Who is Stephen House? Who Scots Deputy Met Commissioner is, why House quit Police Scotland in 2015 and Commissioner contenders

Sir Stephen House is among the contenders to take over from Dame Cressida Dick as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police – here’s who the former Police Scotland chief is

Following Dame Cressida Dick’s resignation as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London after her leadership of the UK’s chief police force became mired in scandals, alleged corruption and accusations of a toxic workplace culture, Home Secretary Priti Patel is now looking to appoint the next Met Commissioner.

As Ms Patel and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan clash over the potential candidates and future of the Met Commissioner role after Dick’s heavily scrutinised reign, former Police Scotland chief and current Deputy Commissioner of the Met, Sir Stephen House, is among those who could take over as head of the force.

Who is Stephen House? Who Scots Deputy Met Commissioner is, why House quit Police Scotland in 2015 and Commissioner contenders (Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The 65-year-old Glaswegian police chief has paved a successful but similarly scrutinised path in his climb through the ranks to the deputy head of the Metropolitan Police.

But who is Sir Stephen House? And why did he retire as Police Scotland’s Chief in 2015?

Here’s what you need to know.

Who is Stephen House?

65-year-old Stephen House was born in Glasgow in 1957 and has served in various uniform operational posts at English and Scottish police forces, including the head of Police Scotland and Assistant Commissioner of Met throughout his career.

Having joined Sussex Police in 1981 after studying at Aberdeen University, House rose through the ranks to take on further uniform operational posts in the Sussex, Northamptonshire and West Yorkshire Police forces until he joined Sussex Police in 1981.

House first joined the Metropolitan Police as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner in 2001, after a three-year stint at Staffordshire Police as an Assistant Chief Constable.

Having been awarded a Queen’s Police Medal in 2005, he rose to take on the role of Assistant Commissioner at the Met – initially serving in central operations before moving on to focus on Specialist Crime.

In 2007, House became Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police – Scotland’s largest police force – with the post helping to align him with future leadership roles at Police Scotland.