Former head of Met to address Scots officers

A CONTROVERSIAL former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police is to give a speech to officers in Scotland today on leadership.

Sir Ian Blair's visit comes one day after the Scottish Government announced a consultation on a single force, a move many inside the police believe will lead to the creation of Scotland's own commissioner.

Sir Ian's time at the head of the UK's biggest force was exceptionally turbulent and dogged by controversy.

He took the role in February 2005, months before the 7 July terrorist attacks in London in which 52 people died.

Just two weeks later, police successfully tracked down and arrested four men behind a second terrorist attack, in which the explosives failed to detonate.

However, it was the shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, at Stockwell Underground station, by officers who mistakenly believed he was a terrorist, that dogged his three years in charge, even though Sir Ian was cleared of any wrongdoing.

He is speaking on the third and final day of a course for those of superintendent rank at the Scottish Policing College at Tulliallan Castle.

He is billed as an "inspirational guest speaker".

The course is designed to help senior Scottish officers consider diverse ways of thinking in leadership, negotiate and influence beyond their sphere of authority, and appreciate and apply "leading change" and "managing change" to best effect as part of their work.