PRESS RELEASE : Independent review on departure of Metropolitan Police Commissioner published

The Home Office has today (2 September 2022) published Sir Tom Winsor’s review of the circumstances surrounding the departure of Dame Cressida Dick, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

The Home Secretary asked Sir Tom Winsor, the former Chief Inspector of Constabulary, to assess the facts of what happened, whether the correct procedures had been followed and to make recommendations as to how the processes for the accountability of the commissioner could be improved.

Sir Tom presented his report to the Home Office on 24 August 2022 and given the public interest in the matter, the Home Secretary decided to publish the report in full on gov.uk.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

In thanking Sir Tom for his report, I hope now that those responsible for delivering policing in London – as well as those responsible for holding the Met to account – will concentrate their efforts on delivering safer streets for the capital and restoring integrity in policing.

Public confidence in the Met has been dented by a series of appalling incidents and it is vital that failings are addressed and professional standards restored to the level that Londoners deserve.

The police need to ensure that they get the basics right, which should include a relentless focus on cutting neighbourhood crime and the serious violence that has blighted too many communities.

In the report, Sir Tom states that he believes due process was not followed by the Mayor of London and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime in the actions they took which led, on 10 February 2022, to Dame Cressida Dick stepping aside as commissioner. It also notes that the mayor’s actions were not in accordance with the relevant legislation.

A number of recommendations for how accountability arrangements in London can be improved were also given. The government is already taking steps to strengthen the accountability and transparency of police governance through the delivery of recommendations from the Police and Crime Commissioner review.

The Home Office will consider all of the findings Sir Tom has laid out and will bring forward any further changes we deem necessary once the findings and recommendations have been fully considered.