Mark Rowley has taken over as the new London Metropolitan police commissioner with a remit to root out “unacceptable behaviour at all levels, including misogyny, racism and homophobia” and corrupt officers. Repeated crises recently led to it being judged to be so poor it was placed into special measures. Public confidence crashed in the last five years under Cressida Dick with demands from Sadiq Khan, the Mayor, to radically reform and drop its defensiveness.
Scandals that rocked the Met include a serving officer Wayne Couzens kidnapping, raping and murdering Sarah Everard in March 2021 and scandals over hate messages exchanged between officers on social media platforms, some bragging about violence against women, some overtly.
Born 4 November 1964, Birmingham, (Companies House), Rowley was grammar school and Cambridge educated, and former Counter Terrorism chief.
He is a Sun, Moon, Neptune and Mercury in Scorpio with a tough Mars in Leo opposition Saturn in Aquarius square Mercury opposition Jupiter in Taurus. He’s not one for bending in the breeze which in the right circumstances will give him endurance and staying power but will mean he lacks flexibility at times. His prominent Neptune is a concern since it also turns up in his Term chart from today with a Sun opposition Neptune which doesn’t altogether suggest a decisive, surgical approach to cutting out the rot.
The Metropolitan Police was founded 29 September 1829 with a Sun Libra opposition Pluto and Venus in Scorpio – his Sun is conjunct the Met Venus and his Venus conjunct the Met Sun – so a friendly connection which may not do the needful. Soft love won’t solve the problem.
The Met is running into a total gridlock by late 2023/early 2024 as its Solar Arc Mars is conjunct Pluto. Indeed its woes are in place now with Solar Arc Mars opposing the Sun. Though, looking on the bright side, that could be because of the reputational damage caused by corruption being exposed. Gets worse before it gets better is the hopeful interpretation.
His relationship chart with the Met will be, not surprisingly, rattled through 2023 and undermined. The pressure will also be on with Sadiq Khan with whom he has a reasonable but changeable relationship. Liz Truss looks less than enthusiastic with tr Neptune opposing and undermining their composite Venus, Sun, Pluto conjunction.
Poor old UK – everything is in flux with no certainties in the foreseeable future.
Can anyone tell me who selects the new Met police commissioner? Is it selected by the ruling government? The mayor? Is there an independent commission?
Thanks!
Such an important appointment, and astonishing everything seems to be changing in such a short time.
I’m curious about the upcoming retrograde Mars/Neptune square in Gemini and Pisces this November. Potentially quite deceptive or confused – with actions hampered by certain kinds of ideals, delusions, and general slipperiness? Lost information or even lies? Also interesting in view of what’s now called the Police Service (Neptune in Pisces), rather than the old name of Police Force – Mars? An identity crisis?
The Mars/Neptune square is exact at 22 degrees just before the New Moon on 23 November. It aspects the Met’s Mars at 22 Virgo. Mars retrograde is said to be a bad time to start a war. But hopefully it’s maybe a good time to start digging for information.
As Marjorie writes about Solar Arc Mars opposing the Met’s Sun:
“….the reputational damage caused by corruption being exposed. Gets worse before it gets better is the hopeful interpretation.”
Mark Rowley’s natal North Node is 23 Gemini, so there’s a theme of Mars fighting the confusions and scandals of Neptune, tied up with his life purpose perhaps?
The transiting Uranus/Pluto midpoint this November is 21 Pisces, adding to the theme of turning power structures and protocols upside down.
Jupiter, representing justice, turns direct on the day of November’s New Moon too. At 28 Pisces, it is exactly conjunct the Met’s South Node, which may highlight past attitudes, or old ways of doing things. In addition, it could highlight problems with the justice system and courts, and how this interweaves with the work of the police.
Sir Robert Mark (13 March 1917) was brought in to ‘clean up’ the Met in the early 1970’s. His natal Sun is 21 Pisces opposing this Met Chief chart’s Sun at 19 Virgo, and the Met’s Virgo Mars. His Mars at 19 Pisces is there too. Echoes and resonances with that period in the Met’s history. Robert Mark’s own North Node was 17 Capricorn, conjunct the Met’s Neptune – a very clear message I think! A lot of Neptune in this story isn’t there?
“No certainties in the foreseeable future” – what ‘never’ or in the next few years? Need some hope Marjorie that the UK chart at least starts to turn around?