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Dizaei promoted to Met commander on £90,000
Justin Davenport, Evening Standard17 Mar 2008
One of Scotland Yard's most controversial officers has been promoted to the £90,000-a-year rank of Commander.
Ali Dizaei, previously a chief superintendent, won the promotion four years after he was cleared of corruption charges at the Old Bailey.
He is one of nine new Commanders appointed by the Metropolitan Police Authority. Others include Maxine de Brunner, who was accused of misleading Prince Charles during the abortive trial of Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell. Craig Denholm, who led the initial inquiry into missing teenager Milly Dowler, is also promoted. That inquiry has been criticised for missing significant leads.
Mr Dizaei, 45, one of the country's most senior Muslim officers, stood trial in 2003 on charges of perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office. He was cleared on both counts. The allegations centred on claims that he had lied about minor damage to his car.
The charges followed a £4 million covert investigation into allegations which included claims that Mr Dizaei used prostitutes
and spied for Iran. Last year Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair apologised for the inquiry, saying it had caused "considerable damage" to the force.
Mr Dizaei, who can now join the Association of Chief Police Officers, won £60,000 compensation from the Met and agreed to drop a race discrimination claim against the force. Since then he has been borough commander of Hounslow where he achieved significant falls in crime. He is also chairman of the National Black Police Association.
The Met Police Authority was accused of trying to "bury bad news" in releasing details of the new appointments at 11.30pm on Friday but officials said one of the applicants was at the theatre and could not be contacted.
