Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
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The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, usually just referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner or, more colloquially, as the Met Commissioner, is the head of the Metropolitan Police Service in London. The Commissioner is regarded as the leading police officer in the United Kingdom, though his authority is confined to his own force.
The post was created by the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 and was, until 1855, held jointly by two men. Until the 1970s, the Commissioners were justices of the peace and not sworn constables. The title commissioner was not used until 1839.
A Commissioner is always knighted on appointment if he has not already been (many of the Deputy Commissioners are also knighted). The insignia of rank is a crown above a Bath Star ("pip") above crossed tipstaves within a wreath, very similar to the insignia worn by a full general in the British Army. This badge is almost unique within the British police, shared only with the Commissioner of the City of London Police.
At one time, the commissioners were either retired military officers or civil servants. Sir John Nott-Bower was the first career police officer to hold the post (although several previous commissioners had served in senior administrative positions in colonial forces and the Metropolitan Police itself) and Sir Joseph Simpson was the first commissioner to have started his career as a constable (although he was soon appointed to higher rank). However, Sir Robert Mark, appointed in 1972, was the first to have risen through all the ranks from the lowest to the highest, as all his successors have done.
The Commissioner of Police is senior to (from next lowest rank downwards) Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, and Commander.
[edit] Commissioners of Police of the Metropolis
- Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Rowan (1829–1850)
- Sir Richard Mayne (1829–1868)
- Captain William Hay (1850–1855)
- Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Labalmondière (acting) (1868–1869)
- Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edmund Henderson (1869–1886)
- Major-General Sir Charles Warren (1886–1888)
- James Monro (1888–1890)
- Colonel Sir Edward Bradford (1890–1903)
- Sir Edward Henry (1903–1918)
- General Sir Nevil Macready (1918–1920)
- Brigadier-General Sir William Horwood (1920–1928)
- General The Viscount Byng of Vimy (1928–1931)
- Marshal of the Royal Air Force The Lord Trenchard (1931–1935)
- Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Game (1935–1945)
- Sir Harold Scott (1945–1953)
- Sir John Nott-Bower (1953–1958)
- Sir Joseph Simpson (1958–1968)
- Sir John Waldron (1968–1972)
- Sir Robert Mark (1972–1977)
- Sir David McNee (1977–1982)
- Sir Kenneth Newman (1982–1987)
- Sir Peter Imbert (1987–1993)
- Sir Paul Condon (1993–2000)
- Sir John Stevens (2000–2005)
- Sir Ian Blair (2005—)
