The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul Stephenson, has resigned following tales of bribe taking by his officers, failure to investigate this and his having employed one of the suspected journalists as a PR adviser. This whole Murdoch scandal – and I don’t think we have heard the end of it by any means – has dented the public’s good opinion of the police and I think it right that a senior head should roll. Sir Paul's having received a £12,000 freebie at a health spa has given the story a rather Italian flavour.
As to choosing his replacement I can only repeat my advice (which wasn’t taken) at the time of his appointment. The way to do this is to conduct an opinion poll as to what the public regarded as policing issues and before showing it to them ask the candidates what they thought the public had said. I’ll bet that petty crime such as theft, violence and drug-related disorderliness are much higher up the list than the candidates think and that anything to do with a motor car (except the theft of one) much lower.
That is why I favour electing police chiefs.
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