City of London Police

City of London Police
Logo of the City of London Police.
Agency overview
Formed	1839 (1839)
Annual budget	£66.5m (2011/12)<ref name=2012annualreport http://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/NR/rdonlyres/49324A29-0609-4F31-9D1A-7CB134712E42/0/CoLPAnnualReport201112webversion.pdf</ref> Cityoflondon.police.uk (19 June 2008). Retrieved on 2009-05-06.</ref>
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
The City of London police area (red), shown within Greater London (pink)
Size	1.1 sq mi / 2.8 km²
Population	approx 7,400 residents[1] approx 300,000 daily commuters[2]
Legal jurisdiction	England & Wales
Governing body	Common Council of the City of London
Constituting instrument	City of London Police Act 1839
General nature	Law enforcement Local civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Wood Street
Police officers	750
Agency executive	Adrian Leppard, QPM, MBA, Commissioner
Divisions	2
Facilities
Stations	3 total, 1 fully operational and 2 not fully operational
Website
www.cityoflondon.police.uk
Footnotes
* Police area agency: Prescribed geographic area in the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

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The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, including the Middle and Inner Temples. The force responsible for law enforcement within the remainder of Greater London, outside of the City, is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate organisation. The City of London, which is now primarily a financial business district with a small resident population but a large commuting workforce, is the historic core of London, and has an administrative history distinct from that of the rest of the metropolis, of which its separate police force is one manifestation.

The City of London area has a resident population of around 7,400.^[1] There is a daily influx of approximately 300,000 commuters into the City, with an additional 300,000 cars passing through the "Square Mile" each day, along with thousands of tourists.^[3]

The police authority is the Common Council of the City, and unlike other territorial forces in England and Wales there is not an elected commissioner replacing that police authority by way of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.^[4]

With 1,310 employees, including 750 police officers, 99 special constables and 39 police community support officers,^[2] and three police stations (at Wood Street (also the headquarters), Snow Hill, and Bishopsgate), the City of London Police is the smallest territorial police force in England and Wales, both in terms of geographic area and head-count.^[5] The commissioner since December 2010 is Adrian Leppard who formerly was a Deputy Chief Constable of Kent Police.

History of policing in the City

Policing in the City of London has existed since Roman times. Wood Street police station, also headquarters of the City Police, is built on part of the site of a Roman fortress, which may have housed some of the first police in the City.^[6]

Prior to 1839, the responsibility for policing in the City was divided between day and night, primarily under the two Sheriffs. It was these officers responsible for ensuring the Night Watch was maintained. Policing during the day eventually came under the City Patrol, which evolved into the City Day Police, which was modelled on the Metropolitan Police. In 1838, the Day Police and Night Watch were merged into a single organisation. The passing of the City of London Police Act 1839 gave statutory approval to the force as an independent police body, heading off attempts made to merge it with the Metropolitan Police.^[7]

During 1842, the City Police moved its headquarters from Corporation's Guildhall to 26 Old Jewry, where it remained until it was relocated to Wood Street in 2002.^[6]

Organisation

The City Police is organised into five Basic Command Units:^[8]

• Economic Crime Directorate
• Crime Directorate
• Uniformed Policing Directorate
• Information and Intelligence Directorate
• Corporate Services Directorate

Because of the City's role as a world financial centre, the City of London Police has developed a great deal of expertise in dealing with fraud and "is the acknowledged lead force within the UK for economic crime investigation."^[9] The Economic Crime Directorate includes the Fraud Squad, the Cheque and Credit Card Unit, the Money Laundering Investigation Unit, the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit, the Fraud Intelligence Development Team and the Overseas Corruption Unit.^[10]

Leadership structure

• Commissioner Adrian Leppard, QPM
• Assistant Commissioner Ian Dyson
• Commander Wayne Chance

• Temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Clark – Responsible for Economic Crime Directorate
• Chief Superintendent Andrew Mellor – Responsible for Uniformed Policing Directorate
• Detective Chief Superintendent Ken Stewart – Responsible for Crime Directorate
• Detective Chief Superintendent Jeff Davies – Responsible for Information and Intelligence Directorate

Uniform

Mounted Section officer

Where the majority of British police forces have white metal badges and buttons, those of the City Police are brass. The force also have a unique red and white chequered sleeve and cap bands (red and white being the colours of the City of London), which in most other British police forces are black and white. Women officers wear a red and white cravat.^[11]

Their helmet has altered little since its introduction in 1865 and has a crest instead of the white metal boss worn on the Metropolitan Police helmet. The "helmet plate" or badge is the City of London coat of arms; this is unique for a UK police force in that it does not include the Royal Crown, neither does it have the Brunswick Star, which is used on most other police helmets in England and Wales.^[12]

On State and ceremonial occasions the Commissioner and his deputy wear a special Court Dress Uniform with a gold aiguillette and a cocked hat adorned with white swan's feathers; other than on these occasions, they wear standard uniform.^[13]

Warrant card

The City of London Police warrant card badge^[14] is the city shield enamelled in red and white. The City motto "Domine Dirige Nos" (Lord Guide Us) in gold on a black scroll above the words "City of London Police". Two Tudor Dragons surround the shield. These are often mistaken for Griffins but in fact reflect the Dragon statues that mark the boundary of the City itself. The warrant number is printed below and the word "police" is written beneath that in braille (courtesy of blind former Home Secretary David Blunkett).

Ranks

The ranks from constable to chief superintendent are the same as all other British police forces. The three senior ranks are similar to those used by the Metropolitan Police.

Ranks of the City of London Police

Rank	Police Community Support Officer	Constable	Acting Sergeant	Sergeant	Acting Inspector	Inspector
Insignia
Rank	Chief Inspector	Superintendent	Chief Superintendent	Commander	Assistant Commissioner	Commissioner
Insignia
In contrast to every other British police force, the City of London Police uses gold insignia. Acting Sergeant and Acting Inspector are not compulsory ranks in promotion and succession; they are displayed purely out of interest, as City of London is the only force in the country with this unique variation of acting epaulettes.

Commissioners

Assistant Commissioner in ceremonial full-dress uniform for the Lord Mayor's Show.

• Daniel Whittle Harvey (1839–1863)
• Colonel Sir James Fraser, KCB (1863–1890)
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Henry Smith, KCB (1890–1902)
• Captain Sir William Nott-Bower, KCVO (1902–1925)
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Hugh Turnbull, KCVO, KBE, KPM (1925–1950)
• Colonel Sir Arthur Young, KBE, CMG, CVO, KPM (1950–1971)
• James Page, QPM (1971–1977)
• Peter Marshall, QPM (1977–1985)
• Owen Kelly, QPM (1985–1994)
• William Taylor, QPM (1994–1998)
• Perry Nove, QPM (1998–2002)
• James Hart, QPM (2002–2006)
• Michael Bowron, QPM (2006–2011)^[15]
• Adrian Leppard, QPM (2011–)

Special Constabulary

The City of London Special Constabulary comprises 100 special constables. Most duties by specials are undertaken during evenings and nights in support of the regular force in dealing with issues arising from the busy night-time economy of the City. However, the City of London Police does allow special constables who meet the necessary criteria to perform specialist duties. Examples include solo motorcyclist with the Roads Police Unit, fraud investigation with the Economic Crime Unit, response drivers and 'level 2' public order (riot) duty. Special Constables are expected to commit to a minimum of 200 hours duty each year, and in return receive out of pocket expenses and free travel on the Transport for London network. They receive no pay and are not eligible for free train travel.

Two City of London Police vans.

The City of London Special Constabulary were awarded the Ferrers Trophy in 2006 for the efforts of their officers after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. The award is given annually to police volunteers, for exceptional dedication and innovation. It was the first time in the award's history that an entire Special Constabulary received the trophy.^[16]

The current Special Commandant (Chief Officer) is Ian Miller MBE who was the first Special to ever be given permission by the Home Office to serve with two police forces simultaneously. This was possible because he lived in Scotland but worked in London Monday to Friday.^[17]

Existing ranks in the City of London Special Constabulary are: Special Constable, Special Sergeant, Special Inspector, Special Superintendent & Special Commandant. The City of London Special Constabulary wear the same uniform as their regular colleagues and the supervisors have the same titles and insignia as their regular colleagues. All Special Constables wear the SC+Crown on their epaulettes. The Honourable Artillery Company Detachment of Special Constabulary also wear the title "HAC" when in formal uniform.^[18]

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. The Police Memorial Trust since its establishment in 1984 has erected over 38 memorials to some of those officers.

Since 1900 the following officers of the City of London Police were killed while attempting to prevent or stop a crime in progress:^[19]

• Sgt Robert Bentley, PC Walter Choat and Sgt Charles Tucker, 1910 (all fatally shot prior to the Siege of Sidney Street).
• Cmdr Hugh Moore QPM, 1993 (suffered heart failure following a violent arrest).

Olympics

The gold medal winning City of London Police team at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Teams of the City of London Police participated in the Olympic games three times in the tug of war tournament. At the 1908 Summer Olympics they won the gold medal, beating a team of the Liverpool Police in the final. In 1912 the team was beaten in the final by one of the Stockholm Police. At the 1920 Summer Olympics the team regained its title, beating the Netherlands. This was the last time tug of war was an Olympic sport, which means the City of London Police is still the reigning Olympic champion.^[20][21]

Museum

There is a museum dedicated to the police force, located on Wood Street.^[22]

See also

• City of London market constabularies
• Project Griffin
• The Honourable Artillery Company
• List of police forces in the United Kingdom
• Law enforcement in the United Kingdom
• Fraud Squad

External links

• City of London Police official website

References