Met Chief Bernard Hogan-Howe pledges to listen

The Met Commissioner said he wanted to cut through the "permafrost of bureaucracy"

The new Met Police Commissioner said he was listening to officers before drawing up plans to improve the force.

Bernard Hogan-Howe said he wanted to introduce more automatic numberplate readers and areas such as procurement could be improved.

Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 5 live he said he was visiting London's 32 command units to ask staff what they would do to improve the Met.

He will announce a list of 10 things for the new year.

'Bureaucracy permafrost'

Automatic numberplate readers scan the numberplates of passing vehicles and allow officers to identify illegal road users.

Mr Hogan-Howe said while driving offences "may get ignored", the police have found, for example, that 80% of people with no car insurance are criminals.

He said: "If we take away their cars we are stopping the mobility of burglars and robbers."

He added that the Met's procurement process could be improved.

A spokesman for the Met said that like any big organisation there could well be ways to increase efficiencies in this area, for example by a central office supplying each borough with office supplies.

Mr Hogan-Howe added that he was already getting some very clear examples of how to cut through the "permafrost of bureaucracy".

The Met needs to make savings to fill an £85m black hole in next year's budget.