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Tim Godwin set to leave Met Police

PUBLISHED October 10, 2011
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Scotland Yard faces another departure Another day another pending departure at the Metropolitan Police. Never mind that there are only eight months left until the force faces its greatest policing challenge ever at the Olympic Games, senior figures continue their exodus from Scotland Yard. Next out of the door, it seems, will be deputy commissioner Tim Godwin, the man who has spent much of this year running the Met. It seems Godwin - who was one of four candidates for the commissioner job - is choosing now to seek new challenges in a policy/think tank role within the criminal justice system. Godwin has been deputy commissioner since July 2009, and became acting commissioner in December 2010 when the then chief Sir Paul Stephenson was undergoing and recovering from surgery. When Stephenson and assistant commissioner John Yates quit this summer over the phone hacking scandal, Godwin again stepped up. But with the appointment of the new commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe, it seems Godwin feels the time is right to leave. Last month another senior figure quit; Ian McPherson, assistant commissioner announced his decision to leave and pursue a job in the private sector. He will be gone by December. The departure of so many senior officers as the countdown to the Olympics begins leaves a huge vacuum on the management board and amounts to a serious loss of experience. Reshuffling the top team will have to be done quickly, and one favourite for the deputy commissioner role is Cressida Dick. But it may be felt that she should remain in her new role running counter terrorism where she was swiftly despatched when Yates resigned in July. Hogan-Howe could look outside for his deputy. Many believe the only man capable of working with the new commissioner - who is known to have a temper on him - is his old colleague Jon Murphy, currently chief constable of Merseyside where he was Hogan-Howe's deputy until 2009. Watch this space... Metropolitan police London Police Crime Sandra Laville guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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