Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Dame Cressida Dick (Victoria Jones/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)The next Met Commissioner is unlikely to be in place for months despite pressure for swift reform of the force in the wake of a series of scandals, it emerged on Wednesday.
Sources have told the Standard that although a replacement for Dame Cressida Dick is likely to be in place “by the summer” there is likely to be a prolonged wait before the successful candidate is decided.
The main reasons for this are the rules surrounding the recruitment which will involve the placing of a formal job advert, followed by applications and panel interviews as part of an extensive selection process.
The victor will be chosen by Home Secretary Priti Patel in consultation with London Mayor Sadiq Khan before the appointment is formally approved by the Queen.
The anticipated lengthy delay means that efforts to overhaul the force’s culture are also likely to be slowed as the rest of the Met’s leadership team which critics blame for contributing to the problems under Dame Cressida, wait to see which policies their new boss wants to implement.
It also threatens to leave a leadership void at the top of Scotland Yard and delay any attempt to deliver a wider clear-out as part of the “urgently required” change that Mr Khan said was necessary when he ousted Dame Cressida last week.
The Mayor added that he had concluded that was the “only way” to root out the “racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, discrimination and misogyny” that still blighted the Met and wanted to “move quickly” to restore trust in the force.
Meanwhile, negotiations over the exact departure date for Dame Cressida, who agreed last week to stay on temporarily while plans are made to cope with her exit, and the size of her payout were continuing today.
