Neil Basu
British police officer
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Anil Kanti "Neil" Basu QPM (born 1968) is a British former senior police officer.
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Neil Basu | |
|---|---|
Basu (rear) in 2019 | |
| Born | 1968 (age 57–58) |
| Police career | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Department | Metropolitan Police |
| Service years | 1992–2022 |
| Rank | Assistant Commissioner (Specialist Operations) |
| Awards | Queen's Police Medal |
From March 2018 to September 2021, he served as assistant commissioner for Specialist Operations in the Metropolitan Police and the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for counter terrorism policing.[1][2]
Basu left the Metropolitan Police at the end of November 2022.[3]
Career
In 1992, Basu became a police officer, and spent his career serving in the Metropolitan Police Service.[4][5] He was the most senior serving British police officer of Asian heritage: his father was from Calcutta, India, and his mother was from Wales.[6][7]
During the George Floyd protests in the UK, Basu spoke out about racism in policing, stating he was horrified by George Floyd's murder.[8] Basu has stated he believes British policing is institutionally racist, criticising other senior British police officers for their reluctance to agree.[9][10]
Following the resignation of Lynne Owens as director-general of the National Crime Agency, Basu was one of the final candidates under consideration to replace Owens, until the Home Office restarted the selection process in May 2022.[10]
In 2025, Basu called for a full public inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation. He stressed they should not become "elongated"; he argued that "political correctness" stopped the police from doing their jobs, especially with regard to protecting white working-class children from abuse.[11]
Personal life
Basu attended the University of Nottingham.[11]
Crime Agents
Basu is currently co-host of The Crime Agents podcast.
Honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
| Queen's Police Medal (QPM) |
|
| Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal |
|
| Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
|
| Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal |
|
| Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal | |
