Cressida Dick
Encyclopedia
Assistant Commissioner
Cressida Dick, QPM
(born 1960) is a senior officer in London's
Metropolitan Police
. Before 2005 she attracted little media attention, but became well-known as having been the officer in command of the operation which led to the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes
. In June 2009, she was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner, the first woman to hold this rank substantively. She holds the Queen's Police Medal
for distinguished service.
historian and Marcus William Dick, Senior Tutor at Balliol College, Oxford
and Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia
. She was born and raised in Oxford
, England
, and educated at the Dragon School
(Oxford), Oxford High School, and Balliol College, Oxford
. Before joining the police force she worked in a large accountancy firm.
. In 1993, she joined the staff of the Accelerated Promotion Course at Bramshill Police College, and in 1995, joined 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
, mistakenly 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 and on 30 June 2009 the Metropolitan Police Authority 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
.
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.
Assistant Commissioner
Assistant commissioner is a rank used in many police forces across the globe. It is also a rank used in revenue administrations in many countries.-Australia:...
Cressida Dick, QPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(born 1960) is a senior officer in London's
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
. Before 2005 she attracted little media attention, but became well-known as having been the officer in command of the operation which led to the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes
Jean Charles de Menezes
Jean Charles de Menezes was a Brazilian man shot in the head seven times at Stockwell tube station on the London Underground by the London Metropolitan police, after he was misidentified as one of the fugitives involved in the previous day's failed bombing attempts...
. In June 2009, she was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner, the first woman to hold this rank substantively. She holds the Queen's Police Medal
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
for distinguished service.
Early life
Cressida is third and youngest child of Cecilia Dick (née Buxton), an OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
historian and Marcus William Dick, Senior Tutor at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
and Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
. She was born and raised in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and educated at the Dragon School
Dragon School
The Dragon School is a British coeducational, preparatory school in the city of Oxford, founded in 1877 as the Oxford Preparatory School, or OPS. It is primarily known as a boarding school, although it also takes day pupils...
(Oxford), Oxford High School, and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. Before joining the police force she worked in a large accountancy firm.
Police career
In 1983, she joined the Metropolitan Police as a ConstableConstable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
. In 1993, she joined the staff of the Accelerated Promotion Course at Bramshill Police College, and in 1995, joined Thames Valley Police
Thames Valley Police
Thames Valley Police, formerly known as Thames Valley Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the Thames Valley area covered by the ceremonial counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire....
as a Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
. 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
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(Fitzwilliam College), graduating with the highest grade in her class.
In June 2001, she returned to the Metropolitan Police as a Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
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
21 July 2005 London bombings
On 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of London's public transport system two weeks after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. The explosions occurred around midday at Shepherd's Bush, Warren Street and Oval stations on London Underground, and on a bus in Shoreditch...
, she was the Gold Commander in the control room during the operation which led to the death of the Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes
Jean Charles de Menezes
Jean Charles de Menezes was a Brazilian man shot in the head seven times at Stockwell tube station on the London Underground by the London Metropolitan police, after he was misidentified as one of the fugitives involved in the previous day's failed bombing attempts...
, mistakenly 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
Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Deputy assistant commissioner is a rank in London's Metropolitan Police Service between assistant commissioner and commander. It is equivalent to deputy chief constable in other British police forces and wears the same insignia: a pip above crossed tipstaves within a wreath.The rank was introduced...
Specialist Operations and on 30 June 2009 the Metropolitan Police Authority announced her promotion to Assistant Commissioner
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, usually just Assistant Commissioner , is the third highest rank in London's Metropolitan Police, ranking below Deputy Commissioner and above Deputy Assistant Commissioner. There are usually four officers in the rank...
in charge of the Specialist Crime Directorate
Specialist Crime Directorate
The Specialist Crime Directorate is one of the main branches of the London Metropolitan Police Service. It deals with a wide range of criminality from murder to organised crime. Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick is currently the head of the directorate...
. According to a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio documentary, she is a supporter of the charity Common Purpose UK
Common Purpose UK
Common Purpose UK is a British charity that runs leadership development programmes across the UK.Founded in 1989 by its current Chief Executive, Julia Middleton, its aim is to improve the way organisations and society work together by developing all kinds of leaders through a programme of diverse...
.
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.