Priti Patel has said Dame Cressida Dick deserves the public’s “profound gratitude” amid a continued row over her shock resignation.
The home secretary has commissioned a review into whether “due process” was followed by Sadiq Khan, while sources in the London mayor’s team hit out a “politically-motivated inquiry”.
Dame Cressida had been expected to continue as Metropolitan Police commissioner until the appointment of a successor, but on Monday the home secretary announced that she would be leaving the force in April.
“She deserves our profound gratitude for her decades of public service and leadership in policing, as well as our best wishes for the future,” Ms Patel said in a statement to parliament.
“Dame Cressida has shown exceptional dedication to fighting crime in London and beyond throughout her time as commissioner, as the first woman to hold the role of commissioner.”
A separate press release from the Home Office praised Dame Cressida’s dedication to “protect Londoners from harm in one of the toughest leadership jobs in the country”.
Ms Patel has commissioned a review into the circumstances leading to her resignation in February.
It came after the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, expressed a lack of confidence in Dame Cressida’s leadership.
Mr Khan had demanded a plan for addressing issues with the Metropolitan Police’s culture and public confidence following a damning report into behaviour at Charing Cross police station.
Dame Cressida submitted a response but the mayor was unhappy with its contents and did not believe the commissioner had grasped the scale of the problems, The Independent understands.
The exposure of officers’ racism and misogyny followed a succession of scandals including the murder of Sarah Everard, and damning inquiries into cases including the Stephen Port murders and unsolved killing of Daniel Morgan.
Dame Cressida said: “Following contact with the mayor of London, it is clear that the mayor no longer has sufficient confidence in my leadership to continue. He has left me no choice but to step aside.”
In her statement to parliament, Ms Patel said the circumstances “warrant a closer look at the legislation which governs the suspension and removal of the commissioner”.
A formal review will be carried out by Sir Tom Winsor, the former HM chief inspector of constabulary, with its findings to be presented to parliament when complete.
It will cover the timeline of events and circumstances leading up to Dame Cressida’s resignation, consider “whether due process was followed” and make recommendations for the future, the Home Office said.
A City Hall source said: “Rather than wasting officials’ time and taxpayers’ money ordering a politically-motivated inquiry about the resignation of a police commissioner who has overseen a host of scandals, the home secretary should finally show leadership and focus on the job of sorting out the huge issues facing the Met and police forces across the country.”
The home secretary said that the recruitment process for Dame Cressida’s replacement would be launched soon and conclude in the summer.
“The Metropolitan Police Service faces major challenges and needs to demonstrate sustained improvements in order to regain public trust in London and nationally,” she added.
“I will make my formal recommendation to Her Majesty the Queen. My recommendation will pay regard to the views of the mayor of London.”
Sir Steve House, Dame Cressida’s current deputy, is to become acting commissioner following her departure in April.
Last month, he formally requested for Ms Patel to set up a review of Mr Khan’s actions. Sir Steve told the London Assembly: “There’s a clear procedure in statute laid down to allow the removal of a chief officer.
“It’s not been followed in this instance, it’s not even been initiated. Due process has not been followed and instead we’ve seen matters played out in the media.”
A spokesperson for Mr Khan said he was working with the home secretary to “appoint a new commissioner who understands the depths of the problems faced by the force and has a plan to restore the trust and confidence of Londoners”.
“Public trust in the Met Police is at the lowest level on record, following a series of devastating scandals including the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer and the overt racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia and discrimination exposed at Charing Cross police station,” he added.
“It was against this backdrop that the mayor lost confidence in the ability of the current Met Commissioner to lead the deep-rooted change needed.”
