`I think there has to be the ultimate. There has to be the death penalty, or life meaning life'.

Byline: By Guy Basnett

Britain's former chief police officer last night repeated his call for the reinstatement of the death penalty following the gunning down of rookie PC Sharon Beshenivsky.

Speaking to an audience in Newcastle, Lord Stevens, former head of both the Metropolitan and Northumbria Police forces, described the 38-year-old's killing as "an execution".

He said: "They stood no chance ( she stood no chance. If we don't look after the police officers who protect us, who can we look after?

"I think there has to be the ultimate. There has to be the death penalty, or life meaning life. If we don't do that there is not a big enough deterrent."

But Lord Stevens, 63, rejected calls for all police to be armed, believing most officers would be strongly opposed.

"Three years ago 80% of officers in this country said they did not want to be armed. It could now be 70% or 60%, but I suspect the majority still don't," he said.

The senior officer's comments came four days after PC Beshenivsky was shot dead as she attended an armed robbery at a travel agents in Bradford.

Her colleague, PC Teresa Milburn, 37, was also shot in the shoulder.

Last night, detectives from the West Yorkshire force were given more time to question four men and a woman arrested in connection with Friday's attack.

Lord Stevens, who headed up the Northumbria force from 1991 to 1996 before becoming the Metropolitan Police chief said his views on the death penalty had changed.

He said: "It's been a gradual thing. I have always believed in the sanctity of life. To take someone's life is anathema to me. Over the last five years my view has changed."

Lord Stevens was being interviewed by The Journal's Arts Editor David Whetstone at an event to promote his autobiography Not For The Faint-Hearted.

Speaking before an audience at the Waterstones bookstore on Blackett Street, he also recalled the tough decisions he has had to make in his 43-year career.

They include his involvement in the introduction of the shoot-to-kill policy which led to the death of Brazilian Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Underground.

He also backed the arming of officers patrolling London's Heathrow Airport.

But he said he was `extremely proud' of the emergency service response to the July 7 bombings which had been honed over three years under his command.

Lord Stevens, who grew up in the region and is a licensed commercial airline pilot, added that he has "enjoyed nearly every minute" of his job in the service.

He is still heading up a series of inquiries, including an investigation into the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed due to be completed early next year.

He said: "If you put everything into your job your regrets won't be the same as if you haven't. And policing is still in my blood."