Paul Condon, Baron Condon

The Right Honourable
The Lord Condon
QPM DL
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
In office
1 January 1993 – 31 December 1999
Preceded by Sir Peter Imbert
Succeeded by Sir John Stevens
Personal details
Born Paul Leslie Condon
(1947-03-10) 10 March 1947

Paul Leslie Condon, Baron Condon, QPM, DL, FRSA (born 10 March 1947) is a retired British police officer. He was the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1993 to 2000.

Education

Condon read Jurisprudence at St Peter's College, Oxford and was made an Honorary Fellow in 1996.

Career

Policing

Paul Condon joined the police in 1967. He became Chief Constable of Kent in 1988 and Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 1993 at the age of 45, the youngest person to do so, stepping down in 2000.[1][2] His tenure as head of the Metropolitan Police Service was marked by the Stephen Lawrence case, which became a major controversy. The subsequent public Macpherson Report found the force to be "institutionally racist" and that the failure to arrest and successfully prosecute those believed guilty brought about many changes in the way the Metropolitan Police investigated murder within the capital. In 1995, Condon attracted controversy and media attention for stating that most muggers are black.[3][4] Other challenges Condon faced were Irish republican terrorism, the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, the millennium celebrations and police corruption, which led to 70 people being charged, 100 police officers suspended and changes to legislation.

Post-police career

Just six weeks after his retirement from the Metropolitan Police, Condon became head of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit, investigating the game's betting controversies.[5]

In March 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.[6] Condon was also named to assist Jamaican Police in their inquiry into the strangulation murder of Pakistan's World Cup cricket coach, Bob Woolmer. In March 2007, fifty-eight-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.

Director of G4S PLC

Condon was deputy chairman of the board of G4S until he retired from the board in 2012.[7]

Personal life

Condon is married with three children, three grandsons and a granddaughter and lives in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Honours

Condon is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a Companion of the Institute of Management. He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal for distinguished service (QPM) in 1989. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 20 July 1994.[8] He was appointed Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John (CStJ) in April 1994.[9]

On 27 April 2001, it was announced that a life peerage would be conferred upon him.[10] He was created Baron Condon, of Langton Green in the County of Kent.[11] He sits as a cross-bencher in the House of Lords.[12]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.met.police.uk/history/condon.htm
  2. ↑ "Profile: Sir Paul Condon". BBC News Online. 1999-02-19. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  3. ↑ Steele, John (2002-01-12). "Anti-mugging squad targets 'pack leaders'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  4. ↑ Steele, John (2001-06-19). "Quarter of men accused are black". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  5. ↑ Petropoulos, Thrasy (2000-11-02). "Cricket's special branch". BBC News website. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  6. ↑ "Al Fayed in new Diana legal fight". BBC News website. 2007-03-19. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  7. ↑ G4S Board Members
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 53910. p. 307. 10 January 1995. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 53643. p. 5667. 15 April 1994. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56188. p. 5067. 27 April 2001. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  11. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 56260. p. 7767. 2 July 2001. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "Member Profile - Lord Condon". UK Parliament. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
Police appointments
Preceded by
Sir Peter Imbert		 Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
1993–2000 		Succeeded by
Sir John Stevens
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