US police chief admits interest in Met job

American "supercop" Bill Bratton has confirmed he would be interested in leading the Metropolitan Police - if he was allowed to apply.

It is widely believed Prime Minister David Cameron had Mr Bratton in mind when he told parliament last month that police recruitment procedures should be changed to allow candidates from overseas to apply for top jobs.

But Home Secretary Theresa May appears to have blocked any chance of him succeeding Sir Paul Stephenson as Met commissioner, by insisting that only British nationals will be considered for the post.

A job advert placed by the Home Office and Metropolitan Police Authority says candidates "must be British citizens".

Mr Bratton, who won fame with his "zero tolerance" policies as police chief in Boston, New York and Los Angeles, said he understood the decision to reserve the Met job for British nationals had been taken unilaterally by Mrs May. He said it also ruled out many high-calibre potential applicants from the Commonwealth.

Mr Bratton said: "From my perspective, I have been interested in looking at that position, if it was open to people outside of Great Britain. It's one of the most prestigious positions in democratic policing in the world."