MPA appoints Commanders for Met

23/01
26 April 2001

The Metropolitan Police Authority has appointed two new Commanders on promotion, who will fill senior posts in the Met. They are Chief Superintendent Ron McPherson, formerly Borough Commander at Tower Hamlets and Superintendent Richard Bryan, who will be joining the Met from Thames Valley Police.

The officers were interviewed by a panel of five Members, with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens acting as police advisor. Catherine Crawford, Clerk to the Metropolitan Police Authority was also in attendance.

MPA Chair, Toby Harris, who led the promotion panel said:

"We were impressed by the high calibre of the successful candidates. Both officers possess the experience, professionalism and personal qualities we regard as essential to drive forward the performance within the Metropolitan Police.

"These officers will bring outstanding policing skills to their new posts which will be of tremendous benefit to the Metropolitan Police and the people of London."

Sir John Stevens, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police said:

"I'm delighted that the MPS now has two new Commanders. These are senior and responsible positions in the organisation and I'm confident that the right people have been selected."

Note to editors

Biographical notes

Superintendent Richard Bryan
Richard Bryan rejoins the Met from Thames Valley Police where he is currently serving as Best Value Co-ordinator. Whilst at Thames Valley Police he has held various posts including Head of the Review of Strategic Change, Area Commander for Thames Forest (Windsor, Maidenhead and Bracknell) and Area Commander for the Windsor and Maidenhead. He joined Thames Valley Police as Head of Strategic Planning in 1995.

Richard Bryan started his career in the Met in November 1980, completing his basic training at Hendon. He was then posted to Vine Street police station (now closed) in the West End and served at two other central London stations. Promotion to Sergeant followed in 1985, and detective training in 1986. He returned to Hampstead as Detective Sergeant and was promoted to Inspector in 1987, serving at Tottenham. In 1991 he moved to New Scotland Yard where he worked as a Policy analyst in the Deputy Commissioner's Command, then moving to Kentish Town division as Chief Inspector, Personnel before leaving to join Thames Valley.

Richard Bryan originated from Solihull and was educated at Lode Heath High School before graduating from the University of Wales with a degree in geography. In 1991 he completed his MBA masters degree in business administration at Warwick University.

Chief Superintendent Ron McPherson
Ron McPherson joined the Met on 29 April 1974, one day after his nineteenth birthday. After completing his training, his first posting was to Leman Street Police Station in Tower Hamlets. Although he has served in New Scotland Yard and central London, almost half of his 26 years in the police service has been spent as an operational officer in East London.

He rose through the ranks to become Chief Inspector and Superintendent at Limehouse and on promotion to Chief Superintendent he was appointed the Divisional Commander for Limehouse division. When the Met re-organised to a Borough based policing system, he was selected to be the Borough Commander for Tower Hamlets, amalgamating Whitechapel and Limehouse divisions into one Borough Command. In 2000 he attended the Strategic Command Course at Bramshill Police Staff College and is currently leading a project to review the whole of the Human Resource function for the Met.

Ron McPherson was born in Romford Essex. Spending most of his early years in Chadwell Heath where he attended South East Essex County Technical High School. He is a fellow of the Institute of Management and is studying at Cambridge University for a Masters Degree in Criminology. He has been married to Diane for over 25 years and they have three daughters and live in Essex.

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