OPINION: The recent HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services report into the Metropolitan Police Service made difficult reading, with the force graded as less than adequate in seven out of eight performance areas; author and former Met Chief Superintendent John Sutherland believes that for the force to recover, there needs to be greater understanding and acknowledgement of the reasons behind the current crisis.

OPINION: The murder of Sarah Everard at the hands of a serving Met Police officer has shocked and angered a nation, and prompted a much wider debate about violence against women and girls, misogyny, and the role of policing; author and former Met Police Chief Superintendent John Sutherland shares his thoughts on what this horrific crime means for police officers and society, and where we go from here.

OPINION: From policing the pandemic and public order to undue political influence, the impact on officer wellbeing and the lack of nuanced, detailed debate about what society wants from its police service, it’s clear that law enforcement in the UK is facing significant challenges; author and former Met Police Chief Superintendent John Sutherland sets out some of those key challenges, along with an 11-step blueprint for how the service can respond to them.

OPINION: Former Chief Superintendent and author of the bestselling Blue: A Memoir - Keeping the Peace and Falling to Pieces John Sutherland considers the role police officers are playing in the face of the current pandemic and how all too often stories of their bravery and courage are overshadowed by tales of heavy-handed policing tactics.

OPINION: The Prime Minister has said that there is no connection between rising knife crime and falling police numbers. Former Chief Superintendent John Sutherland says she is wrong; and that she has been wrong about policing at almost every point along the way.

OPINION: Policing is in crisis - but what can be done to fix it? Former Chief Superintendent John Sutherland lays out a ten-point plan for what needs to happen next to rescue policing in the UK.

OPINION: Austerity has caused deep harm to policing and it may take a generation to repair it. Former Chief Superintendent John Sutherland surveys the damage.

OPINION: The latest National Audit Office report released this week adds to the evidence that policing is in crisis. Former Chief Superintendent John Sutherland warns that the lack of a national vision for policing is punishing the very people holding policing together.

OPINION: As London suffers an epidemic of knife crime, and more officers break under the strain, the government narrative still appears to be unrelentingly negative. Former Chief Superintendent John Sutherland warns that it is time to confront this, and to talk realistically about what we want from police and policing.

OPINION: Demand - and crime levels, particularly violent crime - are up, while police officers are under ever growing pressure. Chief Superintendent John Sutherland says it's past time for a proper, grown-up conversation about the future of policing in the UK

OPINION: Cressida Dick has today been appointed as the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner, replacing outgoing Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe. Chief Superintendent John Sutherland takes an insider's look at what will be waiting in the new Commissioner's in-tray.

OPINION: Policing faces unprecedented challenges as we move into the new year. Chief Superintendent John Sutherland outlines those challenges, and calls for our response to those challenges to begin with care and regard for those who stand on the thin blue line.

OPINION: College of Police chief executive CC Alex Marshall this week called for an end to the blame culture in policing, and good officers being hung out to dry. Chief Superintendent John Sutherland reflects on the difference between mistakes and misconduct - and the need for police to know that they are supported when doing their jobs.

OPINION: Knife crime has a disproportionate effect on young men who are mostly poor, frequently black and invariably from challenging inner city neighbourhoods. Chief Superintendent John Sutherland calls for urgent action to address the disease of knife crime by listening to those who know what works.

OPINION: Chief Superintendent John Sutherland gives his personal reflections on leadership in the police service - what it means, and why it matters.

OPINION: Chief Superintendent John Sutherland continues his personal reflections on The Job

OPINION: Chief Superintendent John Sutherland's personal reflections on The Job

OPINION: Chief Superintendent John Sutherland of the Metropolitan Police responds to an article in The Guardian recently by a prize winning Met police constable explaining why he quit the force.