John Waldron (police officer)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Lovegrove Waldron, KCVO
(5 November 1909 – 24 August 1975) 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.
, Berkshire
, Waldron was educated at Charterhouse School
, and Clare College, Cambridge
. He joined the Metropolitan Police in 1934 and passed out from Hendon Police College
. In 1943 he was seconded to the Ceylon Police, serving as Deputy Inspector-General (CID
) from 1944 to 1947. The Inspector-General was Ranulph Bacon
, whom Waldron would later succeed as both Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Waldron then returned to the Metropolitan Police, but was appointed an Assistant Chief Constable
of Lancashire Constabulary
in 1951. In 1954 he became Chief Constable of Berkshire Constabulary.
. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 1959 New Year Honours. After five years in charge of Traffic, he transferred to become Assistant Commissioner "A" (Operations and Administration) in 1963. In 1965, Waldron was responsible for organising the policing of the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill
, a duty for which he was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in the 1966 Birthday Honours.
In 1966, Waldron was promoted to Deputy Commissioner
, the second highest rank in the Met. When the Commissioner, Sir Joseph Simpson
, died suddenly in 1968, Waldron was appointed his successor. The appointment was assumed by many to be a temporary fill-in role, but circumstances such as a rise in police salaries and pensions, and the fall of the Labour government in 1970 saw Waldron stay on for several years longer than expected.
and the new London borough
s were causing significant strain on territorial policing of London.
Waldron did, however, set in motion the move to area-based policing, and renamed the former Police Districts to Areas.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(5 November 1909 – 24 August 1975) 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 officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
who served as 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 Berkshire Constabulary
Berkshire Constabulary
Berkshire Constabulary is a former Home Office police force which was responsible for policing the county of Berkshire in Southern England. Berkshire Constabulary was merged with several other adjacent police forces in 1968 to form the Thames Valley Police....
from 1954 to 1958 and Commissioner
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
of the 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...
Metropolitan Police
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...
from 1968 to 1972.
Early career
Born in WargraveWargrave
Wargrave is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, which encloses the confluence of the River Loddon and the River Thames. It is in the Borough of Wokingham...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, Waldron was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, and Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
. He joined the Metropolitan Police in 1934 and passed out from 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...
. In 1943 he was seconded to the Ceylon Police, serving as Deputy Inspector-General (CID
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,...
) from 1944 to 1947. The Inspector-General was Ranulph Bacon
Ranulph Bacon
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ranulph Robert Maunsell Bacon QPM was a British police officer.Bacon was born in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, and educated at Tonbridge School and Queens' College, Cambridge. He joined the Metropolitan Police as a Constable in 1928 and was selected for Hendon Police College in...
, whom Waldron would later succeed as both Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Waldron then returned to the Metropolitan Police, but was appointed an 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...
of Lancashire Constabulary
Lancashire Constabulary
Lancashire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Lancashire in the North West England. The force's headquarters are at Hutton, near the city of Preston...
in 1951. In 1954 he became Chief Constable of Berkshire Constabulary.
Return to the Metropolitan Police
In 1958, Waldron returned to London as Assistant Commissioner "B" (Traffic)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...
. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 1959 New Year Honours. After five years in charge of Traffic, he transferred to become Assistant Commissioner "A" (Operations and Administration) in 1963. In 1965, Waldron was responsible for organising the policing of the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, a duty for which he was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in the 1966 Birthday Honours.
In 1966, Waldron 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...
, the second highest rank in the Met. When the Commissioner, 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...
, died suddenly in 1968, Waldron was appointed his successor. The appointment was assumed by many to be a temporary fill-in role, but circumstances such as a rise in police salaries and pensions, and the fall of the Labour government in 1970 saw Waldron stay on for several years longer than expected.
The Waldron Reforms
A management consultancy firm had been engaged to assess the structure and operations of the Metropolitan Police during Simpson's tenure as Commissioner, and their report was released shortly after Simpson's death and Waldron's appointment. Waldron and his deputies decided not to proceed with many of the report's more drastic recommendations, and the creation of the Greater London CouncilGreater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
and the new London borough
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
s were causing significant strain on territorial policing of London.
Waldron did, however, set in motion the move to area-based policing, and renamed the former Police Districts to Areas.