Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens is to be investigated in connection with the inquiry into Scotland Yard's handling of the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence
The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed it was investigating the UK's former highest-ranking serving officer over his disclosure to the Macpherson Inquiry in 1998, which found evidence of "institutional racism" within the Metropolitan Police.
Scotland Yard said it had referred the matter to the IPCC last year after a complaint following the damning review of the Lawrence case by Mark Ellison QC.
A Met spokeswoman said the complaint was made "in relation to Lord Stevens' role as the then deputy commissioner and disclosure to the Macpherson Inquiry" 17 years ago.
Stephen Lawrence, 18, a would-be architect, was stabbed to death by a group of up to six white youths in an unprovoked racist attack as he waited at a bus stop in Eltham, south east London, with a friend on April 22 1993.
His father Neville told Channel 4 News: "I'm glad that they're actually doing what they were supposed to do because this is not the first time that we've asked them to look into it and they've come back with a negative result. I'm hoping that this time they're going to come back this time with a result that can help us to get further into the truth of what was happening during the investigation into Stephen's death."
An IPCC spokeswoman said: "We can confirm we are independently investigating Lord (John) Stevens following a referral from the Metropolitan Police."
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The Met spokeswoman said: "Following the receipt of a public complaint in relation to Lord John Stevens, former commissioner, the MPS made a referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission on Tuesday, November 4 2014. The complaint has been made in relation to Lord Stevens' role as the then deputy commissioner and disclosure to the Macpherson Inquiry.
"This issue was raised in the Stephen Lawrence Independent Review by Mark Ellison QC, published on March 6 (last year), where he concluded there were defects in the level of information that the MPS revealed to the Inquiry."
Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington was Britain's top police officer until retiring from the post in 2005 after five years. He then headed inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death of Diana, Princess of Wales and alleged football bungs.
Born in Kent, the son of a former RAF pilot turned commercial aviator, Lord Stevens began his policing career in Hammersmith, west London, and quickly rose through the ranks, receiving 27 commendations for his detective work. A series of top postings with regional police forces followed.
In 1986, he was appointed assistant chief constable of Hampshire Constabulary with responsibility for personnel and training. Two and a half years later he was appointed deputy chief constable of Cambridgeshire Police. He became chief constable of Northumbria before being made deputy commissioner of the Met in 1998, with responsibility for leading the fight against corruption in the force.
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