Form

Recruitment information pack (accessible version)

Updated 13 April 2022

This form was withdrawn on 3 August 2022

The closing date for applications was 4 May 2022 - this content is out of date.

About the Metropolitan Police Service

The Metropolitan Police Service

Founded in 1829, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is one of the oldest police services in the world. From the beginning, the purpose of the Met has been to serve and protect the people of London by providing a professional police service. Despite the challenges we have faced recently, this remains our purpose.

Today, the MPS is made up of more than 46,000 officers and staff, plus thousands of volunteers: making it the UK’s largest police force. The territory served covers 620 square miles and is home to over 9 million people.

The MPS is seen as a world leader in policing. The ‘Scotland Yard’ brand is known around the world as a symbol of quality investigation and traditional values of policing.

Policing our unique city

London is unique. As the largest city in Western Europe, it is home to ‘the world under one roof’. Its ever-changing population is over 9 million and it is one of the most diverse (culturally, ethnically and linguistically) cities in the world.

The complexities of policing a city on this scale are huge. A seat of Parliamentary, Royal and Diplomatic power, London is also a focal point for protest and is a high-profile target for terrorist attack as well as being subject to the impact of wider national and international events.

There are over 300 languages spoken in London, and around 40% of the population are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. These numbers are predicted to grow further as the city expands and develops.

The MPS has nearly 34,000 of 140,000 police officers in England and Wales, almost 25% of all police officers, and polices over 15% of the England & Wales population across 32 Boroughs.

Taken together, this creates a unique policing environment. Everyone joining the Met needs the ability to deliver outstanding policing to Londoners and must share our commitment to beating and preventing crime, and protecting our citizens, streets and communities.

Find further information on the Metropolitan Police Service.

The Role

Role overview

As the leader of the UK’s largest police force, you will be expected to work on behalf of Londoners to drive up performance on reducing and preventing crime in this unique city, ensuring that MPS respects and upholds the interests of victims of crime. In doing so, you will also be expected to transform the organisation to reflect and meet the needs of London and its communities alongside undertaking national policing responsibilities.

You will also need to understand and meet head-on the scale of the challenge facing the MPS in restoring trust and confidence. Tasked with addressing organisational culture and conduct, and tackling institutional issues, you will re-establish trust in the MPS, particularly with women and girls and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities by addressing serious failings and restoring public confidence in the MPS. This will include delivering a police force that better reflects the diversity of London, and implementing a strong ethical framework of behaviour for the MPS, rooting out unacceptable behaviour at all levels, including misogyny, racism and homophobia.

The Commissioner is accountable to the Home Secretary and MOPAC and must answer to Londoners and the public nationally.

Job Title: Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service

Salary: £292,938

Location: Central London

Appointment: The appointment will be made by Her Majesty the Queen following a recommendation by the Home Secretary under section 42 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. Before making this recommendation, the Home Secretary must have regard to any recommendation made by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).

This is a fixed term appointment for five years, with the possibility of re-appointment for a maximum of three years, and maximum one-year extensions thereafter.

Eligibility: UK applicants must meet the legal eligibility requirements set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and Police Regulations 2003. Applicants must have served at the rank of constable in a UK police force and have held the rank of Assistant Chief Constable, Commander, or a more senior rank in a UK police force.

Overseas applicants must meet the immigration requirements to live and work in the UK and have served in an approved overseas police force at an approved rank set out in the Appointment of Chief Officers of Police (Overseas Police Forces) Regulations 2014.

Key responsibilities

The Commissioner’s responsibilities include:

• Determine the operational and organisational strategy for the Metropolitan Police Service including delivery of the priorities of the MOPAC Police and Crime Plan; and give consideration to the Home Secretary’s national priorities for crime as set out in the Beating Crime Plan and the National Crime and Policing Measures. This will need to take into account the context of post pandemic recovery.

• Oversee a budget of over £3 billion, deriving the best outcomes from public money to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and value for money.

• Provide transformational leadership of the MPS, harnessing the full potential of staff, officers and volunteers and ensuring organisational culture reflects the values and ethical standards embedded within the Policing Code of Ethics and of a modern police force.

• Work with other forces, London’s local and regional agencies and other partners develop and deliver the capability to address strategic national threats.

• Lead the development of strategies that increase the legitimacy of the MPS and respond to concerns of racism, sexism, misogyny and homophobia by listening to London’s communities to generate high levels of public confidence.

• Provide professional policing advice to the Home Secretary/Mayor of London/MOPAC to support them in fulfilling their roles on matters of public safety and national security.

• Ensure the timely provision of information and data to the Mayor and MOPAC to allow them to perform their statutory function of holding the Commissioner to account.

• Build and empower a diverse, representative workforce for the future, building on the opportunity provided by the Government’s police uplift programme to improve the recruitment, retention and progression of underrepresented groups at all levels in the force.

• Deliver improvements in performance by building and applying evidence of what works to prevent harm and improve public experience, and taking effective action to tackle any areas of concern and prioritising resources accordingly.

• Provide briefing on major operational issues to Ministers, the Mayor and London Assembly and representing the force at Parliamentary Select Committees.

• Lead and command the operational policing responses on occasion, in the most high risk and high profile instances, in order to protect the public and ensure an appropriate and effective response.

• Represent the MPS at a national and international level to the public, media and to other external stakeholders.

• Play an active role in the development of the police service via the National Policing Board chaired by the Home Secretary to enable the effective co-ordination of reform and improvements in effective policing practice.

Person specification

In your application you should provide examples of your experience in meeting the appointment criteria listed below. These will be the key criteria for selection.

Essential criteria

Applicants should be serving UK chief constables or of equivalent UK ranks or above, or have recent experience at these levels. Applications are also welcome from eligible police officers from overseas as set out in the Appointment of Chief Officers of Police (Overseas Police Forces) Regulations 2014.

The successful candidate will:

• have a commitment to serving the public with extensive experience of leading a policing organisation, using evidence-led policing to deliver for, and with, the public and developing excellent services and support for victims
• show evidence of leading outstanding delivery of effective operational policing and partnership work to reduce and prevent crime in challenging situations whilst retaining public confidence
• show their ability to manage large operational budgets and derive the best outcomes from public money to deliver excellent service and value
• have a successful track record of leading a large and complex organisation through change, creating a diverse workforce and implementing cultural transformation
• have experience of working successfully with national and local Government to deliver successful outcomes and an understanding of the wider political, social and economic context
• have experience of and commitment to working for, and with, diverse communities to build trust and confidence
• show evidence of resilience and emotional intelligence to lead a complex organisation in a diverse city
• show evidence of displaying and role modelling credible, visible and empowering leadership, demonstrating sound ethical judgment and outstanding interpersonal and communication skills
• show evidence that they will operate at Level 3 of the Competency and Values Framework for policing as a minimum.

Response instructions

If you wish to apply for this position please supply the following documentation:

• a comprehensive CV (maximum two sides A4, minimum 11 font) setting out your personal details, career history and including details of any professional qualifications

• a short supporting statement (maximum two sides A4, minimum 11 font) giving evidence of the strength and depth of your ability to meet the essential criteria for the role, providing specific examples where possible

• your two most recent annual appraisals

• declaration of interests form – this role requires the highest standards of propriety and so we ask you to declare any private, voluntary, charitable, or political interest which might be material and relevant to the work of the Metropolitan Police Service, MOPAC, or the Home Office. The panel may explore any actual or perceived conflicts of interest with you at interview stage to determine whether any mitigating action needs to be taken

• recruitment monitoring questionnaire – details of why we request this information and how it is used can be found below. If you do not wish to provide any of the information requested, please tick the ‘prefer not to say’ boxes

• guaranteed interview request form for disabled persons (if required). Further information on the Guaranteed Interview Scheme can be found below

• nationality form – this information will be used to confirm your eligibility for the role and if successful, will be used for security clearance purposes. If you are not successful, the information will be destroyed. It is held securely at all times

• discipline form

Completed applications should be emailed to MPSCommissionerAppointment@homeoffice.gov.uk

Please note the following:

• We cannot accept applications submitted after the closing date.

• Applications will be assessed solely on the documentation provided. Please refer to the advert and checklist to ensure you have provided the necessary documentation.

• Short-listed candidates will also be required to complete and return a separate form in relation to referees and nationality.

• Applications will be acknowledged upon receipt.

• Feedback will only be given to unsuccessful candidates following interview.

Further information

Should you wish to have an informal discussion about the role, in the first instance please email Rachel Watson – Policing Policy Director, Home Office Rachel.Watson4@homeoffice.gov.uk or Diana Luchford – Chief Executive, MOPAC Diana.Luchford@mopac.london.gov.uk

If you have any queries about any aspect of the selection process, please email the Recruitment Team MPSCommissionerAppointment@homeoffice.gov.uk .

Equal opportunities monitoring

We value all our staff highly. That’s why we’re committed to providing a positive environment that recognises and values individual differences - be it in age, disability, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or work style. We seek to create an inclusive culture. We also set standards which go beyond compliance with legislation and create a more diverse workforce.

As part of the application process we ask candidates to complete equal opportunities monitoring information. This will help us to follow the recommendations of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality and the Disability Rights Commission, that employers should monitor selection decisions to assess whether equality of opportunity is being achieved. The information on the form will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only. The form will not be treated as part of your application.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled persons

The Home Office is an accredited user of the government’s “two ticks” disability symbol, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled applicants. Under the scheme disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview. Selection will be on merit. If you wish to apply for consideration under this scheme, please complete the form in Annex B. It is not necessary to state the nature of your disability.

Data protection

The Home Office takes its obligations under the Data Protection Act seriously. Any data about you will be held in secure conditions with access restricted to those who need it in connection with dealing with your application and the selection process. Data may also be used for the purposes of monitoring the effectiveness of the recruitment process, but in these circumstances will be kept anonymous. The recruitment monitoring form is used for monitoring the selection process only. If you do not wish to have these details recorded please return the form uncompleted. If you are unsuccessful, your personal data relating to the application will be destroyed after 12 months.

Recruitment process

The process will consist of the following components. Please let us know in your application if you are unable to meet this timeframe. The deadline for applications is 4 May 2022.

Selection panel shortlisting meeting

Candidate testing/interactive exercises (w/c 9 – 20 May)

Selection panel interviews (w/c 23 May)

Meeting with the Home Secretary/Mayor of London/Policing Minister

Royal Approval

The selection panel will be chaired by Matthew Rycroft (Permanent Secretary, Home Office), with other panel members to be confirmed in due course.

The Recruitment Team will acknowledge your application and advise you of the outcome of the sift meeting by email. Depending on the number of applications received, there may be a second stage sift.

Further details will then be provided to you on the next stages of the appointment process. This will include all dates, information on the membership of the selection panel, and further details of the selection process. All stages of the appointment process will be held in London.

Please note: Expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed by the Home Office.

Useful links

Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime – sets out the priorities and objectives for tackling crime and making London safer.

Code of Ethics – the principles that every member of the policing profession of England and Wales is expected to uphold and the standards of behaviour they are expected to meet.

Terms and conditions

The information offered in this document is supplied in good faith but does not in itself form any part of the contract of employment.

Appointment Term: This post is offered as a five year fixed term appointment, with the possibility of re-appointment for a maximum of three years, and maximum one year extensions thereafter.

Working Hours: This is a full time role. Working hours are such as are needed to fulfil the requirements of the post, including operational call-outs.

Location: This post is based primarily in central London but there is significant national and some international travel due to the remit of the role.

Remuneration: The starting salary may vary dependent on your qualifications, knowledge and the relevant experience you are able to offer.

No allowances will be payable and you will not be eligible for a non-consolidated annual bonus payment.

Please note: you cannot receive remuneration for any other role(s) or activity during your period of employment.

Pension: Membership of the police pension scheme.

Annual leave: 35 days’ annual leave plus 2 rest days per week plus normal bank holidays

Nationality: This is a non reserved post and there are no specific restrictions on nationality.

Pre-appointment checks: Honesty and integrity are essential for the role and we will always carefully check the suitability of candidates and are not tolerant of dishonest behaviour or any behaviour which brings the post into disrepute.

Security clearance: The successful candidate will be required to obtain Developed Vetting (DV) level security clearance before taking up post. Further information on what this involves will be sent out to all shortlisted candidates.

For more information on the terms and conditions of appointment please contact

MPSCommissionerAppointment@homeoffice.gov.uk