Reforms made to policing in London mean that Boris Johnson has now become the head of the capital’s force, despite comments that the move is undemocratic.



The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act led to Monday’s abolishment of the Metropolitan Police Authority, transferring powers over to the newly established Mayor’s office for Policing and Crime. This means that the MPA’s responsibility to hold the Met to account as well as setting the police budget have been given to Boris Johnson’s office, giving the mayor “unequivocal responsibility” over the capital’s force.



London is the first UK city to adopt the change in law which will see mayoral influence over police forces increase significantly. Though the operational, day to day running of the Met remains in the hands of Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe, elected mayors will set objectives for the police while assuming control of the force's chequebook.



“The government is transforming policing for the modern age with the most radical programme of change for more than 50 years,” said minister for policing and criminal justice, Nick Herbert. “The introduction of directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners is part of our reform agenda which will free the police to fight crime at the national and local level, deliver better value for the taxpayer and give the public a stronger voice.”



Detractors have said that the change risks turning the former 23-member Met Police Authority into a body singularly controlled by the mayor.



“There is significant danger of concentrating all of this power in the hands of one individual,” former Met deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick told Yahoo! News. “At least with all of the different backgrounds [in the Met Police Authority] we had a range of views included but now it will just be the mayor’s. This is a very worrying development, Boris Johnson is not in touch with the reality that faces Londoners day to day.”



Mr Paddick, who is standing for the Liberal Democrats in May’s Mayoral elections, also aired fears that Boris Johnson’s background is not suitable for him to be at the helm of the Met. “It is very difficult for somebody who lives a privileged life to adequately represent the needs of London. Not only is the mayor inexperienced [in policing] but so are his background team,” he said.



“We have to remind the people of London that they are not only electing a mayor, they are also picking someone who will be in control of the budget and personnel within the Met. Following the riots last August and with the Olympics this August London clearly needs a mayor with a track record in policing.”



Though the reforms will mean Boris Johnson is set to take on a range of new powers for the first time, he experienced the inner workings of the capital’s police as chairman of the Met Police Authority between 2008 and 2010. The mayor stepped down from the position after it was confirmed that the body would be abolished and transformed into the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime.



Boris Johnson has had a tumultuous relationship with the Met since he became London Mayor in May 2008. Former commissioner Sir Ian Blair resigned in October 2008, stating that there was "a process in place that the mayor chose not to respect". Blair’s successor, Paul Stephenson, resigned after discussions with the mayor following allegations that the Met had strong links to phone hacking within the ‘News of the World’.



“Londoners rightly expect to live in a safe city and I’ll now be keeping an even closer eye on every aspect of policing, ensuring more than ever that the crimes that most concern Londoners are addressed,” said Johnson on the MPA’s replacement. “Protecting our police force and getting more officers out pounding the streets is more crucial than ever.”









































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