Ex-counter-terrorism chief named new head of London's beleaguered police force

Home Secretary Priti Patel said Rowley was taking on the job as Commissioner when public trust in the London force had been "severely undermined by a number of significant failings". "Rebuilding public trust and delivering on crime reduction must be his priority," she said.

Mark Rowley, Britain's former counter-terrorism police chief who led investigations into a series of attacks in 2017, was on Friday named the new head of London's beleaguered police force, accused of repeated mistakes and poor behaviour among officers.

Just last month, the Metropolitan Police was placed in special measures by a watchdog after criticism over its handling of a string of high profile cases, which came on top of revelations of a culture of bullying, racial discrimination and misogyny within its ranks. The force was particularly shaken last year by the abduction, rape and murder of a woman, Sarah Everard, by one of its officers, and then the policing of a vigil in her honour was later found to be unlawful by a London court.

"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," Rowley said. Home Secretary Priti Patel said Rowley was taking on the job as Commissioner when public trust in the London force had been "severely undermined by a number of significant failings".

"Rebuilding public trust and delivering on crime reduction must be his priority," she said. In February, former chief Cressida Dick resigned after London Mayor Sadiq Khan told her he was not satisfied she could root out the problems that existed within the force.