Cressida Dick makes history as new assistant commissioner

Cressida Dick has been appointed as the new Metropolitan Police’s assistant commissioner making her the first permanent female appointment in history at this senior level.

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) made the decision yesterday (June 30).

Ms Dick will take on the role of assistant commissioner specialist crime, which involves providing strategic and effective leadership and vision on homicide, serious and organised crime, including gun crime and economic crime, child abuse and covert policing amongst its duties.

She is currently deputy assistant commissioner security and protection in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

The interviews were conducted by a panel of five MPA members, with Sir Paul Stephenson, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and Denis O`Connor, Her Majesty`s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, acting as police advisers. Catherine Crawford, MPA Chief Executive, was also on the panel.

Sir Paul said: “Cressida Dick is a first class police officer who brings with her over 25 years of policing experience both in London and other parts of the country. Cressida is known amongst colleagues for her leadership and professional resilience even in the most testing of circumstances.

“She has held a number of high profile postings while at the MPS including heading up Operation Trident within Specialist Crime, and more recently in Specialist Operations where she was Deputy Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for protection and security.

“A key role for her in Specialist Crime will be leading on the move of rape investigation into a new single command. I know that Cressida will apply a high level of commitment and strategic oversight to all her specialist areas as part of this new appointment.”

Kit Malthouse, MPA Vice Chair who led the interview panel, said:

“This is a challenging position which requires an officer of outstanding abilities and extensive relevant experience. A commitment to safeguarding all our communities while managing serious criminal investigations and the direction of operational, tactical and strategic policing is integral to the job. Just as important is the ability to work closely with London`s communities, and particular aspects of the role, such as Operation Trident, require the utmost dedication to engendering trust in police actions to tackle serious violence and crime on London`s streets.

“The entire panel was impressed by each candidate`s skills. However, Cressida Dick impressed us with her in depth knowledge and leadership qualities.”

Biography:

Cressida Dick was born, brought up and educated in Oxford.

She joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1983 as a constable, sergeant and then inspector in Central, South West and South East London.

In 1993 she was seconded on to the staff of the Accelerated Promotion Course at Bramshill. In 1995 she transferred to Thames Valley Police as superintendent operations at Oxford and, subsequently, spent three years as area commander at Oxford.

After attending the Strategic Command Course, Cressida took a career break and studied full time for an M. Phil. in Criminology.

In June 2001 she returned to the MPS as a commander. She was director of the diversity directorate and head of the racial and violent crime task force until August 2003.

She then moved to a role in the specialist crime directorate, responsible for Organised and Cross Border Crime. Here she had line command of Operation Trident and the Serious and Organised Crime operational command unit – which included kidnap/hostage, the Flying Squad and teams tackling threats to life and cross-border drug trafficking.

Cressida trained as a hostage negotiator in 1998 and is the UK police lead for hostage negotiation. She undertook command roles in the UK police response to 9/11, the Tsunami and the terrorist attacks in London in July 2005.

In February 2007 she was promoted to deputy assistant commissioner and moved to spe