Her departure came in the wake of a series of damaging scandals for the police, including the murder of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens, an on-duty Met officer; the consequences of the VIP investigation into child abuse; and a damning report on racist and misogynistic WhatsApp messages shared by officers at Charing Cross Police Station in London.
However, the search for Dame Cressida’s successor was interrupted by political sniping between the interior minister and the mayor of londonas well as further bad headlines for the Met.
Despite this, Sir Mark convinced Ms Patel and the interview panel that he could usher Scotland Yard into a new era and rebuild the confidence so tarnished in recent years.
Observers said the HMI report could, in fact, give the new commissioner a mandate for fundamental reforms against the die-hard defenders of Met. claimed it’s a problem with some bad apples†
Last month, both candidates appeared before an interview panel to set out their views on the future of policing in the capital.
According to sources, Sir Mark impressed by presenting a detailed plan of what he would do in his first 100 days on the job.
His priorities, like Dame Cressida’s, would be to reduce violence in the capital – a feat he achieved when he cut the homicide rate below 100 in early 2010 while leading specialized operations – and raise concerns about the take away the safety of women.
But it’s clear he also explained what he would do to address the deep-seated cultural issues within the Met.
Another source said Sir Mark has been impressed with the work he has done outside of the police force since retiring in 2018.
He has served as executive chairman of two technology companies and has also worked on the themes of disproportionality and making better use of stop and search.
The source said his proposals to improve the use of data and technology in the force had particularly impressed the interview panel.
The Home Secretary said of Sir Mark’s appointment: “Sir Mark Rowley is a distinguished and exceptionally experienced police officer, having served the people of the West Midlands and Surrey before leading the capital through some of its most challenging moments after the terror of 2017 attacks, as the Met’s then head of counterterrorism.
“He now takes on one of the most important and demanding jobs in the police force, leading the country’s largest police force at a time when public trust in the Metropolitan Police has been seriously undermined by a number of significant shortcomings. Restoring public confidence and achieving crime reduction must be his priority.
“This will be a challenging period, but with a focus on tackling neighborhood crime and delivering the basics of policing, Sir Mark is committed to addressing the major challenges facing the police and making London’s streets safer. by reducing crime and bringing more criminals to prison. justice.
“As the nation’s largest police force, we’ve supported the Met to recruit an additional 2,599 police officers and increase their annual police budget to £3.24 billion by 2022-23. I look forward to working closely with Sir Mark to ensure this investment drives vital change to ensure the force can reach the people of London.”
Sir Mark said: “I am very honored to have been appointed the next Chief of Police. Our mission is to lead the renewal of police work with permission which is so badly dented in recent years as trust and confidence have declined.
“I am grateful that the Secretary of the Interior and the Mayor are both committed to supporting the urgent reforms we need to successfully combat community crime in today’s rapidly changing world. These reforms include our use of technology and data, our culture and our policing. We will fight crime with communities – not unilaterally apply tactics.”
He added: “I also know that the majority of officers and staff maintain an extraordinary sense of calling and determination and want us to do better. My job is to help them do that, while also being ruthless in removing those who violate our integrity.
“We will bring greater trust, less crime and high standards to London and beyond and we will work with London’s diverse communities as we together renew the uniquely British invention of ‘police by consent’.”
Mr Khan said: “The Home Secretary and I agree that Sir Mark Rowley is the best person to lead the Metropolitan Police as the new Commissioner at this extremely challenging time.
“A series of horrific scandals have not only exposed deep cultural problems within the Met, but have also contributed to a crisis of confidence in the London police. Sir Mark has made it clear to me that he is determined to be a reformist Commissioner, determined to execute a robust plan to restore trust in the police and to drive the urgent reforms and incremental changes in culture and performance by what Londoners deserve.
“As mayor, I will support him and keep these promises as I continue to hold the Met accountable. I look forward to supporting Sir Mark Rowley and working closely with the Home Secretary as we work to restore confidence in the police, ensure the Met gets the basics of policing right and build on the significant success we have had in driving violence and crime in our city.”