Neyroud - a good outside bet?

I'm certainly not known for my betting tips, but if I was to stake a few quid on the next Head of the Metropolitan Police Force, I'd probably put a few bob on Peter Neyroud.

Now the Anglo-Swiss Neyroud is hardly a 'coppers' copper', but in these political days, he could well fit the bill for the Met.

He's an Oxford graduate and currently leads the National Policing Improvement Agency, having spent four years as Chief Constable at Thames Valley Police.

I was writing the force's paper at the time that Peter joined TVP, succeeding my near neighbour at the time in Oxfordshire, Sir Charles Pollard.

It was always 'Sir Charles' with Pollard, while Neyroud introduced himself to me with a 'Call me Peter'.

I'm not sure he ever really won over the force's footsloggers at TVP, but I really liked him. He had a very open communication style, was sharp of thought and welcomed new ideas.....not always the most apparent features of senior police officers.

Boris Johnson, now London's Mayor and Chair of the Police Authority, was a local MP in the Thames Valley when Neyroud was based at Kidlington. I'm sure they met quite often, and it wouldn't surprise me, in the way these things work, if Neyroud were to get the nod to succeed Sir Ian Blair.

There again, the last horse I backed fell at the first fence in the Grand National!