Tim Godwin announces retirement

The Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) Deputy Commissioner Tim Godwin has announced that he will retire from the force and pursue a career in the private sector after more than 30 years service.

Mr Godwin will leave the MPS in the New Year after joining the force from Sussex Police in 1999 as a commander. He has been promoted through the ranks to his current position as Deputy Commissioner.

Mr Godwin led the force as its acting commissioner during the summer riots as well as for large parts of the year after former Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson was taken ill.

However, he failed to land the top job in policing on a permanent basis and he recently withdrew from the competition to lead the National Crime Agency.

The person who took over from him as Commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, praised his leadership during difficult times.

“Tim Godwin is an exceptional police officer. One of the best of his generation. He has successfully led the MPS over the last year through some exceptional challenges. I am personally sorry to lose the Deputy Commissioner – a man of integrity, intellect and humility. I know the officers and staff of the MPS will lose a man they love a great deal,” said Mr Hogan-Howe.

He has also been praised for his innovative approach to policing, commitment to victim care and youth diversion, which has included improvements in the way mobile phone crime, street crime and neighbourhood policing are approached. He has also helped create lasting partnerships with the Premier League and Rugby Football Union which has led to thousands of young people participating in diversion projects.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) described Mr Godwin as an “influential and authoritative voice” in national policing and said his decision to retire will be a “great loss” to British policing.

Sir Hugh Orde, ACPO president, said: “Tim Godwin has made an outstanding contribution to policing, working tirelessly not just for the Metropolitan Police but for the whole police service. He made an immense contribution to keeping London safe, not just over recent months as Acting Commissioner, when it was a pleasure to work alongside him in dealing with the summer riots, but across many years in territorial policing, where he drove through neighbourhood teams and cut crime.

“His decision to move on to the private sector will be a great loss to the service. He leaves behind an exceptional legacy of lasting reforms which secured better policing for the public.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson added: “Tim Godwin has been a devoted public servant, constantly striving to make London a safer and better city.”