Cressida Dick to step down as Metropolitan Police chief

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It follows a series of scandals at the force, including the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer, Wayne Couzens, and racist and misogynist and homophobic messages exchanged by officers at Charing Cross police station. “It’s clear that the only way to start to deliver the scale of the change required is to have new leadership right at the top of the Metropolitan Police.” “I would like to thank Dame Cressida Dick for her 40 years of dedicated public service, with the vast majority spent at the Met where she was the first woman to become commissioner. Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Show all 36 1 / 36 Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A well-wisher places flowers at a bandstand AFP via Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A woman cries at a memorial site at the Clapham Common Bandstand Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People mourn at a memorial site Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People mourn at a memorial site Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A group of women hug as they stand in front of tributes for Sarah Everard Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A photograph of Sarah Everard is left with tributes to her at the bandstand on Clapham Common Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A woman reacts at a memorial site Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Stones with signatures on them lie at a memorial site at the Clapham Common Bandstand Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Two women embrace as they stand before tributes for Sarah Everard Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People leave floral tributes PA Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather at a memorial site in Clapham Common Bandstand Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather to lay flowers and pay their respects Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A message is seen among the flowers on Clapham Common Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People mourn at a memorial site at the Clapham Common Bandstand Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A woman leaves a floral tribute AP Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A woman reacts at a memorial site Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather at a memorial site in Clapham Common Bandstand Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Members of the public surround tributes for Sarah Everard at the bandstand on Clapham Common Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Well-wishers make their way towards a band-stand AFP via Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather at a memorial site Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather at a memorial site Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Women gather at the band stand PA Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather at the band stand PA Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A woman reacts as she looks at tributes Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather to lay flowers and pay their respects Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather at the band stand PA Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather at a memorial site Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather at the band stand AP Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A woman holds a sign at a memorial site Reuters Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People gather AP Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil People in the crowd turn on their phone torches PA Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A woman holds up a placard PA Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Well-wishers shout slogans as they gather AFP via Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil A woman is arrested Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Police officers form a cordon AFP via Getty Images Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil Police detain a woman Reuters “She would be the first to say that she has held the role during challenging times; yet for nearly five years she has undertaken her duties with a steadfast dedication to protecting our capital city and its people, including during the unprecedented period of the pandemic,” she said. Among those celebrating Dame Cressida’s resignation were members of the Reclaim These Streets group, who took the force to the High Court after being threatened with fines and prosecutions over a vigil for Sarah Everard.