Much noise and thunder, the new Met Commissioner has been appointed. Interesting. Power and influence over Met staff and a key role in the wider UK policing family. TV interviews, newspaper opinion pieces, much sage nodding and articulation of expectation.

Also announced this week was an appointment that will touch every force in the country, not just the Met. The appointment of the Director General for the Crime Reduction and Community Safety Group within the Home Office.

Stephen Rimmer has been announced as the new DG, succeeding Moira Wallace. Stephen, who currently works as the Director of the ‘Prevent’ strategy within the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism within the Home Office, was appointed following a Whitehall-wide competition. overseen by the Civil Service Commissioner, and appointed with the approval of the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister. Stephen was Director of Policing Policy in the Home Office in 2002 and joined the Metropolitan Police Service on secondment in 2005 as a member of the management board, before moving to his ‘Prevent’ role.

With all this ‘newness’ on the block it was interesting that this week also saw the circulation of a letter from Bob Jones, Chair of the Association of Police Authorities to the Home Secretary, Shadow Home Sec and the Lib Dems spokesperson on Home Affairs. Bob’s plea to all three parties: try and find some cross party consensus and don’t undermine the work being done on confidence. Nice try Bob.

It is becoming increasingly obvious that the Conservatives in particular are flexing their pre election muscles to take on the police service. There is much talk of the politicisation of senior officers and a common attack theme developing amongst the comments of various MP’s. Hence Bob trying to wave a flag for consensus.

I suspect that there is more chance of Nelson getting his eye back than cross party consensus being achieved on policing, but it was a laudable attempt Bob.

Related posts:

1. The Implications of the Economic Downturn for Policing – Richard Lambert CBI Director General
2. If it looks like a duck…
3. Cause and effect