Cressida Dick - Police Career

Police Career

In 1983, Dick joined the Metropolitan Police as a constable. In 1993, she joined the accelerated promotion course at Bramshill Police College, and in 1995, transferred to Thames Valley Police as a superintendent. She was operations superintendent at Oxford, and later served as area commander in Oxford for three years. In 2000, she completed the strategic command course and, in 2001, she was awarded an M.Phil in criminology from the University of Cambridge (Fitzwilliam College), graduating with the highest grade in her class.

In June 2001, she returned to the Metropolitan Police as a commander where she was head of the diversity directorate until 2003. She then became the head of Operation Trident, which investigates gun crimes within London's black community.

In the immediate aftermath of 21 July 2005 London bombings, she was the gold commander in the control room during the operation which led to the death of the Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, wrongly identified as a suicide bomber, on 22 July 2005.

In September 2006, the Metropolitan Police Authority announced her promotion to the rank of deputy assistant commissioner, specialist operations. On 30 June 2009 the Metropolitan Police Authority further announced her promotion to assistant commissioner in charge of the Specialist Crime Directorate. According to a BBC radio documentary, she is a supporter of the charity Common Purpose UK, having attended a course in 1995/96 while serving in TVP

In July 2011, Dick was appointed assistant commissioner, specialist operations following the resignation of John Yates, who stepped down in the wake of the phone hacking scandal.

Dick was appointed acting deputy commissioner and held the post between the retirement of Tim Godwin and the commencement of the new deputy commissioner's term at the beginning of 2012. She held the rank until 23 January 2012.