Peter Brodie (police officer)
Encyclopedia
Peter Ewen Brodie OBE
QPM
(6 May 1914 – 7 September 1989) was a British
police
officer.
Brodie was born at Lethen, Nairnshire and educated at Harrow School
. He joined the Metropolitan Police
in London
in 1934, serving as a uniformed officer and later in the Criminal Investigation Department
(CID). Between 1943 and 1947 he was seconded to the Ceylon Police. In 1949 he was appointed Chief Constable
of Stirling and Clackmannan Police in his native Scotland
. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1954 Birthday Honours.
In 1958 he returned to England as Chief Constable of Warwickshire Constabulary. He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal
(QPM) in the 1963 Birthday Honours. In February 1964 he was appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary for England and Wales.
Brodie returned to the Metropolitan Police in April 1966 as Assistant Commissioner "C"
, in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department. He was a member of the Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence and the Executive Committee of Interpol
from 1967 to 1970. Regarded as a tough "hard-liner", he took early retirement in 1972 two years before reaching his sixtieth birthday and the day before the more liberal Robert Mark
took over as Commissioner
. He had been Mark's chief rival for the top job and opposed Mark's plans for greater integration and interchange between CID and uniformed branches, preferring the old system of CID being almost completely self-contained. During his time in the job, CID detection rates had risen from just over 20 per cent to nearly 30 per cent and the powerful Kray
and Richardson
gangs had been smashed. He was very popular with his men, most of whom wanted to see him appointed Commissioner. He retired to Warwickshire
.
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...
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...
(6 May 1914 – 7 September 1989) 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.
Brodie was born at Lethen, Nairnshire and educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. He 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...
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...
in 1934, serving as a uniformed officer and later in the Criminal Investigation Department
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,...
(CID). Between 1943 and 1947 he was seconded to the Ceylon Police. In 1949 he was appointed 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 Stirling and Clackmannan Police in his native Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1954 Birthday Honours.
In 1958 he returned to England as Chief Constable of Warwickshire Constabulary. He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal
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...
(QPM) in the 1963 Birthday Honours. In February 1964 he was appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary for England and Wales.
Brodie returned to the Metropolitan Police in April 1966 as Assistant Commissioner "C"
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...
, in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department. He was a member of the Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence and the Executive Committee of Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
from 1967 to 1970. Regarded as a tough "hard-liner", he took early retirement in 1972 two years before reaching his sixtieth birthday and the day before the more liberal 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....
took over as 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...
. He had been Mark's chief rival for the top job and opposed Mark's plans for greater integration and interchange between CID and uniformed branches, preferring the old system of CID being almost completely self-contained. During his time in the job, CID detection rates had risen from just over 20 per cent to nearly 30 per cent and the powerful Kray
Kray twins
Reginald "Reggie" Kray and his twin brother Ronald "Ronnie" Kray were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in London's East End during the 1950s and 1960s...
and Richardson
The Richardson Gang
The Richardson Gang was a 1960s group of criminals in South London, England. Less well remembered than their rivals the Krays, they nevertheless had a reputation at their peak as being some of London's most infamous and sadistic gangsters...
gangs had been smashed. He was very popular with his men, most of whom wanted to see him appointed Commissioner. He retired to Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
.