Metropolitan Police

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Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service logo.svg
Logo
Badge of the Metropolitan Police Service (Elizabeth II).svg
Badge during the reign of Elizabeth II
Flag of the Metropolitan Police Service.svg
Flag
Common nameThe Met [1]
AbbreviationMPS [2]
Agency overview
Formed29 September 1829;193 years ago (1829-09-29) [3]
Preceding agencies
Employees43,571 in total [6]
32,493 police officers [6]
9,816 police staff [6]
1,262 PCSOs [6]
Volunteers1,858 special constables
1,500 police support volunteers
3,658 volunteer police cadets
Annual budget£3.24 billion [7]
Legal personality Police force
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction Greater London (minus City of London), England, United Kingdom
England Police Forces (Metropolitan).svg
Map of police area
Size1,578 km2 (609 sq mi)
Population8.95 million (2019/20) [8]
Legal jurisdiction England and Wales
(throughout the whole of the United Kingdom, including Scotland and Northern Ireland, under certain limited circumstances)
Primary governing body Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime
Secondary governing body Home Office
Constituting instruments
General nature
Operational structure
Overviewed by
Headquarters New Scotland Yard, London SW1A [9]
Police officers32,493 full time
1,858 special constables
PCSOs1,262
Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime responsible
Agency executives
Website
www.met.police.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and the prevention of crime in Greater London. [11] In addition, it is responsible for some specialised matters throughout the United Kingdom, including national counter-terrorism measures and the protection of specific people, such as the monarch and other members of the royal family, members of the government, [12] and other officials.

Contents

The main geographical area of responsibilities, the Metropolitan Police District, consists of the 32 London boroughs, [13] but does not include the City of London proper – the central financial district – which is policed by a separate force, the City of London Police. As the force responsible for the capital of the United Kingdom, the Met has significant unique responsibilities and challenges, such as protecting 164 foreign embassies and High Commissions, [14] policing London City and Heathrow Airports, protecting the Palace of Westminster, and dealing with significantly more protests and events than any other British force, with 3,500 such events in 2016. [14]

The force, by officer numbers, is the largest in the United Kingdom by a significant margin, and one of the biggest in the world. [15] Leaving its national responsibilities aside, the Met has the eighth-smallest police area (primary geographic area of responsibility) of the territorial police forces in the United Kingdom.

The force is led by the Commissioner, whose formal title is the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The Commissioner is answerable to the Home Office and the Mayor of London, through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime. The post of Commissioner was first held jointly by Sir Charles Rowan and Sir Richard Mayne. Sir Mark Rowley is the current Commissioner; he succeeded Acting Commissioner Sir Stephen House in July 2022. [16]

It is often known as Scotland Yard after the location of its original headquarters in a road called Great Scotland Yard in Whitehall. [17] The Met's current headquarters is New Scotland Yard, on the Victoria Embankment. [18]

History

The Metropolitan Police Service was founded in 1829 by Robert Peel under the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 and on 29 September of that year, the first constables of the service appeared on the streets of London. [19] Ten years later, Metropolitan Police Act 1839 consolidated policing within London by expanding the Metropolitan Police District and either abolishing or amalgamating the various other law enforcement entities within London into the Metropolitan Police such as the Thames River Police and the Bow Street Runners. [20] [21]

Governance

Since January 2012, the Mayor of London is responsible for the governance of the Metropolitan Police through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). [22] The mayor is able to appoint someone to act on his behalf. As of April 2019, the office-holder is Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden. [23] The work of MOPAC is scrutinised by the Police and Crime Committee (also known as a police and crime panel) of the London Assembly. These structures were created by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and replaced the Metropolitan Police Authority-appointed board created in 2000 by Greater London Authority Act 1999.

Police area and other forces

The area policed by the Metropolitan Police Service is known as the Metropolitan Police District (MPD). The Met was divided into 32 Borough Operational Command Units that directly aligned with the 32 London boroughs covered. This situation has changed since 2017, as the Met has attempted to save money due to cuts in funding. The MPD is now divided into 12 Basic Command Units (BCUs) made up of two, three or four boroughs. There is criticism of these changes. [24] The City of London (which is not a London borough) is a separate police area and is the responsibility of the separate City of London Police.

New Scotland Yard is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. New Scotland Yard sign.jpg
New Scotland Yard is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police.

The Ministry of Defence Police is responsible for policing of Ministry of Defence property throughout the United Kingdom, including its headquarters in Whitehall and other MoD establishments across the MPD. [25]

The British Transport Police are responsible for policing of the rail network in Great Britain, including London. Within London, they are also responsible for the policing of the London Underground, London Trams, the London Cable Car and the Docklands Light Railway. [26]

The English part of the Royal Parks Constabulary, which patrolled a number of Greater London's major parks, was merged with the Metropolitan Police in 2004, and those parks are now policed by the Royal Parks Operational Command Unit. [27] There is also a small park police force, the Kew Constabulary, responsible for the Royal Botanic Gardens, whose officers have full police powers within the park. A few local authorities maintain their own borough park constabularies, including Wandsworth Parks and Events Police, Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police, Havering Parks Constabulary and the Hampstead Heath Constabulary. All of these enjoy powers of arrest without warrant as constables, [28] however the officers of the latter have full police powers, much like officers of the Metropolitan Police on the Heath. The other parks police primarily focus on by-law enforcement.

Metropolitan Police officers have legal jurisdiction throughout all of England and Wales, including areas that have their own special police forces, such as the Ministry of Defence, as do all police officers of territorial police forces. [29] Officers also have limited powers in Scotland and Northern Ireland. [30] Within the MPD, the Met will take over the investigation of any serious crime from the Ministry of Defence Police and to a lesser degree BTP, if it is deemed appropriate. Terrorist incidents and complex murder enquiries will almost always be investigated by the Met, [31] [32] with the assistance of any relevant specialist force, even if they are committed on Ministry of Defence or railway property. A minor incursion into the normal jurisdiction of territorial police officers in England and Wales is that Met officers involved in the protection duties of the Royal Family and other VIPs have full police powers in Scotland and Northern Ireland in connection with those duties. [33]

Organisation and structure

The Metropolitan Police Service is organised into the following directorates: [34]

Each is overseen by an Assistant Commissioner or, in the case of administrative departments, a director of police staff, which is the equivalent civilian staff grade. The management board is made up of the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners and Directors.

Ranks

The Metropolitan Police Service uses the standard British police ranks, indicated by epaulettes, up to chief superintendent, but uniquely has five ranks above that level instead of the standard three; namely commander, deputy assistant commissioner, assistant commissioner, deputy commissioner and commissioner. [35] All senior officers of the rank of Commander and above are chief police officers of NPCC (previously ACPO) rank.

The Met approved the use of name badges in October 2003, with new recruits wearing the Velcro badges from September 2004. The badge consists of the wearer's rank, followed by their surname. [36] All officers are assigned a unique identification number which includes a two-letter BCU (Basic Command Unit) code.

Following controversy over assaults by uniformed officers with concealed shoulder identification numbers during the G20 summit, [37] Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said, "the public has a right to be able to identify any uniformed officer whilst performing their duty" by their shoulder identification numbers. [38]

Insignia

The Met uniformed officer rank structure, with epaulette design, is as follows:

The Met also has several active Volunteer Police Cadet units, which maintain their own internal rank structure. [39] The Metropolitan Special Constabulary is a contingent of part-time volunteer police officers and is attached to most Borough Operational Command Units. The Metropolitan Special Constabulary Ranks are as follows:

Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary Ranks
RankSpecial constableSpecial sergeantSpecial inspectorSpecial chief inspectorAssistant chief officerChief officer
Epaulette Insignia Met SC Epaulette.svg Met SSgt Epaulette.svg SInsp with Crown.svg SCI with Crown.svg 2Bars+SC+Crowns.svg 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg
Notes:

The prefix "woman" in front of female officers' ranks has been obsolete since 1999. Members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) up to and including the rank of chief superintendent prefix their ranks with "detective". Detective ranks are equivalent in rank to their uniform counterparts. Other departments, such as Special Branch and Child Protection, award non-detectives "branch detective" status, allowing them to use the "Detective" prefix. None of these detective ranks confer on the holder any extra pay or supervisory authority compared to their uniformed colleagues.

Workforce

The following is the current released workforce data for the ranks. The chief officers rank covers all senior ranks as well as special constables covering all special constable ranks.

Metropolitan Police Workforce
RankPolice staffPolice support volunteerDesignated Officer PCSO Special constable Constable Sergeant Inspector Chief inspector Superintendent Chief superintendent Chief officer
Female personnel528546834047853074659562706844128
Male personnel362625739082913301732935269352321474526
Total personnel89117257301307186024794448212053001915734
Reference2019 Police workforce open data tables [41]

Arms

Coat of arms of Metropolitan Police
Coat of Arms of the Metropolitan Police Service.svg
Crest
On a wreath Argent and Azure, three arrows, one in pale and two in saltire, barbs downward, Proper, banded Azure and ensigned by the Royal Crown proper.
Escutcheon
Azure, a portcullis chained within a double tressure flory counterflory Argent.
Supporters
On either side a lion rampant guardant Argent, gorged with a collar Azure charged alternately with bezants and bees volant, grasping in the interior paw a column Or.

Resources

Metropolitan Police officers wearing traditional custodian helmets Pride London 39.jpg
Metropolitan Police officers wearing traditional custodian helmets
Met officers, alongside British Transport Police on 'mutual aid', at a G20 protest in 2009. Many streets were cut off.jpg
Met officers, alongside British Transport Police on 'mutual aid', at a G20 protest in 2009.
Armed DPG police officers. Downing Street gates, 2014 Armed police officers (London, 2014).jpg
Armed DPG police officers. Downing Street gates, 2014

The Metropolitan Police Service is composed of police officers and oolice staff (civilians who are non-warranted). Police officers include full-time, paid officers known as 'regulars', and part-time, voluntary officers from the Metropolitan Special Constabulary. Both regulars and specials enjoy full police powers, wear the same uniform, and carry the same kit. Police Staff include police community support officers (PCSOs), designated detention officers (DDOs), and many other civilian roles. [42] The Met was the first constabulary to introduce PCSOs. Unlike civilian police staff, police officers in the Met (as elsewhere in the UK) are not employees, but rather Crown servants, and holders of the Office of Constable.

Funding for the Metropolitan Police has been cut due to austerity. Changes in the way the government pays for police pensions will lead to further cuts. [43]

Police numbers

Historic numbers of police officers

*include temporary constables from war period

^includes 753 officers policing Her Majesty's Dockyards throughout the country

Fleet

The Met operates and maintains a fleet of nearly 5,000 vehicles. In 2018, the fleet covered 46,777,720 miles (75,281,440 km). [66] The fleet comprises numerous vehicles, including: [67]

The majority of vehicles have a service life of three to five years; the Met replaces or upgrades between 800 and 1,000 vehicles each year. By 2012 the Met was marking all new marked vehicles with Battenburg markings, a highly-reflective material on the side of the vehicles, chequered blue and yellow for the police, and in other colours for other services. The old livery was an orange stripe through the vehicle, with the force's logo.

The National Police Air Service provides helicopter support to the Met.

A marine policing unit operates 22 vessels from its base in Wapping.

Budget

The force's expenditure for single years, not adjusted for inflation. [69]

YearAmountNotes
1829/30£194,126
1848£437,441
1873£1.1 million
1898£1.8 million
1923£7.8 million
1948£12.6 million
1973£95 million
1998/9£2.03 billion
2011/12£3.69 billion£2.754 billion was spent on staff wages [70] [71]
2017/18£3.26 billion [72]

Crime figures

Crimes reported within the Metropolitan Police District, selected by quarter centuries. [73]

Detection rates

The following table shows the percentage detection rates for the Metropolitan Police by offence group for 2010/11. [75]

TotalViolence against the personSexual offencesRobberyBurglaryOffences against vehiclesOther theft offencesFraud and forgeryCriminal damageDrug offencesOther offences
Metropolitan Police243523171151416139163
England and Wales2844302113112224149469

The Metropolitan Police Service "screened out" 34,164 crimes the day they were reported in 2017 and did not investigate them further. This compares to 13,019 the previous year. 18,093 crimes were closed in 24 hours during the first 5 months of 2018 making it likely that the 2017 total will be exceeded. Crimes not being investigated include sexual assaults and arson, burglaries, thefts and assaults. Some critics believe this shows the effect of austerity on the force's ability to carry out its responsibilities. [76]

Specialist units

A traditional blue lamp as seen outside most police stations. Met Police Blue Lamp.jpg
A traditional blue lamp as seen outside most police stations.

Stations

In addition to the headquarters at New Scotland Yard, there are many police stations in London. [89] These range from large borough headquarters staffed around the clock every day to smaller stations, which may be open to the public only during normal business hours, or on certain days of the week. In 2017, there were 73 working front counters open to the public in London. [90]

Most police stations can easily be identified from one or more blue lamps located outside the entrance, which were introduced in 1861.

The oldest Metropolitan police station, which opened in Bow Street in 1881, closed in 1992 and the adjoining Bow Street Magistrates' Court heard its last case on 14 July 2006. [91] One of the oldest operational police station in London is in Wapping, which opened in 1908. It is the headquarters of the marine policing unit (formerly known as Thames Division), which is responsible for policing the River Thames. It also houses a mortuary and the River Police Museum.

Paddington Green Police Station, which is no longer operational, received much publicity for its housing of terrorism suspects in an underground complex prior to its closure in 2017.

In 2004, there was a call from the Institute for Public Policy Research for more imaginative planning of police stations to aid in improving relations between police forces and the wider community. [92]

The sculpture on the grave of Constable William Frederick Tyler, Abney Park Cemetery, London The sculpture on the grave of Constable William Frederick Tyler, Abney Park Cemetery, London.JPG
The sculpture on the grave of Constable William Frederick Tyler, Abney Park Cemetery, London

Officers killed in the line of duty

The Police Roll of Honour Trust lists and commemorates all British police officers killed in the line of duty.

Controversies

In 1970, the Mangrove Nine were a group of British black activists tried for violent clashes during a protest against the police targeting of The Mangrove restaurant in Notting Hill. The nine were all acquitted of the most serious charges and the trial became the first judicial acknowledgement of racial hatred within the Metropolitan Police. [93]

Following the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993, William Macpherson headed a public inquiry (1998) that examined the handling of the original Metropolitan Police Service investigation into the murder. The inquiry concluded that the investigation was incompetent and that the force was institutionally racist. [94]

In 2005, police shot dead Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazilian man who had wrongly been identified as a perpetrator of the attempted terrorist bombings the day before.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the Metropolitan police were found to be 2.17 times as likely to issue fines to black people for lockdown breaches, relative to the general population. [95] [96]

The Met said: "In total, more white people received FPNs [fixed penalty notices] or were arrested than other individual ethnic groups. However, when compared with the composition of the resident population, higher proportions of those in black and minority ethnic (BAME) groups were issued with FPNs or arrested across London as a whole. The reasons for this are likely to be complex and reflect a range of factors. This includes interactions between the areas subject to significant proactive policing activity targeting crime hotspots and both the variation in the age profile and geographical distribution of ethnic groups in London." [95]

In 2021, the MPS have attracted media coverage for approaches to policing in high-profile cases such as the murder of Sarah Everard, the murders of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry and the handling of internal sexual assault allegations. [97] Women's rights groups have called for an enquiry into misogyny in the force. [98]

In March 2021, Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan Police officer with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit, was arrested and later charged with the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard. [99] Couzens was later sentenced to life without the possibility of release. [100] There were renewed calls for high level resignations following public outcry over the Met's response to the Everard case. [101] In March 2022, two serving Met police constables and one ex-officer were charged with sharing offensive messages with Wayne Couzens. [102]

In April 2021 an early-career Metropolitan police officer, Ben Hannam, was found guilty of being a member of a banned neo-Nazi terrorist group. [103]

In December 2021, an inquest jury ruled that the deaths in 20142015 of serial killer Stephen Port's final three victims was due in part to the Met Police's failings. The inquest found that the Met "failed to carry out basic checks, send evidence to be forensically examined, and exercise professional curiosity while Port was embarking on his killing spree". [104]

At the beginning of February 2022, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) reported on the conduct of officers based in the main at Charing Cross police station. Their investigation found evidence of highly sexualized, violent and discriminatory messages sent as part of WhatsApp group involving 17 officers. [105] The regional director of the IOPC, Sal Naseem, said: "The behaviour we uncovered was disgraceful and fell well below the standards expected of the officers involved. While these officers predominantly worked in teams in Westminster, which have since been disbanded, we know from other recent cases that these issues are not isolated or historic." [106]

In March 2022 it was revealed that a 15-year old black girl, referred to as Child Q, was strip-searched by police in school without an adult present after wrongly being suspected of being in possession of Cannabis. [107] An independent safeguarding report concluded the incident was unjustified and racism was likely a factor. Child Q is now suing the Metropolitan Police and pursuing civil action against her school. [108] The two police officers who carried out the strip search have been removed from front line duties. [109] Two years before the Child Q incident there were complaints that many strip searches of children were unjustified. In 2019 it was found that strip searches were disproportionately done to black and ethnic minority suspects. Inspectors found the number, “higher than we normally see”, and involved, “many children and a significantly higher proportion of black and minority ethnic detainees”. [110] Metropolitan Police have strip searched 5,279 children during the three years up to 2022 and 75% (3,939) were from ethnically diverse backgrounds according to the LBC. Sixteen children strip searched were between ten and twelve years old. Statistics only cover children strip searched following arrest and the actual figures are likely to be higher. [111] On 24 June 2022, Metropolitan police referred itself to the IOPC for investigation of 8 strip-searches of youngsters under 18. Reforms will be introduced including that an inspector will have to approve a strip-search of a child, an appropriate adult will have to be present and there will have to be a report. The Met stated “We have reviewed the policy for ‘further searches’ for those aged under 18 and made changes. This is to assure ourselves the policy is appropriate {...} and that it recognises the fact a child in these circumstances may well be a vulnerable victim of exploitation by others involved in gangs, county lines and drug dealing.” [112] Between 2018 and 2020 there were 650 strip-searches of children, 23% were without an appropriate adult. 58% of boys searched were black. Rachel de Souza said "I am not reassured that what happened to Child Q was an isolated issue, but instead believe it may be a particularly concerning example of a more systemic problem around child protection within the Metropolitan Police. I remain unconvinced that the Metropolitan Police is consistently considering children's welfare and wellbeing." [113] The majority of children strip-searched were innocent. De Souza said “This low level of successful searches arguably indicates that this intrusive practice may well not be justified or necessary in all cases.” (95%) of youngsters strip-searched were boys, and a quarter were under 16. De Souza said “I am also extremely concerned by the ethnic disproportionality shown in these figures, particularly given that ethnicity was determined to be such a key factor in the Child Q case. I am not reassured that what happened to Child Q was an isolated issue, but instead believe it may be a particularly concerning example of a more systemic problem around child protection within the Metropolitan police. I remain unconvinced that the Metropolitan police is consistently considering children’s welfare and wellbeing.” [114]

In June 2022 the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said that there was evidence of "systemic sexism, racism, homophobia, discrimination, misogyny" in the Met; he accepted that there are "dedicated, decent, brave officers" as well. Khan said he felt that the new Police Commissioner would need to restore confidence in London police. Khan accepted that London crime figures are going down. [115] The Met has been put into special measures by H M Inspectorate of Constabulary. The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said the Met was not getting "the basics right. (...) The process to recruit a new commissioner is well under way and I have made clear that the successful candidate must demonstrate sustained improvements in the Met Police in order to regain public trust both in London and across the country. The new commissioner will need to deliver on the public's priorities for the police - making our streets safer, bearing down on crime and bringing more criminals to justice, while continuing to recruit thousands of new officers to protect local communities." [116] The Inspectorate has "systemic concerns" over the Met, including its inadequate response to emergency calls, "barely adequate" recording of crime and child abuse referrals developing a backlog. A letter from the watchdog to the Met said failures worsened due to the young and inexperienced recruits brought in as an element of the national move to replace thousands of experienced officers cut as part of austerity measures. Matt Parr of the Inspectorate wrote to Sir Stephen House that the inspectors had had "substantial and persistent concerns" about the Met "for a considerable time". The concerns included the Met’s approach to tackling corruption which the letter said was "fundamentally flawed" and "not fit for purpose". [117]

In August 2022, the Met started legal proceedings against Parm Sandhu, a former senior officer who has published a book including allegations of 'racial and gender discrimination' against her by the Met. The Met’s claim is that Sandhu has breached a non-disclosure agreement which was part of a settlement agreement between Sandhu and the Met. [118]

In September 2022, there were protests over the death of Chris Kaba, who was shot and killed by a Metropolitan Police officer in south London. [119] The police officer involved was shortly afterwards suspended pending the outcome of the investigation by the IOPC. Two police cars had chased and stopped his vehicle late at night on 5 September, following a suspected armed incident the previous day involving the vehicle Kaba was driving. [120] The family also privately met with Scotland Yard’s new Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, for 25 minutes after viewing the footage. [121]

On 17 January 2023, David Carrick, a Met Police Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection officer, was dismissed from the Metropolitan Police after pleading guilty to 49 offences, including numerous cases of rape. He had been the subject of allegations of abuse of women over a period of twenty years. [122] The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, announced that there would be an internal review of the Met’s dismissal processes, and Mark Rowley said that the histories and records of all officers and staff would be rechecked to see whether any previous offending had been missed. [122]

In 2023, a report on the Metropolitan police found that the organization was rife with racism, misogyny, and homophobia, and was corrupt. A 363-page report written by Louise Casey, Baroness Casey of Blackstock was commissioned after the abduction of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens, a police constable. The report stated that 12% of female Met employees had been harassed or attacked, with 33% experiencing sexism. Other incidents include a Muslim officer who had bacon stuffed into his boots and a Sikh officer whose beard was cut. The report also found that officers of minority ethnic background more likely to be disciplined and leave the force. [123]

See also

Other London emergency services:

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References

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