Divisional Detective Inspector
Encyclopedia
Divisional detective inspector (DDI), also known as first class detective inspector, was a rank in the Criminal Investigation Department
of London
's Metropolitan Police
, equivalent to sub-divisional inspector
in the uniformed branch. It was senior to the rank of detective inspector (officially called second class detective inspector) and junior to the rank of detective chief inspector.
The DDI was in charge of the CID in each police division
. He was usually assisted by one or two detective inspectors, a first class detective sergeant, and a number of detective sergeants and detective constables. He was largely autonomous on his "patch", answering only to the divisional superintendent and only calling in support from Scotland Yard
for very serious crimes such as murder. DDI was an important stepping stone in a detective
's career, with many top detectives getting their best experience when they were DDIs.
The rank was discontinued in 1949, when it was regraded to detective chief inspector. In 1953, it was regraded again to detective superintendent grade I, and is thus equivalent to a modern detective superintendent.
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
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
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
, equivalent to sub-divisional inspector
Sub-Divisional Inspector
Sub-divisional inspector was a rank used in the London Metropolitan Police from the 1870s or 1880s until 1949. A sub-divisional inspector ranked above an inspector and below a chief inspector. As the title suggests, he or she commanded a sub-division or held an equivalent administrative position...
in the uniformed branch. It was senior to the rank of detective inspector (officially called second class detective inspector) and junior to the rank of detective chief inspector.
The DDI was in charge of the CID in each police division
Police division
A division was the usual term for the largest territorial subdivision of most British police forces. In major reforms of police organisation in the 1990s divisions of many forces were restructured and retitled Basic Command Units , although some forces continue to refer to them as divisions.The...
. He was usually assisted by one or two detective inspectors, a first class detective sergeant, and a number of detective sergeants and detective constables. He was largely autonomous on his "patch", answering only to the divisional superintendent and only calling in support from Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
for very serious crimes such as murder. DDI was an important stepping stone in a detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
's career, with many top detectives getting their best experience when they were DDIs.
The rank was discontinued in 1949, when it was regraded to detective chief inspector. In 1953, it was regraded again to detective superintendent grade I, and is thus equivalent to a modern detective superintendent.