertised. She has chosen to take a salary of £230,000.
- Cressida Dick is a member of the Police Pension Scheme. According to Police Pension Regulations, because she has re-joined the Met police, her pension will be fully abated during this contract. She will not be in receipt of the police pension while receiving a police salary.
- The new Commissioner's contract does not include accommodation, but accommodation would be provided if needed for security reasons.
- The new Commissioner's contract includes access to a car and a driver when necessary.
- Cressida Dick was a Superintendent at Thames Valley Police before re-joining the Metropolitan Police as a Commander in 2001. She was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Security and Protection in 2007, before becoming the Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Crime in 2009. She was responsible for tackling all non-terrorist serious crime in London as well as leading a modernisation programme.
- In 2011 she was the Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations responsible for countering terrorism and extremism. She led the national security operations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games. During her time in the Metropolitan Police she also led the reinvestigation into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence and the police response to the murder of Lee Rigby. She briefly acted as the Deputy Commissioner before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a Director General in 2015. She was awarded the Queens Police Medal for services to policing in 2010 and a CBE in 2015. For several years she was President of the British Association of Women Police. She has lived in London for 30 years.
- The Mayor's new Police and Crime Plan is published