Police commissioner ‘welcomes’ home secretary’s pause on counter-terrorism move

Chief of the Met police Bernard Hogan-Howe has said he “welcomes” Home Secretary Theresa May’s pause on the review of whether counter-terrorism should stay a policing function.


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By Samera Owusu Tutu

23 Oct 2014

Speaking at Westminster Briefing’s National Security Summit, Hogan-Howe said: “I welcome the recent news that the Home secretary is postponing her review of whether counter-terrorism should remain a policing function. I feel strongly that the links between counter-terrorism and local policing, and the partnership between the police and the public, put us in the strongest position to fight the terror threat.”

In May 2013, the Home Affairs Select Committee recommended that the responsibility for counter-terrorism move from the Met Police to the National Crime Agency (NCA), which was formed in October 2013.

With the NCA a year old, May tried to re-examine the move, but this has now been postponed until after next year’s general election.

Hogan-Howe continued: “To me, there was never a strong argument for moving counter-terrorism away from the Metroplitan Police and the police service; I'm glad to see that review has now been [postponed], particularly at a time when we're incredibly busy dealing with it here and now.”

 

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