London police chief quits after string of controversies

London, Feb 11: Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Cressida Dick, on Thursday said she was resigning, having lost the support of the capital's mayor.

Public confidence in the police force has been rocked by numerous scandals, including revelations about bullying and discrimination within the force and allegations of institutional corruption.

The resignation also follows the abduction, rape and murder of a woman, Sarah Everard, by a serving member of the Metropolitan Police.

What did the police chief say?

Dick, who is Britain's top police officer, said she had "no choice but to step aside." Her announcement came after Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he no longer had confidence in her leadership.

"I say this with deep sadness and regret," Dick, who had been set to stay as head of the service until 2024, said in a televised statement.

The police chief said it was "clear that the mayor no longer has sufficient confidence in my leadership to continue."

Dick, who became the first woman to head London's police force in 2017, defended her role and the work of her force. She concluded by thanking her fellow officers for the "extraordinary efforts you make each and every day."

Mayor 'not satisfied'

Mayor Khan said Thursday he was "not satisfied with the commissioner's response", after a meeting last week, where he insisted that broad changes were needed to "root out the racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, discrimination and misogyny" in the force.

Khan said he had made clear to Dick the scale of the change he believed was urgently required to rebuild Londoners' trust.

"It's clear that the only way to start to deliver the scale of the change required is to have new leadership right at the top of the Metropolitan Police," Khan said.

Source: DW