Helen Ball QPM (born April 1961) is a retired senior British police officer. During part of her final year in policing she served as Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service.[1][2][3][4] At a national level she has been senior coordinator for counter terrorism policing (2013–2016) and strategic leadership advisor to the College of Policing (seconded 2016).[5]
Helen Ball | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis Acting | |
| In office April 2022 – 12 September 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Stephen House |
| Succeeded by | Lynne Owens (Acting) |
| Assistant Commissioner (Professionalism) Metropolitan Police Service | |
| In office July 2017 – October 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Helen King |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Gray |
| Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Territorial Policing) Metropolitan Police Service | |
| In office 2012–2013 | |
| Senior National Co-ordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing National Police Chiefs' Council | |
| In office August 2013 – October 2016 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Helen Elizabeth Ball April 1961 (age 63) |
| Profession | Police officer |
Career
editBall first became a police officer in 1987 as part of the Metropolitan Police, rising to the rank of Operational Command Unit Commander in 2007 and remaining with them until 2010. She then transferred to become Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable, leading on Crime and Criminal Justice,[6] and remained there for two years before returning to the Met as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Territorial Policing. She is the current trustee of the government-funded charity Police Now.[7]
In March 2019, Ball chaired a disciplinary hearing of PC Terry Malka, convicted of outraging public decency by masturbating while traveling on a train, which decided to issue a final written warning rather than sacking him. As of February 2023, Malka was still serving with the force; this is being reviewed by the Metropolitan Police as part of an internal review into historic sex allegations.[8]
In December 2021, after a coroner's hearing into the 2014–15 murders by Stephen Port, Ball admitted that "a number of recent events" had damaged trust in the Metropolitan Police.[9] Later that month 2021 Ball chaired a misconduct panel which dismissed Jamie Rayner, a police constable already jailed for assaulting and strangling his partner during a 'controlling and coercive' relationship.[10] After the activist Kate Wilson won £229,471 civil damages from the Metropolitan Police in January 2022 for being deceived into a sexual relationship with an undercover police officer, Ball acknowledged the "gravity of the judgment" and that the police had breached Wilson's human rights.[11]
Following the resignation of the incumbent Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in April 2022, Stephen House has acted as Commissioner and while Ball has acted as Deputy Commissioner while the Home Office and Mayor of London recruit a permanent replacement.[12] In August 2022 she announced her intention to retire in October that year.[13]
Honours
edit
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
| Queen's Police Medal (QPM) | ||
| Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal |
| |
| Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
| |
| Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal |
| |
| Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal |
References
edit- ^ "Three top Met officers to depart as new boss prepares to take over".
- ^ "Senior management team: Who's who".
- ^ "Met police appoints new assistant commissioner". Fire Safety Matters. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- ^ "Assistant Met Commissioner accepts findings of hearing into Sean Riggs death". 1 March 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- ^ "DAC Helen Ball Blog: Reflections on 'Look Outs'. October 2016".
- ^ "Project Griffin". YouTube. 20 August 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- ^ "About Us | POLICE NOW". 14 July 2020.
- ^ Evans, Martin (21 February 2023). "Met Police officer caught masturbating on train still a serving officer". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Robert Wright (10 December 2021). "Trust in Met Police has been damaged, senior officer admits after inquest". Financial Times. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ Josh Bolton (5 January 2022). "Met Police officer sacked after strangling his partner and forcing her to lie about her injuries". MyLondon. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ Rob Evans (25 January 2022). "Activist deceived into relationship with Met officer wins £229,000 compensation". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ Matt Frei (19 May 2022). ""We won't be releasing further evidence to the public" on Partygate investigation, Acting Deputy Commissioner at the Met". Channel 4 News. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ Weaver, Matthew (8 August 2022). "Three top Met officers to depart as new boss prepares to take over". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2022.