MPA – appointment of new Metropolitan Police Commissioner

75/04
28 October 2004

Commenting on the announcement today that Sir Ian Blair has been appointed Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Len Duvall, Chair of the MPA, said:

“On behalf of all the Members of the Metropolitan Police Authority I congratulate Sir Ian Blair on his thoroughly deserved appointment as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. We are delighted that HM The Queen and the Home Secretary endorsed our recommendation for this appointment.”

He continued:

“The MPA has worked very effectively with Sir Ian over the last four years whilst he was Deputy Commissioner and he has been at the forefront of driving forward the vital agenda of modernisation within the MPS.

“He has overseen some of the most far reaching reforms in policing during the introduction of the Police Reform Act and the wider criminal justice system, with a steely resolve and steadfast professionalism.

“He has also worked with the Authority to ensure that the MPS continues to make policing more accessible and transparent for all London’s communities.

“Whilst he is widely applauded as a moderniser, Sir Ian displays the traditional standards of duty and commitment that are intrinsic to successful and effective policing. He has given dedicated service throughout his career to the police and the communities they serve, and is a consummate professional policeman with the outstanding abilities needed to lead the MPS into the 21st century."

“One of the most fundamental changes of recent years has been the establishment of the MPA, making the MPS publicly accountable for the first time. Sir Ian has worked tirelessly with us to raise standards, increase effectiveness throughout the service, and oversee rapid growth in police numbers.

“We now look forward to working with him as Commissioner and continuing to build upon the far reaching achievements and extensive successes of the out going Commissioner Sir John Stevens.”

Notes to editors

Biographical notes: Deputy Commissioner Sir Ian Blair QPM MA

Ian Blair, 51 (d/o/b 19 March 1953) joined the Metropolitan Police in 1974 under the graduate entry scheme. His first posting was as a Police Constable in Soho.

He was educated at Wrekin College, Shropshire, Harvard High School, Los Angeles and Christ Church, Oxford. At Christ Church, he gained a Second Class Honours Degree in English Language and Literature.

He served as a Constable, Sergeant and Inspector in both uniform and CID in Central London. In 1985, as a Detective Chief Inspector, he took charge of the CID at Kentish Town in North London where, as well as conducting a number of major enquiries, he was responsible for the identification of those killed at the Kings Cross disaster.

Also in 1985, he published the book ‘Investigating Rape: A New Approach for Police’, which had a major impact on the way in which the police investigate offences of serious sexual assault.

In 1988, as a Superintendent, he managed the Metropolitan Police Crime Investigation Project which redesigned the purpose and structure of local CID offices throughout London. In 1989, he was appointed to Kensington Division.

In 1991, he was promoted to Chief Superintendent and appointed Staff Officer to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, based at the Home Office.

On his return to the Metropolitan Police in 1993, he was appointed the officer in charge of Operation Gallery, at that time the largest police corruption enquiry in London for a decade.

In 1994, he was appointed Assistant Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police with responsibility for territorial policing and took charge of policing the Newbury by-pass protests.

In 1996, he changed portfolio to take responsibility for Personnel matters. In 1997, Ian Blair became designated deputy to the Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police. This posting was short-lived because he became Chief Constable of Surrey in January 1998.

In February 2000, he returned to the Metropolitan Police as the Deputy Commissioner. As well as supporting the Commissioner in the overall direction of the MPS, he has lead responsibility for change management, for anti-corruption work, for diversity and for information management.

He is a Visiting Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford and an honorary member of the Senior Common Room of Christ Church. In 1998, he was made a Visiting Fellow of the International Centre for Advanced Studies, New York University. His work there culminated in his speech in July 1998 to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) which won widespread publicity concerning the relationship between public policing and the private security sector.

Since his return to the MPS, he has been one of the foremost in-service advocates of police reform and was instrumental in the development of Police Community Support Officers, who are now to be seen supporting regular police patrol in London and elsewhere. He is also one of the main spokesmen for the police service about criminal justice reform.

In 1999, he was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and he was awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours, 2003, for his services to policing

He is married with two teenage children. His principal leisure interests are skiing, tennis and the theatre.

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