Pic:New Met chief Cressida Dick will be paid £40k less than her predecessor
Staff reporter(wp/es):
New Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick is to take charge of the force next Monday with a £40,000 self-imposed pay cut, it was revealed today.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said she would take up her role new week becoming the most powerful police officer in the country and the first woman in charge of the force in its 188 year history.
However, the announcement also revealed that Ms Dick, 56, had been offered the £270,648 salary of her predecessor, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, as advertised for the role, but instead she had chosen to take the salary of £230,000.
The decision to take a 15 per cent pay cut is said to have been a “personal choice.”
Ms Dick will also not receive a police pension while she is in the job.
The statement issued by the Mayor does not include an explanation for her decision but it says she takes up her post at a challenging time in the Met’s recent history, “when budgets continue to be tightened, London’s population is booming, some crimes are rising and following the recent horrific terrorist attack in Westminster.“
One of her first engagements will be to attend the full police funeral of PC Keith Palmer in Southwark Cathedral next Monday.
PC Palmer, 48, was killed in the terror attack on March 22 when he tried to stop fanatic Khalid Masood from running into the Palace of Westminster armed with two knives. Masood was shot dead by an armed protection officer.
Ms Dick is understood to have attended Scotland Yard regularly since the terror crisis at a time she was due to be on holiday.
An insider said: “It was all hands to the pump. She has been low key but her input has been very impressive, she has been very calm.”
Ms Dick, who first joined the Met in 1983, said in a statement: “It is a great honour and privilege for me to be taking up this role. I am looking forward to leading what I believe to be the world’s best police service.
“The Met’s response to the terrible events in Westminster demonstrated it is highly professional and effective.
"I am grateful to my predecessor and his team for the planning that went into building such a response and also to Craig Mackey and Mark Rowley for the way in which they have demonstrated such capable and compassionate leadership.
“Terrorism is just one of the challenges we face. Alongside the Mayor and every single one of our officers and staff I will work tirelessly to keep our city safe.”
Mr Khan said: “Our Metropolitan police do an incredible job, working hard with enormous dedication every single day to keep Londoners safe, so it is vital that they have the best possible leader and I know we have found her in Cressida Dick.
“Cressida has already had a long and distinguished career, and brings enormous experience and expertise to lead the Met through some challenging times.
"I am very much looking forward to working with her to keep our capital safe and protected."
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