Former Mersey officer in top job

Dec 1 2008 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

A FORMER Merseyside police officer will today officially take the reins of Britain’s largest police force.

Sir Paul Stephenson will be the acting commissioner of the Metropolitan police while a permanent successor to Sir Ian Blair, who bowed out on Friday, is sought.

Sir Paul, 55, was brought up in the Lancashire town of Bacup, rapidly rising through the ranks during stints in Northern Ireland, Merseyside and Lancashire. He has already become the face of Scotland Yard over the past few weeks as Sir Ian slowly cleared his desk.

Sir Paul’s first day coincides with the closing date for applications to fill the high-profile role permanently and he is seen as the front-runner, although he faces stiff competition from the current Merseyside police chief constable, Bernard Hogan-Howe, among others.

Sir Paul has already faced tough questions from London Mayor Boris Johnson over the arrest of shadow immigration minister Damian Green.