Northamptonshire Chief Constable Nick Adderley salutes Dame Cressida Dick after Met Commissioner quits

Northamptonshire Chief Constable Nick Adderley has paid tribute to Dame Cressida Dick after she was ousted as the England's top cop on Thursday night (February 10).

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, 61, resigned after losing the confidence of London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Mr Adderley tweeted: "Four decades of loyal and dedicated service from a colleague who led with dignity, integrity, pride and passion.

"The service will deeply miss her wise council and influential impact on policing, which stretched way beyond London."

Dame Cressida, who became the Met Police’s first ever female Commissioner in 2017, has been under pressure recently with question marks over culture within the force in light of the killing of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer and the Met’s reaction to a vigil held in memory of the young woman, and offensive messages sent by officers at Charing Cross station.

The force had also been criticised for its delay in launching an investigation into the ‘partygate’ scandal.

A statement issued by the Met on her behalf last night said: "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 as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service."

Dame Cressida — who first joined the Met as a constable in 1983, patrolling a beat in London's West End — faced calls to resign after the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, last week found 'disgraceful' misogyny, discrimination and sex harassment among some Met PCs.

In his own statement Mr Khan said he was 'not satisfied' with Dame Cressida's response to the police watchdog's report and that she 'will be stepping aside' as a consequence.

Former Northamptonshire Police Chief Inspector, Sir Steve House is among those being touted as possible replacements for Dame Cressida.

Sir Steve, who spent six years in the county from 1988 earning several promotions from sergeant, has been Deputy Commissioner at the Met since 2018.