Profile: Sir Paul Stephenson

Wednesday, 28 January 2009 12:00 AM

By Laura Miller

Deputies live out life in the shadows, waiting and desperately hoping the boss falls from grace before they themselves are too old to take over. Often they are disappointed.

But not Sir Paul. After four years as deputy chief commissioner, his boss fell... and then was pushed.

No-one has suggested the former chief of Lancashire constabulary was anything but completely loyal to Sir Ian Blair during his time in office. And his professional record is solid; the Lancashire force consistently reported record falls in burglary and rising police numbers while he chaired their strategy groups. Nevertheless Sir Ian's sudden departure transferred authority, if precarious, to an untested deputy.

The Damian Green affair dragged Sir Paul into the spotlight and offered a demonstration of his leadership ability if, as is now the case, he got the job permanently.

Unprecedented raids on the shadow immigration secretary's parliamentary and home offices were followed by his nine hour arrest, actions which put Sir Paul's anti-terrorism chief Bob Quick under heavy fire from the Tories for leading the team that carried out the operation.

Eventually, Quick snapped and claimed "Tory machinery" and its supporters were "mobilised" against his investigation, when weeks of pressure ended with details of his home address appearing in the press. He later apologised, but the Tories hinted his position was now untenable.

In response, Sir Paul gave an impassioned defence not just of the "excellent" job done by Quick, but of the essential need for the force to remain impartial and not to become politicised, an accusation that often dogged Sir Ian's leadership of the Met.

The police, he said, must act without fear or favour, whoever may be involved.

Some had speculated that the Green affair, and Sir Paul's defence of Quick and his team, had put him out of the race.

It may have been just the opportunity he needed to prove his suitability for the job.

Apparently Boris Johnson backed Sir Paul because he felt he would be boring, a welcome antidote to headline grabbing Sir Ian.

The new commissioner confirmed today that he was happy to stay out of the public eye, proud to lead the Met, but not desperate to leave his old shadows.

But steady-headed Sir Paul may find he has no choice. Tackling terrorism, leading national policing strategies, combating knife crime and making the 2012 Olympics secure are among the tasks he will face, while running a staff of more than 50,000 and a budget of £3.5 billion.

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