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New Met chief: I don't want to be a celebrity
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent28.01.09
THE new head of the Met today insisted he had no intention of becoming a celebrity police officer.
Sir Paul Stephenson, 55, marked his first day in the job by signalling a total break with his predecessor, saying: "Ian Blair did it his way. I am now going to do it my way."
Responding to claims that City Hall wanted a boring officer to run the London force, he replied: "I don't want to be boring, I don't want to be exciting and I don't want to be a celebrity.
"I don't want to be a police leader who people will follow out of a mere sense of curiosity. It is my aim to be a top police leader in charge of one of the most important police services in the world."
He added: "My agenda for the coming years is straightforward. It is about solving crime, securing our streets, convincing all our communities that we are on their side and delivering the policing they want and being intolerant of violence in any form."
Sir Paul was flanked by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and London Mayor Boris Johnson as he said he was "immensely proud" to be given the job of Britain's most senior police officer.
He said: "Our job is to be visible on the streets, never walking by when help is needed and having pride in our uniform, our badge and the world famous Scotland Yard brand. In short, we must deliver. It is going to be challenging but I'm hugely excited by it."
Sir Paul has been the acting Commissioner since Sir Ian was forced out by the Mayor in October. He has forged a close working relationship with the Mayor and his deputy for policing Kit Malthouse and at first was the favourite for the post. However, his chances appeared to be damaged over the arrest of Damian Green, the Conservative shadow home affairs secretary, whose Commons offices were raided in a leak inquiry.
The arrest had been ordered by the Yard's head of terrorism, Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, but Sir Paul had been informed of the decision and approved it. However, later, he made it clear privately that he had doubts over the decision and he appears to have convinced the Mayor and the Home Secretary that he should not carry any blame.
Sir Paul was the agreed choice of the Mayor and the Home Secretary who interviewed two candidates jointly on Monday. He narrowly beat Sir Hugh Orde, the chief constable of Northern Ireland.
Mr Johnson said: "This was a matter of almost glutinous cross-party consensus. There has been a large amount of agreement across the board that Sir Paul is the best person."
Ms Smith said he was "the outstanding" candidate, adding: "He has won the confidence and support of everybody during this interview process."
Sir Paul takes charge immediately of a £3.5billion organisation employing more than 56,000 people, including 32,000 police officers. While the role has national responsibility for counter-terrorism and royal and diplomatic protection, he also faces the challenges of youth violence and the capital's organised crime gangs.
While Sir Paul will be seen as a "safe pair of hands" who is unlikely to become mired in politics, critics say the decision is a missed opportunity to bring in a new broom at the Yard. Privately, rank-and-file officers and many detectives have made it clear they favoured the appointment of Sir Hugh, a charismatic leader seen as someone who could have lifted morale.
However, Sir Paul has an outstanding career record and the crucial backing of the Mayor and City Hall. One City Hall source said: "We're very happy. Boris instinctively wanted Sir Paul. That doesn't mean he wasn't open to anyone else but Sir Paul was the man to beat in his eyes."
Ken Livingstone welcomed the appointment. "A lot of us had worries that Boris might try and get someone in who would be out of touch with what London's policing needs," he told Radio4's Today programme. However Brian Paddick, an ex-assistant commissioner and Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate, said the necessary reform of the police service would "take a backseat" under Sir Paul. "It may have been better to have a new broom," he told Today.
"He is more of a Right-wing Commissioner than Sir Ian Blair - some people would say it would be difficult for any Commissioner to be more Left-wing than Ian Blair. There will be a lot of rank and file officers who will say, 'Well, anything is better than Sir Ian Blair'. I don't necessarily agree with that but I think he is more likely to work with the predominant macho male culture than Sir Ian."
Reader views (22)
I did not have any strong feelings either way about Sir Paul's appointment - but if the odious Livingstone approves of him then I suspect he is the wrong choice.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
Maybe give him a chance to prove himself before he is savaged by middle England?
- Liberal Thinker, UK
The last three years of my service I worked at NSY .
This man -like Blair has all the charisma of a paper bag !!!
Sir Hugh Orde would of been much better -OR besides his awful personal problems , a man like Mike Todd -who acted like a real copper .
- Nigel - Ex-Met, France
No chance dear. Just another funny-handshake-brigade member with a cap on. The real police - what is left of them - are those on the beat, those who have to scrape up bodies off the road in car accidents, those who deal with scum of the earth drunk yobs & chavs, and other assorted sub-humans.
- Annabelle, london
mmm I dont' know it....but iwant belive in it...
- Qk, madrid spain
For L Parker. Please read the article above and also all the other comments and then read my comment again. I do not want a "Buggins Turn" I would support any Senior CC that had the chance of a fresh start and a complete change of direction. Someone that could turn the police force from a politically correct culture into what it was meant to do - ie act as a force of law - work for the public and not a pc machine for politicians to manipulate.
- Michael, London
Can't we get him out of here then!
- Harvey Lawrence, london
One night some years ago (I'm not sure when) I went to bed safe in the knowledge that there was a Police Force enforcing the law and dedicated to stopping crime. The next morning I awoke to find that the Police Force had been replaced by a Police "Service" dedicated more to the world of PC correctness and sucking up to politicians. In my view this is where is all went wrong. This appointment changes nothing.
- Keith Adams, Uckfield
Sir Paul will make an excellent stop gap CC of the Met until someone better comes along. At least Smith and Johnson agreed on this appointment.
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex
Another Ian Blair. Why?!?? I think Boris Johnson has betrayed the Londoners.
- Georgie, Islington, London
I wish him all the best.
- Shallotman, Basildon
This comes as no surprise at all. Jacqui Smith has appointed another Labour lackey, as we all saw during the illegal raid on a Tory MP's office at Westminster. If the odious Livingstone "welcomes" the move, it is doubtless the wrong one.
- Charlie Jordan, London, England
We can only hope he scraps the political correctness machine and returns to old fashion policing and cleans this city up. The Met must copy what the NYC police did, they cleaned a city riddled with crime and make it one of the safest cities in the world.
- Paddy Mcmurphy, Kilburn, UK
Let's give him some time to prove himself, but I sincerely hope that he isn't just another political animal. Policing in London is tough and we need someone tough. Maybe not quite a Jack Regan, but pretty close.
You're under notice Sir Paul, bring in tough changes, and bring them in quickly. London needs saving.
- Peter, London, UK
Oh dear, here we go again. Another loser for this country. What we need is real policeman doing real
police work.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire
'Rusty' is so proud to serve London that he keeps his wife and kids in Lancashire; not a ringing endorsement to fellow Londoners is it? Jackboot Smiff and Boris have picked the wrong man; Rusty is part of the Met's recent problems and they should have gone for Sir Hugh.
- Masher, harrow
question for Michael, London - who did you have in mind? it is all very well saying SHAME! but would you recomend
- L Parker, london
we have got the scots running parliament we did not need the irish running the police force
- Johnh, london
lip service doesn't cut it anymore.
- Andy, highgate
What is needed is a police force measured by the lack of crime committed and not for its clean up rate.
- Ian, Reading, England
Shame! This was a great opportunity to bring in a fresh face and someone who could bring in a completely new era of policing in London. We have had enough of "Buggins Turn" with Blair and Brown in politics and now Blair and Stephenson in the police service. I just hope that the culture changes and is not just a continuation of old proceedures. WE REALLY DO NEED A COMPLETE CHANGE OF DIRECTION IN THIS COUNTRY.
- Michael, London
Oh dear, and he's already posturing in photographs . . .
- Roz, Chamonix, France
