Who could replace Cressida Dick?

Dame Cressida announced the news of her resignation on Thursday evening after she lost backing from London Mayor Sadiq Khan following the wake of scandals during her time leading Britain's biggest police force. 

But with no clear frontrunner, there's been speculation for who could take over the role from Dame Cressida. 

The group of frontrunners ranges from the Dame's closest colleagues to Chief constables of the UK's biggest cities. 

Metropolitan Police. (PA)

Who will replace Cressida Dick?

Matt Jukes: 

As an assistant Metropolitan Police commissioner who is currently working as head of the counter-terrorism, Jukes is a likely contender for many commentators. 

Jukes first joined South Yorkshire Police as a PC and moved up to South Wales Police, working his way up the ranks to the chief constable of South Wales Police.

He returned to the Metropolitan Police as an assistant commissioner in 2020.

Neil Basu:

Basu is also another assistant commissioner who has previously worked as head of counter-terrorisim. 

But unlike Jukes, Basu has spent his entire career serving in the Metropolitan Police.

In the past, he said that if someone used the racially offensive comments Boris Johnson had, they would not be admitted into the police force.

Basu, political comments could prove detrimental in his chances of succeeding Dame Cressida but he is widely popular among officers. 

Lucy D’Orsi:

Chief Constable of the British Transport Police D'Orsi has previously worked as a senior officer at the Met police. 

She has shown promise in her career by being in charge of police responses to the Beaufort Park fire in 2006 and she headed up security during Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to the UK in 2015.

If she was to succeed in becoming head of the Met, D'Orsi would be the second woman to become Metropolitan Police commissioner.

New Scotland Yard. (PA) (Image: PA)

Nick Ephgrave:

Ephgrave is the assistant commissioner for frontline policing and started his career in the Metropolitan Police but moved to become chief constable of Surrey Police in late 2015.

Back in 2019 Ephgrave returned to the Metropolitan Police as the assistant commissioner. 

Sir Stephen House:

As Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Stephen House is just below Dame Cressida.

The Scottish police officer has worked in several different forces and was appointed chief constable of Police Scotland in 2012.

But he has faced criticism for leading Police Scotland for his use of armed patrols and stop and search. 

Helen Ball:

The current Assistant Commissioner for the Met joined the force in 1987 but left in 2010 to join Thames Valley Police as assistant chief constable.

But returned to work in counter-terrorism policing before taking on a strategic leadership advisor role at the College of Policing.

Stephen Watson:

Known as one of the  “most experienced senior officers in the country”, Watson has been in the force since 1988 when he joined the Lancashire Constabulary.

In 2006 he was appointed to Merseyside Police as Chief Superintendent and joined the Met in 2011 as Commander for the East Area.

In May 2021 he became chief constable of Greater Manchester Police.

Simon Byrne:

Byrne began his career in 1982 in the Metropolitan Police before moving to Merseyside Police where he stayed for 20 years.

In 2011, he returned to the Met as assistant commissioner for Territorial Policing. He was appointed chief constable of Police Service Northern Ireland in 2019.

Martin Hewitt:

Hewitt began his career with Kent Police in 1993 and transferred to the Met in 2005. 

He was appointed chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in April 2019.