One of the UK’s highest-ranking Asian women in policing begins her role as Richmond’s new borough commander next week.

Parm Sandhu, who joined the Metropolitan Police in 1989, takes the reins following the April suspension of Colin Kennedy after allegations of gross misconduct.

FROM APRIL: Met Police remain tight-lipped about nature of gross misconduct allegations against Richmond borough commander Colin Kennedy

Kingston’s borough commander Glenn Tunstall oversaw both boroughs on an interim basis until chief superintendent Sandhu’s appointment.

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Colin Kennedy was suspended in April after allegations of gross misconduct

Chief superintendent Sandhu’s first post was in Limehouse in east London, where she remained for the first five years of her service before moving to a Hate Crime unit in Hackney.

Chief superintendent Sandhu, who is originally from Birmingham, then moved to Barking and Dagenham as part of a Community Involvement team.

The mother to two sons has also served in Westminster and Croydon where she has coordinated plans to respond to crime trends, public order and football matches.

She was asked to work with the Home Office following the 7/7 atrocities under the “Prevent” strategy and set up forums within the Muslim community to tackle extremism and Islamophobia.

She has been awarded a gold medal for services to the multi-faith communities by the Pope after a personal introduction in 2010.

Chief superintendent Sandhu served as the Olympics Operations Superintendent linking with Her Majesty’s Court Services and National Police Forces.

After the Olympics she moved to Greenwich and led on portfolios including Safer Neighbourhoods and Counter Terrorism in the wake of Lee Rigby’s murder in Woolwich.

She then completed a secondment at Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies before being appointed deputy borough commander at Bromley, with responsibilities for the Borough's Operational Policing, Criminal Investigations and Partnerships.

Chief superintendent Sandhu was then appointed the Corruption Review lead for the MPS Public Inquiry Team. Her role included review of Anti-Corruption files, dealing with historic system failures, and working with the Home Office, National Crime Agency and the IPCC on other sensitive issues.

She is due to complete her International Justice Masters Degree dissertation on the subject “Why do young people leave London to travel to conflict zones” in August.