John Dellow
Encyclopedia
Sir John Albert Dellow CBE
(born 5 June 1931) is a retired British
police
officer.
Dellow was born in London
and educated at William Ellis School
, Highgate
, and the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
. After leaving school, he worked for Shell
and did his national service
in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
, working in personnel selection. In 1951, he joined the City of London Police
as a Constable
. Rising to Chief Inspector
and attending Bramshill Police College, he transferred to Kent County Constabulary as a Superintendent
in 1966. He was promoted Chief Superintendent
in 1968 and Assistant Chief Constable
in 1969. In the same year, he became the first police officer to attend the Joint Services Staff College
.
In 1973, he transferred to the Metropolitan Police
as Deputy Assistant Commissioner
(Traffic Planning). In 1975, he became DAC (Personnel), in 1978 he took over No.2 Area, and in 1979 he became DAC (Operations). In this post, Dellow commanded the police operation in the Iranian Embassy Siege
in 1980. Later that year he was appointed DAC (Inspectorate). He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1979 New Year Honours.
On 10 May 1982, he was appointed Assistant Commissioner "B"
(Traffic). In 1982, he headed the review of Buckingham Palace
security after an intruder, Michael Fagan
, managed to get into the Queen's
bedroom. In March 1984 he was transferred as Assistant Commissioner "C" (Crime). The reorganisation in 1985 meant he was the last officer to hold the post of Assistant Commissioner "C" and the first to hold the new post of Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations (ACSO). He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1985. In 1987, he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner
, holding the post until his retirement in 1991. He was vice-president of the Association of Chief Police Officers
(ACPO) from 1988 to 1989 and president from 1989 to 1990. He was knighted
in the 1990 Birthday Honours.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 5 June 1931) is a retired British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officer.
Dellow was born in 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...
and educated at William Ellis School
William Ellis School
William Ellis School is a United Kingdom secondary comprehensive school for boys in Highgate, London.-Admissions:It is a specialist Language College. The School's motto is 'Rather Use Than Fame'. The school is over-subscribed, usually an indicator of a popular school. It is situated just west of...
, Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
, and the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
See Royal Grammar School for the other schools with the name RGS.The Royal Grammar School High Wycombe is a selective grammar school situated in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. As a state school it does not charge fees for students to attend, but they must pass an entrance exam...
. After leaving school, he worked for Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
and did his national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
, working in personnel selection. In 1951, he joined 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...
as a 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:...
. Rising to Chief Inspector
Chief inspector
Chief inspector is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police .-Australia:...
and attending Bramshill Police College, he transferred to Kent County Constabulary 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...
in 1966. He was promoted Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
in 1968 and Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant chief constable is the third highest rank in all British territorial police forces , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and...
in 1969. In the same year, he became the first police officer to attend the Joint Services Staff College
Joint Services Staff College
Joint Services Staff College may refer to:* Joint Services Staff College , the former name of the "Joint Service Defence College"* Joint Services Staff College , the former name of the "Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies"...
.
In 1973, he transferred to the 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...
as Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Deputy assistant commissioner is a rank in London's Metropolitan Police Service between assistant commissioner and commander. It is equivalent to deputy chief constable in other British police forces and wears the same insignia: a pip above crossed tipstaves within a wreath.The rank was introduced...
(Traffic Planning). In 1975, he became DAC (Personnel), in 1978 he took over No.2 Area, and in 1979 he became DAC (Operations). In this post, Dellow commanded the police operation in the Iranian Embassy Siege
Iranian Embassy Siege
The Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy in South Kensington, London. The gunmen took 26 people hostage—mostly embassy staff, but several visitors and a police officer, who had been guarding the embassy, were also...
in 1980. Later that year he was appointed DAC (Inspectorate). He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1979 New Year Honours.
On 10 May 1982, he was appointed Assistant Commissioner "B"
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, usually just Assistant Commissioner , is the third highest rank in London's Metropolitan Police, ranking below Deputy Commissioner and above Deputy Assistant Commissioner. There are usually four officers in the rank...
(Traffic). In 1982, he headed the review of Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
security after an intruder, Michael Fagan
Michael Fagan incident
Michael Fagan was an intruder who broke into Buckingham Palace and entered Elizabeth II's bedchamber in the early hours of 9 July 1982. The unemployed father of four children managed to evade electronic alarms as well as both palace and police guards....
, managed to get into the Queen's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
bedroom. In March 1984 he was transferred as Assistant Commissioner "C" (Crime). The reorganisation in 1985 meant he was the last officer to hold the post of Assistant Commissioner "C" and the first to hold the new post of Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations (ACSO). He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1985. In 1987, he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner
Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, commonly referred to simply as the Deputy Commissioner, is the second-in-command of London's Metropolitan Police Service. The rank is senior to Assistant Commissioner, but junior by one rank to Commissioner...
, holding the post until his retirement in 1991. He was vice-president of the Association of Chief Police Officers
Association of Chief Police Officers
The Association of Chief Police Officers , established in 1948, is a private limited company that leads the development of policing practice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.ACPO provides a forum for chief police officers to share ideas and coordinates the strategic...
(ACPO) from 1988 to 1989 and president from 1989 to 1990. He was 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...
in the 1990 Birthday Honours.