The Home Office has defended the new head of the National Crime Agency, after it emerged that her record as chief constable of Surrey Police was questioned by the area’s police and crime commissioner.
Lynne Owens was named as director general of the NCA last November, taking the helm at the law enforcement agency which was set up in 2013 to focus on serious and organised crime.
But the BBC reported on Tuesday that Surrey’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) Kevin Hurley last year raised concerns about the force’s child safeguarding record while Owens was chief constable.
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Freedom of Information disclosures show that Hurley wrote to Owen last year to say she had “failed to act decisively or speedily to address many areas of concern in relation to public protection”, and also questioned the force’s handling of rape, domestic abuse and female genital mutilation cases.
Hurley also wrote to chief inspector of constabulary Sir Tom Winsor to share those concerns, and the PCC has accused the Home Office of an “apparent lack of due diligence” in not seeking his views before making the NCA appointment.
But both Owens and the Home Office pushed back against Hurley’s claims.
In a statement, the NCA director general said: “I was selected to my current role by the home secretary after a lengthy and thorough process and am now focused on leading the National Crime Agency in its fight to cut serious and organised crime.”
The Home Office meanwhile described Owens as one “the exceptional policing leaders of her generation” and said her appointment had been subjected a rigorous process.