Neil Basu

Neil Basu
QPM
Basu (rear) in 2019
Born1968 (age 57–58)
United Kingdom
Police career
CountryUnited Kingdom
DepartmentMetropolitan Police
Service years1992–2022
RankAssistant Commissioner (Specialist Operations)
AwardsQueen's Police Medal

Anil Kanti "Neil" Basu QPM (born 1968) is a British former senior police officer.

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.

Basu left the Metropolitan Police at the end of November 2022.

Career

In 1992, Basu became a police officer, and spent his career serving in the Metropolitan Police Service. He was the most senior serving British police officer of Asian heritage: his father was from Calcutta, India, and his mother was from Wales.

During the George Floyd protests in the UK, Basu spoke out about racism in policing, stating he was horrified by George Floyd's murder. Basu has stated he believes British policing is institutionally racist, criticising other senior British police officers for their reluctance to agree.

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.

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.

Personal life

Basu attended the University of Nottingham.

Crime Agents

Basu is currently co-host of The Crime Agents podcast.

Honours



RibbonDescriptionNotes
Queen's Police Medal (QPM)
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
  • 2002
  • UK version of this medal
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • 2012
  • UK version of this medal
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
  • 2022
  • UK version of this medal
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

References

  1. ↑ "Reconnecting the global security industry at International Security Expo – International Security Journal (ISJ)". 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "About the Met – Senior management team". Metropolitan Police. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  3. ↑ "Meghan Markle faced credible threats to her life". Channel 4 News. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  4. ↑ "Basu, Anil Kanti, (Neil)". Who's Who 2020. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2019. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U290682. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 30 November 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link)
  5. ↑ "New counter-terrorism chief appointed". BBC News. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  6. ↑ Shaw, Danny (21 May 2019). "Top Asian officer's 'daily' racial abuse". BBC News. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  7. ↑ Evans, Martin (15 July 2019). "Profile: Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the man who quietly rose to become Britain's anti-terror chief". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  8. ↑ Basu, Neil (9 June 2020). "Police must view legitimate anger with care – we need to listen to our communities". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  9. ↑ Basu, Neil (26 May 2022). "British policing is institutionally racist. Until we admit it we'll never win back trust". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  10. 1 2 Dodd, Vikram (25 May 2022). "Neil Basu's bid for crime agency top job ends after alleged No 10 intervention". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  11. 1 2 Tominey, Camilla (11 April 2025). "Ex-police chief: Officers have failed white working class girls". The Telegraph.
  12. ↑ "No. 61608". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2016. p. B35.