Congratulation to Bernard Hogan-Howe who has been appointed to the unenviable post of Metropolitan Police Commissioner (referred to in legislation as the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis).
We wish him the best of luck, as he will need it, to fulfil his promise to cut crime in London and to deliver a safe Olympic Games.
He should learn from the mistakes of his predecessors as Commissioner or other senior ranks and ensure that
- He does not get even peripherally involved in awarding any Metropolitan Police contracts to companies associated with his personal friends. (Sir Ian Blair)
- He does not make any controversial political statements, or indeed any personal statements at all, during General or Mayoral Elections (Sir Ian Blair, again)
- He does not take any paper briefing notes or discussion documents through the door at Number 10 Downing Street, where they might be photographed by the high resolution lenses of the word's media photographers. (Bob Quick)
- Does not use corporate credit cards for lavish "national security" related expenses (Andy Hayman)
- He does not get even peripherally involved in obtaining full or part time jobs for his or family or friends or their relatives (John Yates)
- He does not accept any gifts in kind or hospitality worth more than a few tens of pounds from friends or acquaintances, even if such gifts are properly reported to the metropolitan Police Authority (Sir Paul Stephenson)