Britain's top cop back in home city to collect honorary degree
Thursday, 15 November, 2012
Britain's top cop has spoken of his love for Sheffield and looked ahead to tonight's police commissioner elections as 41 police forces go to the polls to elect them for the first time.
Attercliffe-born Bernard Hogan-Howe, appointed commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in September last year, received an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University on Wednesday, bringing him back to the city where he began his policing career.
Mr Hogan-Howe, 55, praised his South Yorkshire roots as he collected his honorary doctorate for services to policing.
He said: "It's great to be back in the city where I spent nearly the first 40 years of my life. Sheffield gave me my values and principles. I'm honoured that the University felt I deserved this degree."
Bernard Hogan-Howe was born in Brightside, one of Sheffield's most deprived areas at the time, before embarking on a successful policing career. He also studied for a postgraduate qualification at Sheffield Hallam.
Mr Hogan-Howe joined South Yorkshire Police aged 22. He worked across the South Yorkshire area in uniform, CID, traffic and personnel. During this time he policed Doncaster's mining community during the miners' strikes.
In 1997, he joined Merseyside Police and was Gold Commander during the national petrol disputes of 2000/2001.
Mr Hogan-Howe joined the Metropolitan Police Service as Assistant Commissioner in July 2001, before returning to Merseyside to become chief constable of Merseyside Police in 2004.
In 2009 he took up the role of Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary with responsibility for the London and National Office. During this time, he led the policing strategy for events such as the Olympics, counter terrorism and serious organised crime.
