Ian Blair joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1974, after
graduating from Christ Church, Oxford. He served in both uniform
and CID in central London, receiving commendations for leadership,
detective ability and bravery, before leaving the Met in 1991 to be staff officer to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary. In 1994, he became assistant chief constable in Thames Valley Police, becoming deputy chief constable there in 1997. In 1998, he was
appointed chief constable of Surrey and returned to the Met in 2000
as the deputy commissioner. In February 2005, he was appointed
commissioner.

Perhaps three of the most significant achievements from different stages of his career have been his significant contribution to changing the way in which police investigate rape, the policing of the environmental protest at the Newbury bypass and being instrumental in the reinvigoration of the fight against police corruption. Since his return to the MPS, he has been one of the foremost in-service advocates of police reform and was instrumental in the development of Police Community Support Officers, who are now to be seen supporting regular police patrol in London and elsewhere.

He has recently been given the rare honour of being made an Honorary Student of Christ Church and is an Honorary Professor of Thames Valley University. He holds the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service and was awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2003.