BBC News 8 July 2022
Sir Mark Rowley has been named as the new commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, taking over the role vacated by Dame Cressida Dick.
Sir Mark, 57, served as head of the Met Police's counter-terrorism unit between 2014 and 2018, before leaving to take a role in private industry.
Dame Cressida stood down as commissioner in February following a series of scandals.
In a statement, he said: "Our mission is to lead the renewal of policing by consent which has been so heavily dented in recent years, as trust and confidence have fallen.
"We will deliver more trust, less crime and high standards for London and beyond, and we will work with London's diverse communities as we together renew the uniquely British invention of 'policing by consent'."
Sir Mark will serve an initial five-year term, with an annual salary of just under £293,000.
In 2018 he was knighted after leading the national police response to the Manchester Arena bombing, the Westminster Bridge attack and the London Bridge attack.
Sir Mark began his police career as a constable in the West Midlands force in 1987, after graduating with a degree in mathematics from Cambridge University.
Between 2008 and 2011, he was the chief constable of Surrey Police, before joining the Met to become the assistant commissioner for specialist crime and operations.
Since leaving the Met Police, Sir Mark has worked on security and policy projects including carrying out a review with the Commission for Countering Extremism.
He first applied to be commissioner in 2017, losing out to Dame Cressida.
The Met's first female commissioner resigned five months ago after Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he had lost confidence in her leadership.
The final months of her tenure were marked by a series of scandals, including the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving policeman and Dame Cressida's handling of racist and homophobic messages shared by a group of officers at Charing Cross police station.
Analysis by Sonja Jessup, BBC London home affairs correspondent
Many will recognise Sir Mark Rowley as the man who guided the country through those dark days in 2017, after several terror attacks.
Now he faces another tough challenge - to lead the country's largest police force, at a time when a series of scandals has shaken public confidence.
Last week the police watchdog effectively placed the force in special measures.
Some of those who have commented on the process to find a new leader felt it should be someone from outside the force; a commissioner who could take a fresh look at the Met's challenges.
It has also been noted that it came down to an "all male, all white" choice - after a process of whittling down the candidates, the final two were Sir Mark and Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave.
But Sir Mark's supporters point to his huge experience and leadership qualities. The mayor says the new commissioner has made it clear he is determined to be a reformer.
Certainly, he'll be under pressure to deliver change - and quickly.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said of the new appointment: "I look forward to working closely with Sir Mark.
"This will be a challenging period, but with a focus on tackling neighbourhood crime and delivering the basics of policing, Sir Mark is committed to tackling the significant challenges confronting the force and to making London's streets safer by driving down crime and bringing more criminals to justice."
Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said it was "disappointing that Priti Patel and Sadiq Khan decided to bring back Mark Rowley from retirement".
The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP said of Sir Mark: "He spent much of his career in the Met. No evidence that he is a reformer. Missed opportunity."
