John Hill (police officer)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Maxwell Hill CBE
DFC
QPM
(25 March 1914–6 May 2004) was a British
police
officer.
Hill was born in Plymouth
, the son of a civil servant. He was educated at Plymouth College
and joined the Metropolitan Police
as a Constable
in 1933. In 1938 he was selected for Hendon Police College
and passed out the following year.
During the Second World War, Hill served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
. Enlisting in 1942, he was commissioned (from the rank of Leading Aircraftman
) as a Pilot Officer
in February 1944. In August 1944 he was promoted Flying Officer
. In September 1945, while serving with 622 Squadron
, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC).
Hill was promoted Deputy Commander
at Scotland Yard
in 1959. In 1963, he was promoted Commander
and appointed second-in-command of No.3 District (North-East London). In 1964 he transferred to No.1 District (North-West London) and in 1965 he was appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary
.
He returned to the Metropolitan Police as Assistant Commissioner "A"
(Operations and Administration) in October 1966. In 1968 he become Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training), and on 1 April 1972 he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1969.
On 3 December 1972 he became HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary. He was knighted
in the 1974 New Year Honours and retired in 1975.
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...
DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
QPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(25 March 1914–6 May 2004) was a 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.
Hill was born in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, the son of a civil servant. He was educated at Plymouth College
Plymouth College
Plymouth College is a co-educational independent school in Plymouth, Devon, England, for day and boarding pupils from the ages of 11 to 18...
and joined 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 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:...
in 1933. In 1938 he was selected for 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...
and passed out the following year.
During the Second World War, Hill served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
. Enlisting in 1942, he was commissioned (from the rank of Leading Aircraftman
Leading Aircraftman
Leading aircraftman Leading aircraftman (LAC) Leading aircraftman (LAC) (or leading aircraftwoman (LACW) is a rank in some air forces, between aircraftman and senior aircraftman and having a NATO rank code of OR-2. The rank badge is a horizontal two-bladed propeller....
) as a Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
in February 1944. In August 1944 he was promoted Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
. In September 1945, while serving with 622 Squadron
No. 622 Squadron RAF
No. 622 Squadron RAF was a bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Post-war it served shortly as a transport squadron in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.-World War II:No...
, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC).
Hill was promoted Deputy Commander
Deputy Commander
Deputy commander was a rank in the London Metropolitan Police which existed between 1946 and 1968.In 1946, the rank of chief constable, which was between superintendent and deputy assistant commissioner, was renamed deputy commander. At the same time, the rank of deputy assistant commissioner was...
at 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...
in 1959. In 1963, he was promoted Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
and appointed second-in-command of No.3 District (North-East London). In 1964 he transferred to No.1 District (North-West London) and in 1965 he was appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland in the United Kingdom have statutory responsibility for the inspection of police forces.-England and Wales:...
.
He returned to the Metropolitan Police as Assistant Commissioner "A"
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...
(Operations and Administration) in October 1966. In 1968 he become Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training), and on 1 April 1972 he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
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...
. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1969.
On 3 December 1972 he became HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary. 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 1974 New Year Honours and retired in 1975.