Job advert for new Met Police commissioner demands they make force ‘more professional’

The job advert for the next Metropolitan Police Commissioner has gone live after Dame Cressida Dick left the post last week.

Applications opened for the role on Wednesday, with candidates tasked with making the force “demonstrably more professional”.

The Met has been rocked by a series of scandals in the past two years, including the murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens and the publication of “shocking” misogynistic messages exchanged by officers at Charing Cross station.

Ms Dick was ousted from her post in February after losing the confidence of London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Her deputy Sir Stephen House will temporarily take the reins until a permanent successor is appointed in the summer.

The job advert for the role read: “It has become evident that significant and sustained improvements need to be made within the MPS to restore public confidence and legitimacy in the largest police force in the UK.

“This will require inspirational leadership to deliver a demonstrably more professional police force, that better reflects the diversity of London itself.”

It elaborated any new commissioner will need to “lead the service through significant change” and show “empowering leadership to address concerns around police conduct and tackling institutional culture”.

“The successful candidate will be responsible for re-establishing trust and confidence in policing amongst everyone living in London, particularly women and girls and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities,” it added.

Last month, the Standard reported how the recruitment process for the next commissioner had been held up by continued wrangling between City Hall and Scotland Yard.

Mr Khan had wanted Dame Cressida to depart without a payout for the two-year extension that she was due to start this month – but she argued she was entitled to have the terms of her contract honoured.

On Sunday, Mr Khan said he would not give his backing to a commissioner who “doesn’t understand or acknowledge the scale of the challenge facing policing”.

“I’m now working with the home secretary on the recruitment of a new commissioner,” he said.

“I’ve been clear that I won’t support the appointment of anyone who doesn’t understand and acknowledge the scale of the challenge facing policing.

“Regaining the trust and confidence of London’s communities is crucial to policing by consent and making our city safer.”

Ms Dick will take unused annual leave until her formal last day of employment on April 24.

Writing in the Standard last week, she said the mission of the next commissioner would be to “keep this amazing, global, diverse capital city safe for everyone”.

“My message to London is this: London is a safe city in so many ways,” she added. “You have a fantastic police service. We all need the Met to be successful in keeping London safe and for the public to have confidence in our service.”