MPS Deputy Commissioner Dame Lynne Owens announces her retirement
The Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), Dame Lynne Owens, is to retire from policing after a distinguished career spanning more than 35 years.
It is a career that began in the MPS in 1989 as a constable in Catford before taking in an array of high-profile roles, including as the first female chief constable of Surrey Police and Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA).
She retired from that role in 2021 for health reasons before returning to the MPS in 2022 as deputy to support the then newly appointed Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley.
Dame Lynne leaves shortly after Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) acknowledged the major progress made by the force in improving its service to Londoners. As a result, the MPS was moved out of enhanced monitoring status, known as ‘Engage’, or more informally ‘special measures’, in January.
Dame Lynne, who will retire in late May, said: “It has been an honour and privilege to return to the Met to support Sir Mark in making the changes that were needed, and which crucially were wanted by our officers and staff.
“I am proud of the progress we have made and our people deserve so much credit for their role in identifying what needed to be done and then delivering that for Londoners.
“Of course, there remains much, much more to do and I know my successor, once appointed, will build on what we have achieved so far.”
Sir Mark said: “Dame Lynne Owens is one of the most talented and dedicated police officers of her generation. Her commitment to communities, officers and staff is unwavering and illustrated by her determination to step back into policing months after recovering from cancer, when the Met was at a critical moment.
“Her contribution to policing is astonishing and cannot be underestimated. Dame Lynne has achieved so much in public life, particularly as Director General of the NCA and as chief constable of Surrey.
“She has shown her relentless passion for policing by playing a pivotal role in leading the officers and staff of the Met to improve our service to Londoners. This has culminated in our exit from ‘special measures’ as accredited by HMICFRS. Dame Lynne is unique in having both an unparalleled eye for detail and an ability to exude compassion and empathy for all colleagues.
“I hugely admire Dame Lynne, and I am profoundly grateful personally and professionally for her immense support working together over the past two-and-a-half years. London has a far better police service because of her.”
The process to appoint the next Deputy Commissioner will now be discussed by the Commissioner, Home Secretary and Mayor of London.
The Deputy Commissioner’s “remarkable career” began in the Met in 1989 as a constable in Catford, before a move to Kent Police as a sergeant and progression to detective chief inspector in Kent’s major crime department as a senior investigating officer.
In 2002 Dame Lynne moved to Surrey Police, where she served as divisional commander of North Surrey before being promoted to assistant chief constable. Awarded the Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in the 2008 New Year’s Honours for distinguished service, she went on to become temporary deputy chief constable the same year – the youngest person to hold that rank at the time.
Dame Lynne returned to the MPS in 2009 as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner responsible for operations within territorial policing. She gained promotion to Assistant Commissioner in 2010, only the second woman to hold that rank in the MPS’s history.
When Sir Mark Rowley left as chief constable of Surrey to become Assistant Commissioner at the MPS in October 2011, Dame Lynne was selected to succeed him and took up the position a few months later as Surrey Police’s first woman chief constable.
In 2015, Dame Lynne became the most senior woman in British policing when she was appointed as Director General of the National Crime Agency by then Home Secretary Theresa May, beating a field of international candidates.
While she retired from that role in 2021 for health reasons, Dame Lynne returned to the MPS more than two-and-a-half years ago as Deputy Commissioner to support the then newly appointed Commissioner Sir Mark.
In addition to being awarded the QPM in the 2008Dame Lynne was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2015 Birthday Honours for services to policing and criminal justice and Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2021 New Year Honours for service to law enforcement.