Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

's Metropolitan Police Service

Metropolitan Police Service

The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...

, classing the holder as a chief police officer

Chief police officer

Chief police officer is a phrase used in the United Kingdom to describe the position held by the most senior police officer in a police force. It refers to either one of the 53 Chief Constables, the Commissioner of the City of London Police or the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Such...

. The post is currently held by Bernard Hogan-Howe

Bernard Hogan-Howe

Bernard Hogan-Howe, QPM is the present Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis . He was previously Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, an Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and more recently one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary.On 18 July 2011, the Home Secretary...

after his appointment by the Queen on 12 September 2011.

The Commissioner is regarded as the leading police officer

Police officer

A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...

in the United Kingdom, despite the fact that his authority is generally confined to the Metropolitan Police Service's area of operation, Greater London

Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...

. However, unlike other police forces the Metropolitan Police has certain national responsibilities such as leading counter-terrorism policing and the protection of the Royal Family and senior members of Her Majesty's Government. Furthermore, the postholder is directly accountable to the Home Secretary and the public nationally amongst many others (the Metropolitan Police Authority

Metropolitan Police Authority

The Metropolitan Police Authority is the police authority responsible for supervising the Metropolitan Police Service, the police force for Greater London ....

, the Mayor of London

Mayor of London

The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...

, Londoners) whereas smaller police forces are only accountable to their local police authority

Police authority

A police authority in the United Kingdom, is a body charged with securing efficient and effective policing of a police area served by a territorial police force or the area and/or activity policed by a special police force...

and residents.
The rank is usually referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, the Met Commissioner or simply just "Commissioner". The Commissioner's annual salary without pension contributions or allowances from 1 September 2010, is £260,088, more than one-hundred and fifty thousand pounds (£150,000) higher than the lowest paid Chief Police officers outside London (namely: the Chief Constables of the Scottish Police forces')

History

The rank of Commissioner was created by the Metropolitan Police Act 1829

Metropolitan Police Act 1829

The Metropolitan Police Act 1829 was an Act of Parliament introduced by Sir Robert Peel and passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act established the Metropolitan Police of London , replacing the previously disorganized system of parish constables and watchmen...

, until 1855, the post was held jointly by two officers. The Commissioners were Justices of the Peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

and not sworn constable

Constable

A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...

s until 1 April 1974. The title Commissioner was not used until 1839.

A Commissioner is always Knighted

Knight Bachelor

The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...

on appointment if he has not already been, as some Deputy Commissioners are also knighted. The insignia of rank is a crown above a Bath Star

Order of the Bath

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...

, known as "pips", above crossed tipstaves

Tipstaff

The Tipstaff is an officer of a court or, in some countries, a law clerk to a judge. The duties of the position vary from country to country.-History:...

within a wreath, very similar to the insignia worn by a full general

General (United Kingdom)

General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....

in the British Army

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

. This badge is all but unique within the British police, shared only with the Commissioner of the City of London Police

City of London Police

The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...

, the smallest territorial police force

Territorial police force

The phrase Territorial Police Force varies in precise meaning according to the country to which it is related, generally distinguishing a force whose area of responsibility is defined by sub-national boundaries from others which deal with the entire country or a restricted range of...

.

At one time, the commissioners were either retired military officers or civil servants. Sir John Nott-Bower

John Nott-Bower

Sir John Reginald Hornby Nott-Bower KCVO KPM OStJ was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the head of the London Metropolitan Police, from 1953 to 1958...

was the first career police officer to hold the post, despite several previous Commissioners having served in senior administrative positions in colonial forces, and the Metropolitan Police itself. Sir Joseph Simpson

Joseph Simpson

Sir Joseph Simpson KBE KPFSM , commonly known as Joe Simpson to his men, was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the head of the London Metropolitan Police, from 1958 to 1968...

was the first Commissioner to have started his career as the lowest rank of Constable

Constable

A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...

. However, Sir Robert Mark

Robert Mark

Sir Robert Mark, GBE, QPM was an English police officer who served as Chief Constable of Leicester City Police, and later as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1972 to 1977....

, appointed in 1972, was the first to have risen through all the ranks from the lowest to the highest, as all his successors have done.

, the post of Commissioner is appointed for a period of five years. Applicants are appointed to the post by Her Majesty The Queen, following a recommendation by the Home Secretary

Home Secretary

The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...

under the Police Act 1996

Police Act 1996

The Police Act 1996 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which defined the current police areas, constituted the current police authorities and set out the relationship between the Home Secretary and the territorial police forces. It replaced the Police and Magistrates Courts Act...

.

As of 2010 the salary of the Commissioner of the Metropolis is £260,088.

Eligibility and accountability

, applicants to the post of Commissioner must be British citizens, and be "serving UK chief constable

Chief Constable

Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...

s or of equivalent UK ranks and above, or have recent experience at these levels". The post of Commissioner is "accountable to the Home Secretary

Home Secretary

; to the MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

The Metropolitan Police Authority is the police authority responsible for supervising the Metropolitan Police Service, the police force for Greater London ....

, chaired by the Mayor of London

Mayor of London

; and must answer to Londoners and the public nationally"

This requirement to be a British national has blocked the appointment of non-British Commissioners in the past. In August 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron wanted US "supercop" Bill Bratton to become the new Met Police Commissioner, but this was blocked by the Home Office

Home Office

The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...

citing that the Commissioner has to be British.

List of Commissioners

From	To	Military rank (if applicable)	Name	Notes
1829	1850	Lieutenant-Colonel	Sir Charles Rowan Charles Rowan Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Rowan KCB was an officer in the British Army, serving in the Peninsular War and Waterloo and the joint first Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, head of the London Metropolitan Police....	First Joint Commissioner
1829	1868		Sir Richard Mayne Richard Mayne Sir Richard Mayne KCB was a barrister and the joint first Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the head of the London Metropolitan Police...	Second Joint Commissioner (1829–1850) then First Joint Commissioner (1850–1855) and finally Commissioner (1855-1868)
1850	1855	Captain Captain (British Army and Royal Marines) Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...	William Hay	Second Joint Commissioner
1868	1869	Lieutenant-Colonel	Douglas Labalmondière Douglas Labalmondière Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas William Parish Labalmondière CB was the first Assistant Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police and acted as Commissioner for three months in 1868–1869....	Acting
1869	1886	Lieutenant-Colonel	Sir Edmund Henderson Edmund Henderson Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edmund Yeamans Walcott Henderson KCB was an officer in the British Army who was Comptroller-General of Convicts in Western Australia from 1850 to 1863, Home Office Surveyor-General of Prisons from 1863 to 1869, and Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, head of the London...
1886	1888	Major-General Major-General (United Kingdom) Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...	Sir Charles Warren	Later returned to military duties
1886	1888		James Monro James Monro James Monro CB was a lawyer who became the first Assistant Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police and also served as Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis from 1888 to 1890.-Early career:...	Senior civil servant before becoming Assistant Commissioner (Crime) and then Commissioner
1890	1903	Colonel	Sir Edward Bradford
1903	1918		Sir Edward Henry Edward Henry Sir Edward Richard Henry, 1st Baronet GCVO KCB CSI KPM was the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis from 1903 to 1918....	Senior civil servant before being appointed Inspector-General of Police of Bengal. Later served in other senior police appointments before becoming Commissioner.
1918	1920	General General (United Kingdom) General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....	Sir Nevil Macready Nevil Macready General Sir Cecil Frederick Nevil Macready, 1st Baronet, GCMG, KCB, PC , known as Sir Nevil Macready and affectionately as Make-Ready , was a British Army officer...
1920	1928	Brigadier-General	Sir William Horwood William Horwood (police commissioner) Brigadier-General Sir William Thomas Francis Horwood GBE KCB DSO served as Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, head of London's Metropolitan Police, from 1920 to 1928.-Military career:...
1928	1931	General General (United Kingdom) General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....	The Viscount Byng of Vimy Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy was a British Army officer who served as Governor General of Canada, the 12th since Canadian Confederation....
1931	1935	Marshal of the Royal Air Force Marshal of the Royal Air Force Marshal of the Royal Air Force is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff, and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff, who were promoted to it on their last day of service. Promotions to the rank have ceased...	The Lord Trenchard Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard GCB OM GCVO DSO was a British officer who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force...
1935	1945	Air Vice-Marshal Air Vice-Marshal Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...	Sir Philip Game Philip Game Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Woolcott Game GCB, GCVO, GBE, KCMG, DSO was a British Royal Air Force commander, who later served as Governor of New South Wales and Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis...
1945	1953		Sir Harold Scott	Previously a senior civil servant. First Commissioner without any police or military background since Sir Richard Mayne.
1953	1958		Sir John Nott-Bower John Nott-Bower Sir John Reginald Hornby Nott-Bower KCVO KPM OStJ was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the head of the London Metropolitan Police, from 1953 to 1958...	After Army service as a Second Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal... , Nott-Bower entered the police as a superintendent Superintendent (police) Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police... .
1958	1968		Sir Joseph Simpson Joseph Simpson Sir Joseph Simpson KBE KPFSM , commonly known as Joe Simpson to his men, was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the head of the London Metropolitan Police, from 1958 to 1968...	Graduated from the Hendon Police College Hendon Police College Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police Service. Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college is today officially called the Peel Centre, although its original name is still used frequently... , entering the police as an acting station inspector Station Inspector Station Inspector is the third highest non-commissioned officer rank in the Singapore Police Force, below that of Senior Station Inspector.... .
1968	1972		Sir John Waldron John Waldron (police officer) Sir John Lovegrove Waldron, KCVO was a British police officer who served as Chief Constable of Berkshire Constabulary from 1954 to 1958 and Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police from 1968 to 1972....	Graduated from the Hendon Police College Hendon Police College Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police Service. Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college is today officially called the Peel Centre, although its original name is still used frequently... .
1972	1977		Sir Robert Mark Robert Mark Sir Robert Mark, GBE, QPM was an English police officer who served as Chief Constable of Leicester City Police, and later as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1972 to 1977....	First Metropolitan Commissioner to have risen through all the police ranks from the lowest to the highest
1977	1982		Sir David McNee David McNee Sir David Blackstock McNee, QPM was Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1977 to 1982 and Chief Constable of the City of Glasgow Police from 1971 to 1977.-Early life:...
1982	1987		Sir Kenneth Newman Kenneth Newman Sir Kenneth Leslie Newman, GBE, QPM was Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1982 to 1987 and Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary from 1976 to 1980...
1987	1993		Sir Peter Imbert Peter Imbert, Baron Imbert Peter Michael Imbert, Baron Imbert CVO QPM was Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service from 1987 to 1993, and prior to that appointment Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police from 1979 to 1985....
1993	2000		Sir Paul Condon Paul Condon, Baron Condon Paul Leslie Condon, Baron Condon, QPM, DL, FRSA is a retired British police officer. He was the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1993 to 2000.-Education:...
2000	2005		Sir John Stevens John Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington John Arthur Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington KStJ QPM DL FRSA was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis from 2000 until 2005. From 1991 to 1996, he was Chief Constable of Northumbria Police before being appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary in September 1996...
2005	2008		Sir Ian Blair Ian Blair Ian Warwick Blair, Baron Blair of Boughton, QPM is a retired British Police officer who held the position of commissioner of police of the metropolis from 2005 to 2008 and was the highest ranking officer within the Metropolitan Police Service.On 2 October 2008 Blair announced that he would...
2009	2011		Sir Paul Stephenson Paul Stephenson (police officer) Sir Paul Robert Stephenson, QPM was the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, 2009-2011, the most senior police officer within the United Kingdom....	Introduced Single Patrol policy where officers were required to patrol on their own by default
2011	2011		Tim Godwin Tim Godwin Timothy John "Tim" Godwin, OBE, QPM is a senior British police officer, currently the Deputy Commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police Service...	Acting
2011			Bernard Hogan-Howe Bernard Hogan-Howe Bernard Hogan-Howe, QPM is the present Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis . He was previously Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, an Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and more recently one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary.On 18 July 2011, the Home Secretary...	Incumbent- Formerly Chief Constable Chief Constable Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry... of Merseyside Police Merseyside Police Merseyside Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Merseyside in North West England. The force area is 647 square kilometres with a population of around 1.5 million... from 2004 - 2009

External links

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