Police chiefs have warned London mayor, Boris Johnson, that political control of their officers is ‘entirely unacceptable'. Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, warned maintaining law and order was ‘far too important to be used as a political football'. It followed a claim by deputy London mayor, Kit Malthouse, that City Hall now had ‘its hands on the tiller' of the Metropolitan Police. The deputy mayor's comments were met with a flat denial from Met commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, whose appointment was made by the home secretary with the backing of Mr Johnson. Giving greater control over community policing issues was endorsed by Sir Simon Milton, when he led the LGA – before becoming a key adviser to Mr Johnson. But Sir Hugh rejected claims that senior officers were unaccountable, and attacked political interference. He said: ‘I find it entirely unacceptable… and I speak with absolute clarity for all the 44 chiefs that lead policing in this country.'
