The straight-talking police chief

Sir John has still got work to do if London is to be safer

by BBC News Online's David Schaffer

Straight-talking has been a hallmark of Sir John Stevens's tenure as commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

However, grabbing headlines is unlikely to have been his prime motivation for his comments about the British court system.

These kinds of opinions have been part of securing jobs during a 36-year career that would almost inevitably put him in the spotlight.

From co-ordinating security investigations in Northern Ireland, to admitting he was "pretty certain" who killed Stephen Lawrence, his comments would never go unnoticed.

He is charming, persuasive and absolutely ruthless in terms of achieving his aims

Alan Brown, former chief superintendent of Northumbria police

His ability to play the political game will also have been a motivation in speaking out against the UK courts system.

Having recently come under pressure from Home Secretary David Blunkett to tackle rising violent crime in London, Sir John's speech on Wednesday was another calculated move to get ministers listening.

But as well as ensuring he doesn't shoulder the responsibility for crime issues alone, his words will also have been designed to retain the confidence of rank-and-file officers.

Being a motivating force to his staff throughout his career appears to have been another quality that has led him to the top.

When he was head of Northumbria police in the early 1990s, admiration from his staff was all too clear.

In 2000, Newcastle police officer Steve Tunmore told BBC News Online that turning the problems of crime around were largely down to Sir John.

He said: "He was a leader when we desperately needed one.

Gun crime remains a major problem in London

"Mr Stevens acknowledged [there were] problems, called for [community] volunteers, asked what they needed to deal with it and provided it."

Alan Brown, who served as a chief superintendent under Sir John, also said at the time: "He is charming, persuasive and absolutely ruthless in terms of achieving his aims."

However, Sir John must also be aware of the limited mileage the likes of high-profile speeches and launching crime fighting initiatives have got.

Last August, he was celebrating the launch of the Euroshear machine, which destroys up to 50 guns an hour.

During 2001 however, there was an increase of more than 100% in the numbers of murders involving firearms in London, on previous years.

With gun-related deaths still an almost daily occurrence in London, the straight-talking chief has as much work to do, to retain respect from the communities he serves.

His rise through the ranks has been marked by a commitment to investigating crimes.

'Institutional racism'

Sir John headed numerous high-profile murder investigations and inquiries, including the hunt for escaped spy George Blake.

In five years at Northumbria, the crime rate there was reduced by 42%.

However, within the precincts of the Met itself, there are considerable problems that have not been quick to recede.

The "institutional racism" charge in the Macpherson Report, commissioned after Stephen Lawrence's murder, is a tag that still haunts the force.

Only last week, senior Asian officer Gurpal Virdi took up his post in the force, after being suspended for four years over wrongful accusations of racism.

Aside from internal issues, making London a safer place to live was a prime objective Sir John stressed when he was unveiled as Sir Paul Condon's successor for the £130,000 post he holds.

Three years later it is clear it must remain one of his most important priorities.