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Four in battle to be Met chief face first round of interviews
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent09.01.09
THE first round of interviews to pick the next head of Scotland Yard will take place next week.
The shortlisted candidates for the £253,000-a-year post will go before a Home Office panel on Monday.
The session is the first in a round of up to four interviews the front-runners face. The successful candidate is expected to be named before the end of this month.
The four candidates are Sir Hugh Orde, 50, chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Bernard Hogan-Howe, 51, the chief constable of Merseyside, Sir Paul Stephenson, 55, the Met's acting Commissioner, and Sir Paul Scott-Lee, 54, head of the West Midlands constabulary.
A week later they will face a Metropolitan Police Authority panel.
After the two series of interviews, two names will be given to Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith. She will also have to consult Mayor Boris Johnson. Both are understood to have the right to interview the candidates.
So far, Sir Hugh is considered the favourite because of his track record as a senior officer in the Met and his experience in Northern Ireland.
Sir Paul Stephenson, who was previous Commissioner Sir Ian Blair's deputy, is said to be the favoured choice of Mr Johnson. But his chances are thought to have been damaged by his authorisation of the arrest of Tory MP Damian Green.
Mr Hogan-Howe, who has won praise for his "total war on crime" in Merseyside, is also a strong contender.
Sir Paul Scott-Lee is the only candidate never to have worked at Scotland Yard and could be seen as a "new broom" at a force that has been beset with in-fighting in recent years.
The Home Office panel is chaired by Home Office permanent secretary Sir David Normington and includes the director general of the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism, Charles Farr, and Kit Malthouse, the deputy mayor for policing.
Reader views (8)
It doesn't matter how well any of these candidates performs at interview, or how good they are at policing.
Ultimately, the decision will be made by Jackboot Smith and Gormless Clown, the "winner" being whichever candidate has the desired political profile. Their ability and experience in policing are completely irrelevant.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
Who get's the job will depend on the whims of the panel.. And how much experience of 'police work' do they themselves have? Without such experience they might as well toss a coin to make the selection because an interview is often flawed and the wrong candidate often emerges as the 'winner' !
And it seems fashionable these days for police chiefs to resign when some skeleton in the cupboard comes to public notice - 2008 was a classic...
Yep, far better to toss a coin and save the hassle of them all wandering down Whitehall for a chat with the suits!
- Rj, UK
There is no finer candidate than Sir Paul Scott-Lee. All serious professionals in policing recognise him to be streets ahead of the others - just witness the way in which he has turned the West Midlands Police (the UK's second largest force) around. His only real challenge comes from Hugh Orde, who is tarnished by the fact that he comes from the Met inner circle and would not be a force for change.
- Exmetacpo, London
Just like Norman said - if Jacqui Smith is involved it might turn into another disaster for London.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
I work for Sir Paul Scott Lee - without any doubt the best candidate by far. Only draw back - all of West Midlands Police will want to transfer to continue to work for him. Dynamic, passionate and one of the greatest leaders of people I have ever seen. Terrorism experience - kiv Op Gamble - and the sucessful execution of arrests, community engagement and then conviction at court. This man has it all.
- Danielle Grant, Sutton Coldfield West Midlands
Jacqui: it does not have to be a politically diverse Nu Labor candidate. Let's get somebody useful this time please!!
- Norman The Man, London
As long as he is able to get real bobbies on the street day and night and not just in their offices behind desks.
- Steveo, London
I hope they get it right this time! Policing in London has to get tough again - no more jokers please.
- Georgie, Islington, London
