New Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe begins work

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, has told officers on his first day on the job that he wants to "cut crime" and "cut costs".

Mr Hogan-Howe has been meeting hundreds of officers and staff across London, beginning with Romford at 05:30 BST and ending with Wandsworth in the evening.

The ex-Chief Constable of Merseyside, who was appointed on 12 September, is the 26th person to hold the post.

He succeeds Sir Paul Stephenson who quit over the phone hacking inquiry.

The 53-year-old will take charge of Britain's largest police force which has more than 50,000 staff, including 32,000 officers.

Mr Hogan-Howe has told staff: "It is my intention to build on public trust in the Met and lead a service that criminals will fear and staff will be proud to work for.

"As Commissioner, I have three simple aims: I want us to cut crime, cut costs, and continue to develop the culture of the organisation, and to do all that based on simple but important values of humility, transparency and integrity.

"We will do that through what I call 'Total Policing'."

During the day the Commissioner will meet officers and staff at Barking and Dagenham, Woolwich, Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Westminster, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham and Wandsworth.

He will also meet officers from the Marine Support Unit, Diplomatic Protection Group, Mounted Branch, and Territorial Support Group in addition to addressing a gathering of 1,000 officers and staff in central London.

Sir Paul quit in July following the phone-hacking scandal and claims about links between the Met and News International.