The Police

The London police are divided into two bodies:

• MetropolitanPolice, headquartered at ScotlandYard; often called "The Met" or "ScotlandYard"
• CityPolice, headquartered at XXXX

The CityPolice has jurisdiction within the ancient walls of the CityOfLondon^? proper; the MetropolitanPolice has jurisdiction in the MetropolitanPoliceDistrict.

Beyond these, we may mention here:

• SpecialBranch, having jurisiction over political crimes
• FlyingSquads, special squads with good transportation, a sort of proto-SWAT. In point of fact, there were no FlyingSquads until well into the 20th century, but you will find references to them in the late 19th century, and they're a useful enough concept that it's worth having a reference here.

ThePolice are structured on a military model, as follows:

• Executive
  • Commissioner -- executive director
  • Receiver (really outside the police) -- financial manager
  • AssistantCommissioner -- senior director
  • ChiefConstable^? -- senior officer in charge of a specific sub-section
• Officers
  • Superintendent^? -- most senior non-executive officer
  • ChiefInspector^? (CID) -- most senior detective officer
  • Inspector^? -- if CID, a senior officer working to the ChiefInspector^?; if not CID, usually in charge of everything else at a divisional station
  • LocalInspector^? (CID); later DDI or Divisional Detective Inspector -- the senior detective on a divisional station
• Enlisted
  • Sergeant -- essentially NCO's
  • Constable -- "bobbies"

Both PoliceForces have a number of Divisions, each having jurisdiction over a particular region, as well as a detective (CID) department.

See:

• PoliceForce | City Force | Metropolitan Force |
• DetectivePolice^? | DetectiveDivision^? (City) | CID (Metropolitan) | DetectiveBranch^? (pre-1877 Met) |

Overview

Police. —The police force of London comprises the MetropolitanPolice and the CityPolice. The latter have jurisdiction in the city of London proper, covering about 1 square mile, and consisting of about 900 men. The MetropolitanPolice District extends to a radius of about 15 miles from Charing-cross and covers more than 700 square miles. The force in the beginning of 1888 consisted of about 13,446 men, divided into 23 divisions, not including 760 men doing duty in the five Dockyards. Each sergeant and constable bears the letter of his division and number on his collar, which should be taken down if any complaint has to be preferred. Within a reasonable distance of nearly every house in any populous district there is, besides the local police-station, a fixed police point (see FixedPoints), at which a constable may always be found from 9 am to 1 a.m. If the constable at the fixed point be called away on special duty, his place is taken by the first patrol who arrives at the vacant post. Every householder should learn where is the nearest police-station and fixed point. If police assistance be required on some special occasion, such as a party, personal or written application should be made to the superintendent of the division on which the ground is situated. Such duty is done by men in their own time, and from 5s. to 10s. is generally given by the person interested.

SPECIAL DUTIES.—The following questions have also been submitted to the MetropolitanPolice Department, and have received the annexed replies:

Whether when application is made at a station for a married constable to take charge of an empty — furnished — house, any and what responsibility is undertaken by the department, and what are the general terms and conditions on which such applications are entertained?

Police sergeants or constables are permitted by the commissioner to take charge of unoccupied furnished houses on the recommendation of the superintendent of the division, provided they have undivided care; that no servants remain; and that there are no valuables or plate therein. No responsibility whatever is undertaken by the police department. There are no other set terms or conditions. If the man’s wife is employed to keep the house clean, it becomes a matter of arrangement between the parties. Sergeants and constables are allowed by the divisional superintendents to occupy unfurnished houses, or houses that have not been inhabited, provided they are reported, on inspection, as not likely to be prejudicial to the health of the officer.

Whether the police on ordinary night duty are allowed to be made available for calling private individuals in time for early trains, &c.?

The police are not only allowed, but are taught that they are bound to render this or any other service in their power to the inhabitants.

Whether any arrangement is practicable—short of hiring a special constable—by which a house can safely be left empty for a few hours?

Certainly not. The custom, unfortunately, is a very prevalent one, notwithstanding numerous official cautions, and a large number of offences are traceable to it, as it affords every facility for thieves and housebreakers.

• Charles Dickens, Jr., Dickens’s Dictionary of London, 1888 (see LondonGuidesAndMaps). Comparing to the 1879 edition at The Victorian Edition, there are essentially no changes, except, oddly enough, that the clause “; and any neglect is considered a breach of duty, and dealt with accordingly” appears at the bracketed asterisk just above.

See also an overview of the origins of the police at The Victorian Web.

References

• Fido, Martin, and Keith Skinner. The Official Encyclopedia of Scotland Yard. Rev. and uptdated ed. London: Virgin, 2000.

-- ChrisLehrich^? - 30 Dec 2004