Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis - wikipedia Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis London This article is part of a series on the politics and government of London Greater London Authority Mayor of London Sadiq Khan Mayoral elections Statutory Deputy Mayor Joanne McCartney Mayoral Cabinet London Assembly Constituencies London Assembly election, 2016 GLA Group Mayor 's Office for Policing and Crime Transport for London London Fire Commissioner GLA Land and Property London Legacy Development Corporation Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation London Plan 1998 referendum 1999 Act 2007 Act London Councils City of London Corporation Lord Mayor Charles Bowman Court of Aldermen Court of Common Council City of London Corporation election, 2017 Freemen Livery Sheriffs Wards London boroughs London local elections, 2018 Wards London in the UK and EU Minister for London Jo Johnson Parliamentary constituencies in London European Parliament constituency London Government Act 1963 British politics portal The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London 's Metropolitan Police Service. The post is currently held by Cressida Dick, who assumed office on 10 April 2017. The Commissioner is regarded as the highest ranking police officer in the United Kingdom, despite the fact that their authority is generally confined to the Metropolitan Police Service 's area of operation, the Metropolitan Police District. However, unlike other police forces the Metropolitan Police has certain national responsibilities such as leading counter-terrorism policing and the protection of the Royal Family and senior members of Her Majesty 's Government. Furthermore, the postholder is directly accountable to the Home Secretary and the public nationally amongst many others ( the Mayor 's Office for Policing and Crime, the Mayor of London, Londoners ) whereas smaller police forces are only accountable to residents and their local Police and Crime Commissioner or police authority. The rank is usually referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, the Met Commissioner or simply just `` Commissioner ''. The Commissioner 's annual salary without pension contributions or allowances from 1 September 2016 is £ 270,648 + £ 2,373. Contents 1 History 2 Eligibility and accountability 3 List of Commissioners 4 See also 5 References 6 External links History The rank of Commissioner was created by the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 ; until 1855, the post was held jointly by two officers. The Commissioners were Justices of the Peace and not sworn constables until 1 April 1974. The title Commissioner was not used until 1839. The insignia of rank is a crown above a Bath Star, known as `` pips '', above crossed tipstaves within a wreath, very similar to the insignia worn by a full general in the British Army. This badge is all but unique within the British police, shared only with the Commissioner of the City of London Police, the smallest territorial police force, and HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary. Like all chief officer ranks in the British police, commissioners wear gorget patches on the collars of their tunics. The gorget patches are similar to those worn by generals, aside from being of silver - on - black instead of the Army 's gold - on - red. At one time, the commissioners were either retired military officers or civil servants. Sir John Nott - Bower, who served as Commissioner from 1953 to 1958, was the first career police officer to hold the post, despite several previous Commissioners having served in senior administrative positions in colonial forces, and the Metropolitan Police itself. Nott - Bower 's successor Sir Joseph Simpson was the first Commissioner to have started his career as the lowest rank of Constable. However, Sir Robert Mark, appointed in 1972, was the first to have risen through all the ranks from the lowest to the highest, as all his successors have done. As of 2008, the post of Commissioner is appointed for a period of five years. Applicants are appointed to the post by Her Majesty The Queen, following a recommendation by the Home Secretary under the Police Act 1996. As of 2010 the salary of the Commissioner of the Metropolis is £ 260,088. Eligibility and accountability As of 2008, applicants to the post of Commissioner must be British citizens, and be `` serving UK chief constables or of equivalent UK ranks and above, or have recent experience at these levels ''. The post of Commissioner is `` accountable to the Home Secretary ; to the Mayor 's Office for Policing and Crime, and must answer to Londoners and the public nationally. '' This requirement to be a British national has blocked the appointment of non-British Commissioners in the past. In August 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron wanted former Los Angeles Police Department Chief Bill Bratton to become the new Met Police Commissioner, but this was blocked by the Home Office pointing out that the Commissioner has to be British. As of January 2013, the requirement is set to be scrapped by a proposal made by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary. The most recent selection process, in 2017, to identify Sir Bernard Hogan - Howe 's successor involved the candidates undergoing psychometric testing in addition to interviews with the Home Secretary, Mayor of London and Policing Minister. The process is conducted in private and the Home Office has specifically called for a `` news blackout. '' The discussion and public profile of the candidates has been limited to speculation and rumour, with the Home Office refusing to even confirm the shortlisted candidates covered in the media. The Centre for Public Safety has recommended the selection process be reformed, to provide opportunities for greater public, community and workforce engagement in the process. In particular, suggesting a series of community interview panels and a public candidate forum - though they maintain that the final decision should still rest with the Home Secretary. List of Commissioners From To Military rank ( if applicable ) Name Post Nominals Notes 1829 1850 Lieutenant - Colonel Sir Charles Rowan KCB First Joint Commissioner 1829 1868 Sir Richard Mayne KCB Second Joint Commissioner ( 1829 -- 1850 ) then First Joint Commissioner ( 1850 -- 1855 ) and finally Commissioner ( 1855 - 1868 ) 1850 1855 Captain William Hay CB Second Joint Commissioner 1868 1869 Lieutenant - Colonel Douglas Labalmondière CB Acting 1869 1886 Lieutenant - Colonel Sir Edmund Henderson KCB 1886 1888 Major - General Sir Charles Warren GCMG, KCB Later returned to military duties 1888 1890 James Monro CB Senior civil servant before becoming Assistant Commissioner ( Crime ) and then Commissioner 1890 1903 Colonel Sir Edward Bradford Bt. GCB, GCVO, KCSI 1903 1918 Sir Edward Henry Bt. GCVO, KCB, CSI, KPM Senior civil servant before being appointed Inspector - General of Police of Bengal. Later served in other senior police appointments before becoming Commissioner. 1918 1920 General Sir Nevil Macready GCMG, KCB 1920 1928 Brigadier - General Sir William Horwood GBE, KCB, DSO 1928 1931 General The Viscount Byng of Vimy KCB, KCMG 1931 1935 Marshal of the Royal Air Force The Lord Trenchard GCB, GCVO, DSO See Hugh Trenchard as Metropolitan Police Commissioner for details. 1935 1945 Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Game GCB, GCVO, GBE, KCMG, DSO 1945 1953 Sir Harold Scott GCVO, KCB, KBE Previously a senior civil servant. First Commissioner without any police or military background since Sir Richard Mayne. 1953 1958 Sir John Nott - Bower KCVO, KPM After Army service as a Second Lieutenant, Nott - Bower entered the Indian police as a superintendent. 1958 1968 Sir Joseph Simpson KBE, KPFSM Graduated from the Hendon Police College, as an acting station inspector after having joined as a constable. 1968 1972 Sir John Waldron KCVO Graduated from the Hendon Police College. 1972 1977 Sir Robert Mark GBE, QPM First Metropolitan Commissioner to have risen through all the police ranks from the lowest to the highest 1977 1982 Sir David McNee QPM 1982 Sir Kenneth Newman GBE, QPM 1993 Sir Peter Imbert QPM 1993 2000 Sir Paul Condon QPM 2000 2005 Sir John Stevens QPM 2005 2008 Sir Ian Blair QPM 2009 2011 Sir Paul Stephenson QPM Introduced Single Patrol policy where officers were required to patrol on their own by default 2011 2017 Sir Bernard Hogan - Howe QPM Formerly Chief Constable of Merseyside Police from 2004 -- 2009. 2017 Cressida Dick CBE, QPM First woman to be appointed Commissioner. Assumed office on 10 April 2017. See also UK police ranks References Jump up ^ https://beta.met.police.uk/globalassets/downloads/about-the-met/met_organisational_chart_february2017.pdf Jump up ^ `` Cressida Dick appointed as first female Met Police chief ''. BBC News. 2017 - 02 - 22. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 22. Jump up ^ Metropolitan Police Authority - the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ section 1 ( 9 ) ( a ) of the Administration of Justice Act 1973 ( as in para 10, Schedule 1 to the Act ), which came into force 1 April 1974 by section 20 ( commencement ). ^ Jump up to : `` COMMISSIONER OF POLICE OF THE METROPOLIS Applications are invited from senior police officers for this unique post ''. Home Office / Metropolitan Police Authority. 7 November 2008. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 20 January 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2008. The Commissioner is accountable to the Home Secretary ; to the MPA, chaired by the Mayor of London ; and must answer to Londoners and the public nationally... Applicants should be serving UK chief constables or of equivalent UK ranks and above, or have recent experience at these levels. Because of the role of the Commissioner in national security, applicants must be British citizens. The appointment will be made by Her Majesty The Queen following a recommendation by the Home Secretary under the Police Act 1996. Before making this recommendation the Home Secretary will have regard to any recommendations made to her by the MPA and any representations from the Mayor of London... The appointment will be for a period of five years... Applications to be received by 12 noon on 1st December 2008. Jump up ^ Police Pay. Police-information.co.uk. Retrieved on 2013 - 08 - 22. Jump up ^ Whitehead, Tom ( 5 August 2011 ). `` David Cameron 's US ' supercop ' blocked by Theresa May ''. Daily Telegraph. London. Jump up ^ `` Police in England and Wales face recruitment shake - up ''. BBC News Online. 31 January 2013. Jump up ^ Police, Vikram Dodd ; correspondent, crime ( 2017 - 02 - 02 ). `` Two women among final four for Metropolitan police top job ''. The Guardian. ISSN 0261 - 3077. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 15. Jump up ^ `` Two women among four shortlisted in race for top Met job ''. Evening Standard. 2017 - 02 - 02. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 15. Jump up ^ `` The Next Commissioner : Giving Londoners a voice in the selection of their police chief -- The Centre for Public Safety ''. www.centreforpublicsafety.com. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 15. External links Metropolitan Police Service timeline Commissioner Hogan - Howe in full ceremonial dress leading crowds up the Mall during the Queen 's Diamond Jubilee 2012. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Commissioner_of_Police_of_the_Metropolis&oldid=833982975 '' Categories : Police ranks in the United Kingdom Metropolitan Police Commissioners of Police of the Metropolis 1829 establishments in England Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use dmy dates from September 2013 Use British English from September 2013 Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2008 All articles containing potentially dated statements Articles containing potentially dated statements from January 2013 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Dansk Norsk Edit links This page was last edited on 3 April 2018, at 09 : 36. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who is in charge of the met police
Answer: Cressida Dick