Deputy chosen to head the Met chief

JOHN STEVENS, the Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, will be named today as the head of Scotland Yard - the most powerful policing job in Britain.

The 56-year-old officer, who made his name as a crime fighter and anti- corruption campaigner, will be named the new Commissioner by Jack Straw, the Home Secretary.

Mr Stevens, who will take up the pounds 130,000-a-year post in January when Sir Paul Condon stands down, has been offered a five-year contract.

One of his first priorities will be to reverse the rising crime rate in the capital by making greater use of pro-active and intelligence-led policing. Greater use of CCTV is also expected.

He believes Scotland Yard is too bureaucratic and intends to scrap a number of posts. He has said privately that the force, which has a pounds 1.7bn budget and employs 44,000 staff, needs a "major shake-up".

His appointment will be a popular one among Met officers, who are low in morale after the Stephen Lawrence debacle, which resulted in allegations of the force being "institutionally racist". Mr Stevens admits to being "horrified" at the blunders made during the case.

Critics of the Met will be disappointed Mr Straw has not gone for a more radical appointment and selected someone from outside Scotland Yard.

Mr Stevens beat off challenges from Charles Pollard, Chief Constable of Thames Valley, Michael O'Byrne, Chief Constable of Bedfordshire, and Ian Blair who, as the 46-year-old head of Surrey Police, is already being tipped as Mr Stevens' successor.

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