Battling terrorism and violence

But while he insists the killing – the 90th on London’s streets – is not the start of a trend in Tower Hamlets, he’s keen to see his officers help to solve the issue, rather than just react to it.

He said: “Clearly issues like gun and knife crime are a big issue for London and Tower Hamlets is no different. The deaths of 21 youngsters this year because of knives can’t be ignored.

“I’m at the enforcement end of this issue, but we’ve all got to get more into diversion. Why is the climate such that kids feel they need to take knives out?

“We’ve got to get below the surface and engage with more youngsters. And it’s all very well catching people but unless the courts support that work by providing an effective deterrent, there’s the potential for the whole effort to be undermined.”

The CV of Ch Spt Rickett, 42, includes a spell in Waltham Forest, where he was part of the team co-ordinating a massive counter-terrorism sting.

Operation Overt targeted two Islamic cells believed to be plotting to bring down planes over the Atlantic.

He has already secured funding from the Government’s Counter Terrorism Grant Fund to boost the borough’s counter-terrorism forces. Safer Neighbourhood Teams will now be working with a new inspector, sergeant and four constables on prevention within the borough.

He said: “Terrorism is a feature of most days for me, whether its community engagement or identifying youngsters at risk of radicalisation.

“We have iconic sites all over the borough, from Canary Wharf to the Tower of London and the Royal London Hospital.

"We have a team of community support officers who look after the Tower of London, and we work closely with Canary Wharf security to resassure and protect the public.”

Ch Spt Rickett also acknowledged the “ever-present” threat of large-scale financial fraud in a business centre the size of Canary Wharf, and said his force would be monitoring the situation via the Financial Investigations Unit.

Debate has raged about the number of officers patrolling the streets, and many fear the police’s proposed move out of its Limehouse base to Bethnal Green will reduce the number of available bobbies on the Island beat.

But Chief Supt Rickett said: “I’m already looking at the number of officers I’ve got available to me, and where they’re deployed. There should always be an officer or community support officer in every ward.

“The police are not going to close. At the moment, we have a situation where victims and offenders are coming to the same building.

"We want areas where you can access services, some more efficient custody spaces and an operating base from which officers are deployed.

“If you look at Limehouse Police Station, it’s a pretty unpleasant place to be, and I don’t want my officers working in an unpleasant environment.”

While he admitted to being “chuffed” to land the “coveted” job within the police force, the new commander is looking to build on his team’s reputation within the borough.

He said: “I do tend to get things done. The Met is such a huge organisation that it can often put barriers in the way of success, but I’m one for removing these barriers.”