Following a series of damaging controversies, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick is leaving her role.
After saying that she had been left with “no choice” but to step down from her position, the move came after London Mayor Sadiq Khan made it clear that he had no confidence in her leadership.
As recently as last week, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found “disgraceful” misogynistic, racist and other discriminatory language on group chats with members of the Met Police. Speaking with BBC London hours before her departure was announced, Cressida insisted that she had “absolutely no intention” of quitting and that she was “seething angry” about the culture at Charing Cross police station, which was exposed by the aforementioned police watchdog.
Cressida was the first woman to lead the biggest UK police force but also faced criticism over the years, including the Jean Charles de Menezes case in 2005 and, more recently, the death of Sarah Everard; Ms. Everard was murdered by Wayne Couzens, a serving Met Police officer in March of last year.
In her resignation statement, Cressida said that she had “agreed to stay for a short period to ensure the stability of the Met.” Her successor will be appointed by the Home Secretary—in consultation with Sadiq Khan. Matt Jukes and Neil Basu, who are both Met commissioners, are the favourites to get the role.
Mr. Khan said that he was “not satisfied” with Cressida’s response to the scale of change required to “root out” racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, and misogyny within the Met. He also said: “On being informed of this, Dame Cressida Dick has said she will be standing aside.” He continued by thanking the commissioner for her 40-year policing career.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Cressida Dick “has served her country with great dedication and distinction over many decades.”
People took to Twitter in their droves to thank Sadiq Khan:
