Paul Condon, Baron Condon
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Not to be confused with the author of the same name (and Old Ignatian), Paul Condon
| Paul Leslie Condon | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 10, 1947 |
Paul Leslie Condon, Baron Condon, QPM, DL (b. 10 March 1947) is a retired British policeman. He was the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police (covering London) from 1993 to 2000.
He joined the police in 1967 and became Chief Constable of Kent in 1988. He became Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 1993 at the age of 45 (the youngest Commissioner [1].
Condon's tenure saw various challenges, most notably he:
- Led the fight against Irish and Middle Eastern terrorism
- Commanded diverse events as the policing of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the millennium celebrations, with over three million people in central London.
- Led a campaign against police corruption, which led to 70 people being charged, 100 police officers suspended and changes to legislation
- Introduced better equipment and training and reduced injuries on duty by 50% and days lost through sickness by 30%
- To achieve more from less, he dramatically reduced the number of senior officers and outsourced most support services including pay and pensions, vehicle maintenance, technology and estate management.
- Founded the Black Police Association, in November 1994
He later became became head of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit, investigating the game's betting controversies [2].
He read Jurisprudence at St Peter's College, Oxford and was made an Honorary Fellow in 1996. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Companion of the Institute of Management. He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal for distinguished service in 1989 and was knighted in 1994. He was created a life peer in 2001, as Baron Condon, of Langton Green in the County of Kent, and sits as a cross-bencher in the House of Lords [3]. On March 19th 2007 Mohammed Al Fayed launched legal action in France against Lord Condon, alleging he deliberately withheld evidence from the French inquiry into the death of the Princess of Wales in 1997 [4].
In March 2007, Lord Condon was named to assist Jamaican Police in their inquiry into the strangulation murder of Pakistan's World Cup cricket coach, Bob Woolmer. 58 year old Woolmer, a former England Test player and South African cricket coach, was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room, hours after Pakistan's upset defeat to Ireland. This loss eliminated the Pakistan side, ranked fourth in the world, from the World Cup competition.
He is married with three children and two grandsons and lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. His hobbies include swimming, walking, reading and opera.
| Police Appointments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Peter Imbert |
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis 1993 – 2000 |
Succeeded by Sir John Stevens |
