Stephen House

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Sir Stephen House

| honorific-suffix = {{postnom|country=GBR|size=100|QPM}}

| image = Stephen House evidence (cropped).jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = House in 2012

| office = Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis

| predecessor = Cressida Dick

| termstart = 10 April 2022

| termend = 12 September 2022

| monarch = Elizabeth II
Charles III

| 1blankname = Home Secretary

| 1namedata = Priti Patel

| 2blankname = Mayor

| 2namedata = Sadiq Khan

| successor = Mark Rowley

| term_label = Acting

| deputy = Helen Ball (Acting)

| office1 = Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis

| 1blankname1 = Commissioner

| 1namedata1 = Cressida Dick

| predecessor1 = Craig Mackey

| successor1 = Helen Ball (Acting)

| term_start1 = 1 December 2018

| term_end1 = April 2022

| office2 = Assistant Commissioner for Met Operations

| term_start2 = 1 January 2018

| term_end2 = 1 December 2018

| predecessor2 = Office created

| successor2 = Nick Ephgrave

| office3 = Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland

| term_start3 = 1 October 2012

| term_end3 = 30 November 2015

| predecessor3 = Office created

| successor3 = Phil Gormley

| office4 = Chief Constable of the Strathclyde Police

| term_start4 = 30 November 2007

| term_end4 = 1 October 2012

| predecessor4 = Willie Rae

| successor4 = Campbell Corrigan

| birthname =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1957}}

| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| spouse =

| alma_mater = University of Aberdeen

| profession = Police officer

}}

Sir Stephen House {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|QPM}} (born 1957) is a Scottish police officer who served as Acting Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/about-us/about-the-met/senior-management-team/ |title=Home – The Met|website=content.met.police.uk|accessdate=September 30, 2018}} After beginning his career at Sussex Police in 1981, House held positions in Northamptonshire Police and West Yorkshire Police, then became Assistant Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police in 1998. In 2001, he joined the Metropolitan Police as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner, remaining there until 2007, when he was appointed Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police.

Following the establishment of Police Scotland in 2012, House was appointed the new force's first chief constable, but stood down in 2015 following a series of controversies. In 2018 House returned to the Metropolitan Police as an Assistant Commissioner, becoming Deputy Commissioner to Cressida Dick later that year. After Dick left office in April 2022, House was Acting Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police until September 2022. From September 2022 he led a review of operational productivity in policing at the National Police Chiefs' Council, a position he left in March 2023 after being referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in relation to alleged comments about rape allegations.

Early life

House was born in Glasgow in 1957 and attended the independent Kelvinside Academy. When he was 11, his family moved to London, where he continued to be privately educated in Hampstead. His father, William, worked for the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, while his mother, Alice, worked in a laboratory before becoming a full-time parent to her children. He has a younger brother, Jon, who was also a senior police officer and was later chief executive of Cardiff Council.{{cite web|first=Peter |last=Ross |url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/interview-stephen-house-scotland-s-top-policeman-1-2894045 |title=Interview: Stephen House, Scotland's top policeman |work=The Scotsman |date=14 April 2013 |accessdate=27 August 2015|archive-date=17 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017034237/http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/interview-stephen-house-scotland-s-top-policeman-1-2894045}} House returned to Scotland in 1976, to study History and English Literature at the University of Aberdeen.

Career

=Early police career=

House joined Sussex Police in 1981. He cites his experiences of the police in Aberdeen during his time as a student there, as well as a desire for a role in a disciplined, hierarchical environment, and a view of the police as "a sort of secret, closed-off society", as part of his initial motivation for becoming a police officer. While at Sussex Police he was part of operations responding to the Brighton hotel bombing of 1984 and the miners' strike of 1984–85.

He later described himself as not "particularly good" and "a bit too judgmental" as an officer on the beat, and said he lacked maturity and empathy in his early career. He transferred in 1988 to Northamptonshire Police, where he was promoted to Sergeant, then progressed to Chief Inspector before moving in 1994 to West Yorkshire Police where he worked as a Superintendent. He became Assistant Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police in 1998.

=Metropolitan Police Service (2001–2007)=

House joined the Metropolitan Police in December 2001, as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner working in Policy Reviews and Standards. In early 2003, he moved to Territorial Policing, where he was appointed Assistant Commissioner of the Central Operations Branch. In 2006, as Commander of the Specialist Crime Directorate, he had responsibility for areas including child abuse, economic crime, the Flying Squad, forensics, gun crime, homicide, undercover policing and the disruption of criminal networks.{{cite web|url=http://news.stv.tv/scotland/191843-profile-police-service-of-scotland-chief-constable-stephen-house/ |title=Profile: Police Service of Scotland Chief Constable Stephen House | Scotland |publisher=STV News |date=25 September 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035106/https://news.stv.tv/scotland/191843-profile-police-service-of-scotland-chief-constable-stephen-house/|archivedate=4 March 2016}}

=Strathclyde Police (2007–2012)=

House was appointed as Chief constable of Strathclyde Police in 2007 and joined the force formally in November that year, succeeding Willie Rae, the retiring Chief Constable.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-34073297|title=Profile: Sir Stephen House, Scotland's first single police force chief|date=2 December 2015|accessdate=1 May 2021|publisher=BBC|first=Deirdre|last=Kelly}}

In 2011, while in post at Strathclyde, and after being contacted by Home Office officials, House applied to become the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis following the resignation of Paul Stephenson.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14535026 |title=Top Scottish officer emerges as Met chief front-runner|publisher=BBC |date= |accessdate=27 August 2015}} Bernard Hogan-Howe was eventually appointed to the post.{{cite web|url=https://www.channel4.com/news/bernard-hogan-howe-named-as-met-police-chief|title=Bernard Hogan-Howe named as Met police chief|date=12 September 2011|accessdate=1 May 2021|publisher=Channel 4 News}}

House acknowledged that he was disappointed at being unsuccessful in his application. He was quoted as saying "You don't put yourself forward for a job like that lightly, and unfortunately you do it in the full glare of publicity, so it was a pretty difficult situation".

=Police Scotland (2012–2015)=

House was appointed Chief Constable of Police Scotland in September 2012{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-19720894|title=Stephen House to lead new Police Service of Scotland|date=25 September 2012|accessdate=1 May 2021|publisher=BBC}} and took up the position when the new force, which replaced Scotland's eight regional forces, was formally established in April 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/apr/01/police-scotland-stephen-house-chief-constable|title=Scotland's new unified police force replaces eight regional constabularies|date=1 April 2013|accessdate=1 May 2021|work=The Guardian|first=Severin|last=Carrell}} He had previously called for the creation of such a national force. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said House would be "outstanding" in the position and said he had an "impressive track record of leadership, partnership working and delivery". In an interview conducted soon after he was sworn in, he argued it was necessary for police officers "to have a strong sense of morality" and said responding to domestic abuse and organised crime would be priorities.

In November 2013, House took up the role of Patron of the national police charity the Police Roll of Honour Trust, alongside Bernard Hogan-Howe and Hugh Orde.{{cite web | url = http://www.policememorial.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=103&cntnt01returnid=62 | title = New Patrons | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417003731/http://www.policememorial.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=103&cntnt01returnid=62|archivedate=17 April 2014}}

In 2014 House authorised the deployment of armed police in Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/10977182/Police-use-Dunblane-massacre-to-defend-armed-officers-move.html|title=Police use Dunblane massacre to defend armed officers move|date=18 July 2014|accessdate=23 April 2021|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Simon|last=Johnson}} He cited the 1996 Dunblane massacre as a reason for the policy.{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/armed-police-would-not-stop-dunblane-says-father-1529926|title=‘Armed police would not stop Dunblane’ says father|date=4 August 2014|accessdate=22 May 2021|work=The Scotsman|first=Angus|last=Howarth}} His tenure also saw an investigation into Police Scotland officers over the death of Sheku Bayoh after being restrained in May 2015. In March 2023, a BBC analysis of Police Scotland documents found that, during House's tenure, the force falsely claimed that thousands of 999 calls had been allocated to officers in order to artificially improve recorded response rates.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-65086107|title=Police call handlers used fake system for eight years|date=29 March 2023|access-date=17 April 2023|publisher=BBC News|first=Mark|last=Daly}}

House said in 2013 that he would not seek another police position after the end of his Police Scotland contract in 2016. In August 2015 House announced he would stand down from the post in three months.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-34072703 |title=Sir Stephen House to quit as Police Scotland chief constable |publisher=BBC News |date=27 August 2015|accessdate=22 May 2021}} His resignation followed a series of controversies and failures, including his force's failure to rescue a woman who died after being left in a crashed vehicle for three days, his decision to place armed officers on routine street patrols, and his decision to stop and search tens of thousands of people who were not suspected of a crime.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/aug/27/police-scotland-chief-stephen-house-step-down-early-lamara-bell|title=Police Scotland chief to step down early after series of controversies|date=27 August 2015|accessdate=16 September 2020|work=The Guardian|first=Severin|last=Carrell}} He had previously resisted calls to resign and received the backing of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. His last day in the job was 30 November 2015.{{cite web|title=Chief Constable Sir Stephen House spends last day in job|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-34959082|website=BBC News|accessdate=2 December 2015|date=30 November 2015}} His replacement was Phil Gormley.{{cite web|title=Former Crime Agency chief Phil Gormley appointed new head of Police Scotland|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-34985556|website=BBC News|accessdate=2 December 2015|date=2 December 2015}}

=Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (2018–2022)=

In February 2018 House was re-appointed as an Assistant Commissioner. On 5 October 2018, he was announced by the Government as the new Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, a post he took up in December 2018 following the retirement of Craig Mackey.{{cite news|date=5 Oct 2018|title= New Metropolitan Police Service Deputy Commissioner appointed |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-metropolitan-police-service-deputy-commissioner-appointed|publisher=HM Government}}

In July 2020, in an appearance before the London Assembly's police and crime committee, House defended the police officers who stopped, searched and handcuffed the athlete Bianca Williams earlier that month and the officers who fired a stun gun at an elderly man in his own home the previous month. House said the officers involved had been treated unfairly and that widely-shared videos of each event failed to present a "full picture". While House claimed that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) had exonerated the officers in the latter case, the IOPC said it had not considered the case.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/15/police-treated-unfairly-over-incidents-caught-on-video-says-senior-officer|title=Police treated unfairly over incidents caught on video, says senior Met officer|date=15 July 2020|accessdate=15 July 2020|work=The Guardian|first1=Matthew|last1=Weaver|first2=Vikram|last2=Dodd}}

In a September 2020 appearance before the committee, House criticised Extinction Rebellion protesters for "going floppy" when arrested, a tactic he described as a "flipping nuisance" and called to be outlawed.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/16/extinction-rebellion-go-floppy-when-arrested-complains-senior-met-officer|title=Extinction Rebellion 'go floppy' when arrested, complains senior Met officer|date=16 September 2020|accessdate=16 September 2020|work=The Guardian|first=Matthew|last=Weaver}}

In February 2021, House said the Metropolitan Police would continue to disproportionately stop and search black people and that the public ought not to be concerned about this behaviour. House said stop and search was concentrated in areas believed to suffer from "real problems with violence" and that ceasing to disproportionately target black people would require police officers to stop and search elderly people.{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/met-police-london-stop-and-search-racism-b918169.html|title=Met chief: We will continue ‘disproportionate’ stop-and-search|date=1 February 2021|accessdate=23 April 2021|work=Evening Standard|first=Martin|last=Bentham}} In March 2021, after submitting written evidence to an Investigatory Powers Tribunal complaint relating to the activities of the undercover police officer Mark Kennedy, House said he was too busy to be cross-examined on his evidence.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/16/met-deputy-too-busy-for-questions-on-spy-officers-relationship-with-woman|title=Met deputy too busy for questions on spy officer's relationship with woman|date=16 March 2021|accessdate=23 May 2021|work=The Guardian|first=Rob|last=Evans}} In the same month, after Metropolitan Police officers broke up a vigil following the murder of Sarah Everard and the arrest of a Metropolitan Police officer for her murder, House declined to apologise and described the vigil prior to the police intervention as a "very, very hostile situation".{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/17/met-deputy-says-he-cant-apologise-for-officers-over-sarah-everard-vigil|title=Met deputy says he 'can't apologise' for officers over Sarah Everard vigil|date=17 March 2021|accessdate=23 May 2021|work=The Guardian|first=Tobi|last=Thomas}}

In June 2021, House joined with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick in rejecting the conclusions of an independent inquiry into the 1987 murder of Daniel Morgan, which found the force to have been institutionally corrupt in concealing or denying failings in its investigations.{{cite web|url=https://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/19392463.daniel-morgan-met-deny-claims-institutional-corruption/|title=Daniel Morgan: Met deny claims of institutional corruption|date=23 June 2021|accessdate=25 June 2021|work=This Is Local London|first=Euan O'Byrne|last=Mulligan}}{{cite web|url=https://www.onlondon.co.uk/deputy-met-chief-rejects-charge-of-institutional-corruption-over-daniel-morgan-murder-case/|title=Deputy Met chief rejects charge of ‘institutional corruption’ over Daniel Morgan murder case|date=23 June 2021|accessdate=25 June 2021|work=OnLondon|first=Charles|last=Wright}} In July 2021, House expressed scepticism over the proposal, supported by the government and pledged in Mayor of London Sadiq Khan's manifesto, that the Metropolitan Police record gender-based hate crimes.{{cite web|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/met-clash-ministers-over-gender-122814489.html|title=Met clash with ministers over gender-based crime|date=30 July 2021|accessdate=31 July 2021|publisher=Yahoo! News|first=Sophia|last=Sleigh}}

Following Dick's resignation in February 2022, House criticised Khan for his role in Dick's departure, arguing that due process had not been followed and calling for Home Secretary Priti Patel to review Khan's treatment of Dick.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/feb/23/senior-met-officer-attacks-sadiq-khan-over-cressida-dick-exit|title=Senior Met officer attacks Sadiq Khan over Cressida Dick exit|date=23 February 2022|access-date=4 March 2022|work=The Guardian|first=Vikram|last=Dodd}}{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/cressida-dick-met-police-deputy-urges-home-secretary-priti-patel-to-review-events-around-commissioners-resignation-12549442|title=Cressida Dick: Met Police deputy urges Home Secretary Priti Patel to review events around commissioner's resignation|date=23 February 2022|access-date=4 March 2022|publisher=Sky News|first=Greg|last=Heffer}} Patel later ordered a review, to be led by Tom Winsor, to examine whether the Mayor of London's role in hiring and dismissing the Metropolitan Police Commissioner should be reduced.{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/priti-patel-tells-review-to-consider-cutting-sadiq-khans-police-powers-pfxl02hr0|title=Priti Patel tells review to consider cutting Sadiq Khan’s police powers|date=May 18, 2022|access-date=May 19, 2022|work=The Times|first=Fiona|last=Hamilton}} House was identified by LBC and Sky News as a potential successor to Dick.{{cite web|url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk/cressida-dick-replace-who-runners-riders-met-commissioner/|title=Who will replace Cressida? Runners and riders for Met Commissioner|date=11 February 2022|access-date=18 February 2022|publisher=LBC|first=Emma|last=Soteriou}}{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/how-will-cressida-dicks-successor-be-chosen-and-who-are-the-top-contenders-12538734|title=How will Cressida Dick's successor be chosen and who are the top contenders?|date=11 February 2022|access-date=18 February 2022|publisher=Sky News}} The Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael called for House to be ruled out as a replacement for Dick on the basis of his record with Police Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/former-chief-constable-sir-stephen-house-linked-with-met-job-3565014|title=MP warns against Stephen House appointment as former Chief Constable linked with Met job|date=11 February 2022|access-date=18 February 2022|work=The Scotsman|first=Alexander|last=Brown}} House did not ultimately apply for the position.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/03/met-police-commissioner-likely-candidates-to-succeed-cressida-dick|title=Met police commissioner: likely candidates to succeed Cressida Dick|date=3 May 2022|access-date=4 May 2022|work=The Guardian|first=Vikram|last=Dodd}} In March 2022, a group of prominent black people wrote to House to call for immediate action to be taken against Metropolitan Police officers who strip-searched a child at her school.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/18/child-q-scandal-black-britons-letter-to-met-police|title=Black girl strip-searched at London school to sue Met police|date=18 March 2022|access-date=22 March 2022|work=The Guardian|first=Alexandra|last=Topping}}{{cite web|url=https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2022/03/22/leading-black-britons-show-support-for-child-q/|title= Leading black Britons show support for Child Q|date=22 March 2022|access-date=26 March 2022|work=The Voice}}

In April 2022, Patel announced House would serve as Acting Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police pending the appointment of a successor to Cressida Dick. Announcing his appointment, Patel said House would "provide the stability and continuity the force needs".{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/stephen-house-cressida-dick-met-wendy-chamberlain-b991709.html|title=Sir Stephen House ‘not fit to become Met Commissioner’, claims MP|date=1 April 2022|access-date=2 April 2022|work=Evening Standard|first=Anthony|last=France}} Following Patel's announcement, Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain wrote to Patel arguing that House was unsuitable for the position due to his record with Police Scotland, while Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon wrote to Khan to seek assurances regarding House's stop and search policy at Police Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/fears-over-temporary-new-met-23596615|title=Fears over temporary new Met Police boss Sir Stephen House's record on stop and search|date=5 April 2022|access-date=7 April 2022|work=MyLondon|first=Josiah|last=Mortimer}}

= Acting Metropolitan Police Commissioner (2022) =

House became Commissioner on the resignation of Cressida Dick on 10 April 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/02/cressida-dick-to-leave-met-police-post-next-week-says-sadiq-khan|title=Cressida Dick to leave Met police with £166,000 payoff|work=The Guardian|first1=Vikram|last1=Dodd|first2=Clea|last2=Skopeliti|date=2 April 2022|access-date=2 April 2022}} In his first appearance before the Home Affairs Select Committee on 20 April, House said "unacceptable behaviour" in the Metropolitan Police, particularly in its Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit, was not attributable to "a few bad apples", and called for a change to protocol that would allow officers suspected of misconduct to be dismissed more quickly.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/20/met-police-culture-problems-not-just-a-few-bad-apples-says-acting-head|title=Met police culture problems ‘not just a few bad apples’, says acting head|date=20 April 2022|access-date=22 April 2022|work=The Guardian|first=Rajeev|last=Syal}} In April 2022, after five officers were referred to disciplinary hearings for gross misconduct for stopping and searching the athlete Bianca Williams in July 2020, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said the Metropolitan Police should consider apologising for House's earlier defence of the officers. The force issued a statement declaring that House would stand by his own earlier statement, in which he described the officers' behaviour as lawful and justified.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/bianca-williams-cressida-dick-independent-office-for-police-conduct-met-police-mps-b2066503.html|title=Met Police bosses criticised for defending officers in black athlete search|date=27 April 2022|access-date=29 April 2022|work=The Independent|first=Margaret|last=Davis}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/27/stop-search-bianca-williams-backed-acting-met-chief-despite/|title=‘Racist’ stop and search of Bianca Williams was right thing to do, says acting Met chief|date=27 April 2022|access-date=29 April 2022|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Martin|last=Evans}}

In May 2022, Nazir Afzal, the former chief prosecutor for north-west England, criticised House's handling of the Partygate scandal relating to breaches of COVID-19 restrictions by government figures, describing the approach as lacking transparency.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/05/19/acting-met-police-chief-hid-identities-partygate-offenders-accused/|title= Acting Met police chief who hid identities of partygate offenders accused of lack of transparency|date=20 May 2022|access-date=21 May 2022|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Izzy|last=Lyons}} Also in May, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wrote to House to demand he explain why Boris Johnson did not receive a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for attending a party in November 2020, in relation to which other attendees were fined,{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/05/24/sadiq-khan-demands-met-police-publicly-explain-boris-johnson/|title=Sadiq Khan urges Met Police to explain why Boris Johnson didn’t get second partygate fine|date=24 May 2022|access-date=26 May 2022|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Martin|last=Evans}} and said that public trust in the Metropolitan Police had been eroded by a "lack of clarity" in its decision-making in Operation Hillman.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/sadiq-khan-boris-johnson-london-daisy-cooper-downing-street-b2086282.html|title=London Mayor Sadiq Khan demands answers from Met over partygate fines|date=24 May 2022|access-date=26 May 2022|work=The Independent|first=David|last=Hughes}} Appearing before the London Assembly's police and crime committee later in May, House said that while Johnson had attended events for which others were fined, there had been insufficient evidence to issue more than one FPN to him.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/26/no-10-spokesperson-apologises-misleading-media-lockdown-parties-partygate|title=Police investigated No 10 parties ‘without fear or favour’, insists Met chief|date=26 May 2022|access-date=26 May 2022|work=The Guardian|first=Peter|last=Walker}}

Later in May 2022, chiefs of nine police forces near London wrote to House to protest the Metropolitan Police's policy of offering "golden hellos" to officers recruited from other forces, which they argued would have a "hugely disproportionate and negative effect" on their own forces and were likely to be unlawful.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/05/31/met-police-poaching-officers-forces-5k-golden-hellos/|title=Met Police poaching officers from other forces with £5k ‘golden hellos’|date=31 May 2022|access-date=3 June 2022|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Charles|last=Hymas}} Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said the policy was "masking ... the fact that people don't want to work for the Met police because of the culture issues and the failings that they have had".{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-06-08/police-and-crime-commissioner-accuses-met-of-poaching-officers|title=Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner accuses Met of 'poaching officers with golden handshake'|date=8 June 2022|access-date=10 June 2022|publisher=ITV News}}

In June 2022, after the Metropolitan Police was placed in special measures by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr wrote to House to outline "substantial and persistent concerns" regarding the force's performance, including its "inexperienced" workforce, its backlog of online child abuse cases, the stop-and-search of Bianca Williams, the strip-searching of children, the murder of Sarah Everard, and the force's approach to internal corruption.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-61977535|title=Met Police: Inspectorate has 'substantial and persistent' concerns|date=29 June 2022|access-date=7 July 2022|publisher=BBC}} In July 2022, Mark Rowley was announced as Dick's successor as permanent Commissioner.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/08/mark-rowley-appointed-new-commissioner-of-the-metropolitan-police|title=Mark Rowley appointed new commissioner of Met police|date=8 July 2022|access-date=10 July 2022|work=The Guardian|first=Vikram|last=Dodd}}

=Productivity review (2022–2023)=

In September 2022, House left the Metropolitan Police in order to lead a review of operational productivity in policing, which was overseen by the National Police Chiefs' Council.{{cite news |last=Weaver |first=Matthew |date=8 August 2022 |title=Three top Met officers to depart as new boss prepares to take over |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/aug/08/three-top-met-officers-depart-new-boss-prepares-take-over |work=The Guardian |location= |access-date=9 August 2022}} The initial focus of the review was on mental health in police forces.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/feb/21/mental-health-crises-police-england-and-wales|title=Police in England and Wales dealing with more mental health crises than ever|date=21 February 2023|access-date=3 March 2023|work=The Guardian|first=Rajeev|last=Syal}}

In March 2023, Betsy Stanko, a researcher who led a review that intended to increase prosecution rates for rape cases, alleged that House had said in a 2022 meeting that the majority of rape allegations were made in cases of "regretful sex".{{cite news|url=https://www.channel4.com/news/exclusive-former-acting-met-commissioner-facing-investigation-over-alleged-comments-that-many-rape-complaints-were-were-regretful-sex|title=Exclusive: Former Acting Met Commissioner facing investigation over alleged comments that many rape complaints were 'regretful sex'|date=1 March 2023|access-date=5 March 2023|publisher=Channel 4 News|first=Cathy|last=Newman|author-link=Cathy Newman}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/01/former-acting-met-commissioner-allegedly-called-bulk-of-complaints-regretful-sex|title=Former acting Met commissioner allegedly called bulk of rape complaints ‘regretful sex’|date=1 March 2023|access-date=5 March 2023|work=The Guardian|first=Tom|last=Ambrose}} In response to the allegation, House was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64815863|title=Met Police: Sir Stephen House's 'regretful sex' rape comment investigated|date=3 March 2023|access-date=7 March 2023|publisher=BBC}} House also stood down from the productivity review. House denied the allegations and said he welcomed the IOPC's investigation. In March 2024, the IOPC concluded its investigation, which it said had found no indication House had breached behavioural standards.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68598617|title=Met Police: Sir Stephen House faces no action over rape comments|publisher=BBC|date=18 March 2024|access-date=20 March 2024}}

Personal life

House has been married since 1987, and has three children, a boy and two girls. He has few interests outside of his family and his job, although he enjoys hill walking and science fiction. He was known to turn up unannounced at police stations on a motorcycle when he was Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8713001/Stephen-House-profile-of-the-front-runner-for-British-policings-top-job.html |title=Stephen House: profile of the front runner for British policings top job |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=21 August 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615195452/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8713001/Stephen-House-profile-of-the-front-runner-for-British-policings-top-job.html|archivedate=15 June 2018}} House is not religious.

Honours

House was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2005 for distinguished service. He was knighted in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to law and order.{{London Gazette|issue=60534|supp=y|page=1|date=15 June 2013}}{{cite web | url = https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206698/Birthday_Honours_List_2013.pdf | title = Birthday Honours List 2013 | accessdate = 14 June 2013 | date = 14 June 2013 | publisher = HM Government}}

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class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
style="background:silver;" align="center" \|Ribbon	Description	Notes
40px	Knight Bachelor	* 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours List
40px	Queen's Police Medal (QPM)	* For Distinguished Service 2005