Bernard Hogan-Howe was always a popular candidate for the job of Metropolitan Police Commissioner, but what are his credentials? Here we look at his record, and those of the other three candidates.
Bernard Hogan-Howe:
The former Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Oxbridge educated Hogan-Howe was considered to be a strong candidate for the job due to his success in reducing crime in Merseyside, as well as his good reputation and popularity. He has been acting deputy commissioner since the resignation of John Yates in July. Known for his zero tolerance approach to crime he attracted attention in 2008 when he criticised judges for handing out what he considered to be lenient sentences. He has also been highly critical of health and safety laws, believing that they prevent the police from doing their jobs properly. Given that he has had no qualms about speaking out over political issues in the past it will be interesting to see how he interacts with the government as Commissioner. He has overseen investigations into some of the country’s most notorious crimes, including the shooting of schoolboy Rhys Jones.
Stephen House:
The Glasgow born Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police is believed to have applied for the position after being asked to by the home office, making him the most likely candidate to receive the job. He’s considered to have been highly successful in Strathclyde, particularly with his work on gangs, with David Cameron himself praising Strathclyde Police’s Gangs Task Force. He was not the most popular candidate within the police force due to his support for cutting police numbers (he supports the merging of Scotland’s police forces into one force) and his supposed fixation with the visibility of police officers on the street. However, the fact that he had such strong support from the government meant he was always tipped to be the top candidate for the job.
Tim Godwin:
A former member of the Merchant Navy, Godwin had been acting as commissioner since the resignation of Paul Stephenson in July and was in charge of the Met during the London riots. This may have damaged his chances of securing the position after David Cameron criticised the handling of the riots by the police, especially as Godwin has done little to try and heal the rift since. He joined the police in 1981 and since then has held various positions within the police force, such as Commander of Crime for South London, and Assistant Commissioner of Territorial Policing.
Hugh Orde:
Orde is President of the Association of Chief Police Officers. Despite supposedly being the favoured candidate of the police his clashes with ministers made his appointment unlikely, particularly after he branded the return of David Cameron and Theresa May from their holidays in the wake of the riots ‘an irrelevance’. This is the second time he has applied for the job, applying once before whilst serving as the Chief Constable of the Northern Ireland police in 2008.
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