hertfordshire showed that young wanted to be a chief police officer who made things happen. he applied unsuccessfully to be chief constable of kent in 1946, but his next job was offered to him. so impressed was home secretary james chuter ede, he appointed young to the vacant post of assistant commissioner "d" of the metropolitan police in london, in charge of organisation, recruitment, training and communications. to bring in an outsider to such a rank in the met was unprecedented. the home secretary knew that the nation's police forces were stuck to old ways and needed the shake-up that the young chief constable had already delivered in hertfordshire; scotland yard must not be left out. things, however, did not go well. the commissioner, sir harold scott, tolerated him (although he was an outsider too), but senior colleagues cold-shouldered him. within "d" department, young delivered all the home secretary had hoped for, a success that only alienated the hierarchy even further.