Sir Ian Blair named as Metropolitan police commissioner

The man who will replace Sir John Stephens as the next Metropolitan police commissioner has been named today.

Sir Ian Blair, 51, on Oxford graduate who has 30 years experience with the Met, served as a constable, sergeant and inspector in both uniform and CID in Central London. In 1985, as a Detective Chief Inspector, he took charge of the CID at Kentish Town in North London where, as well as conducting a number of major enquiries, he was responsible for the identification of those killed at the Kings Cross disaster.

In 1993, he was appointed the officer in charge of Operation Gallery, at that time the largest police corruption enquiry in London for a decade. He has been one of the foremost in-service advocates of police reform and was instrumental in the development of Police Community Support Officers, who are now to be seen supporting regular police patrol in London and elsewhere. He is also one of the main spokesmen for the police service about criminal justice reform.

Len Duvall, Chair of the MPA, said that paid tribute to Sir Ian as a man whose "steely resolve" has led to "some of the most far reaching reforms in policing during the introduction of the Police Reform Act and the wider criminal justice system".

He added: "Whilst he is widely applauded as a moderniser, Sir Ian displays the traditional standards of duty and commitment that are intrinsic to successful and effective policing. He has given dedicated service throughout his career to the police and the communities they serve, and is a consummate professional policeman with the outstanding abilities needed to lead the MPS into the 21st century."

Married with two children, Sir Ian was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 1999, followed by a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours, 2003, for his services to policing.

(gmcg)