Blair resign

Sir Ian Blair Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police 52, joined the Metropolitan Police in 1974 under the graduate entry scheme. His first posting was as a Police Constable in Soho. His career is long and solid and but the most recent events are the most important.

* He was appointed Commissioner in February 2005.

* As commissioner he was party to the downscaling of terrorist threat to London.

* As commissioner he was responsible for the investigation and security response at community level to the bombings of July 7.

* As commissioner he was responsible for the failure to stop the bombings of the 21st and the investigation and all information made public thereafter.

* As commissioner he was responsible for the delayed press conference of the 22nd, in which misleading and untrue information was presented to the global media concerning the first victim of a shoot to kill policy he is responsible for.

* The force he leads is at the centre of a global outrage.

It seems that his background, in civic crises management and information management has not properly prepared him for the honourable course. He must offer his resignation.

To properly end this most regretably chapter of London's history, and to restore morale amongst those officers of the Metropolitan police force, and the confidence of London's many ethnic communities.

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He was educated at Wrekin College, Shropshire, Harvard High School, Los Angeles and Christ Church, Oxford. At Christ Church, he gained a Second Class Honours Degree in English Language and Literature.

He served as a Constable, Sergeant and Inspector in both uniform and CID in Central London. In 1985, as a Detective Chief Inspector, he took charge of the CID at Kentish Town in North London where, as well as conducting a number of major enquiries, he was responsible for the identification of those killed at the Kings Cross disaster.

Also in 1985, he published the book ‘Investigating Rape: A New Approach for Police’, which had a major impact on the way in which the police investigate offences of serious sexual assault.

In 1988, as a Superintendent, he managed the Metropolitan Police Crime Investigation Project which redesigned the purpose and structure of local CID offices throughout London. In 1989, he was appointed to Kensington Division.

In 1991, he was promoted to Chief Superintendent and appointed Staff Officer to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, based at the Home Office.

On his return to the Metropolitan Police in 1993, he was appointed the officer in charge of Operation Gallery, at that time the largest police corruption enquiry in London for a decade.

In 1994, he was appointed Assistant Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police with responsibility for territorial policing and took charge of policing the Newbury by-pass protests.

In 1996, he changed portfolio to take responsibility for Personnel matters. In 1997, Ian Blair became designated deputy to the Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police. This posting was short-lived because he became Chief Constable of Surrey in January 1998.

In February 2000, he returned to the Metropolitan Police as the Deputy Commissioner. As well as supporting the Commissioner in the overall direction of the MPS, he had lead responsibility for change management, for anti-corruption work, for diversity and for information management.

His biography is not yet available on wikipedia, which is odd,
being a Blair and a central character to boot...