Policing minister Damian Green has predicted that the UK will have a foreign chief constable or Scotland Yard chief within ?years rather than decades?, as he announced plans to improve police leadership.
Mr Green confirmed on Wednesday that the next stage of the government?s sweeping police reforms would open chief constable posts to recruits from abroad, and make middle-ranking officer roles accessible to outsiders with business experience.
When challenged on the idea of a non-Briton running UK police forces, the minister compared that to the appointment of Canadian Mark Carney as Bank of England governor.
?If five years ago you?d said: ?Can you envisage the governor of the Bank of England talking to you in a Canadian accent?? we would have thought: ?That?s a bit odd?,? Mr Green told the BBC.
?But actually, Mark Carney is, I am told, the best central banker in the world and it?s great that he?s going to apply those talents in this country and the same will be true of senior policemen.?
His estimate that the head of Scotland Yard could be an American within ?years? may be a reference to Bill Bratton , the former New York and Los Angeles supercop, who has said he would be keen to head the Metropolitan Police.
Link: Foreigner to run UK police within ‘years’ - FT.com
Mr Green confirmed on Wednesday that the next stage of the government?s sweeping police reforms would open chief constable posts to recruits from abroad, and make middle-ranking officer roles accessible to outsiders with business experience.
When challenged on the idea of a non-Briton running UK police forces, the minister compared that to the appointment of Canadian Mark Carney as Bank of England governor.
?If five years ago you?d said: ?Can you envisage the governor of the Bank of England talking to you in a Canadian accent?? we would have thought: ?That?s a bit odd?,? Mr Green told the BBC.
?But actually, Mark Carney is, I am told, the best central banker in the world and it?s great that he?s going to apply those talents in this country and the same will be true of senior policemen.?
His estimate that the head of Scotland Yard could be an American within ?years? may be a reference to Bill Bratton , the former New York and Los Angeles supercop, who has said he would be keen to head the Metropolitan Police.
Link: Foreigner to run UK police within ‘years’ - FT.com
....... and if he came in cheapest they'd employ him.
Comment