John Hill (police officer)

Sir John Maxwell Hill CBE DFC QPM (25 March 1914 – 6 May 2004) was a British police officer.

Hill was born in Plymouth, the son of a civil servant. He was educated at Plymouth College and joined the Metropolitan Police as a Constable in 1933. In 1938 he was selected for Hendon Police College and passed out the following year.

During the Second World War, Hill served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Enlisting in 1942, he was commissioned (from the rank of Leading Aircraftman) as a Pilot Officer in February 1944.[1] In August 1944 he was promoted Flying Officer.[2] In September 1945, while serving with 622 Squadron, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).[3]

Hill was promoted Deputy Commander at Scotland Yard in 1959. In 1963, he was promoted Commander and appointed second-in-command of No.3 District (North-East London). In 1964 he transferred to No.1 District (North-West London) and in 1965 he was appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary.[4][5]

He returned to the Metropolitan Police as Assistant Commissioner "A" (Operations and Administration) in October 1966.[6] In 1968 he become Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training), and on 1 April 1972 he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.[7] He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1969.

On 3 December 1972 he became HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary.[8][9] He was knighted in the 1974 New Year Honours[10] and retired in 1975.

Police appointments
Preceded by
Unknown
Commander, No.3 District, Metropolitan Police
19631964
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Unknown
Commander, No.1 District, Metropolitan Police
19641965
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
John Waldron
Assistant Commissioner "A", Metropolitan Police
19661968
Succeeded by
Andrew Way
Preceded by
Robert Mark
Assistant Commissioner "D", Metropolitan Police
19681972
Succeeded by
John Mastel
Preceded by
Robert Mark
Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
1972
Succeeded by
James Starritt
Preceded by
Sir John McKay
HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for England and Wales
19721975
Succeeded by
Sir James Haughton

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36472. p. 1768. 14 April 1944.
  2. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36692. p. 4170. 5 September 1944.
  3. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37281. p. 4750. 21 September 1945.
  4. Appointments, The Times, 24 August 1965
  5. The London Gazette: no. 43784. p. 9361. 8 October 1965.
  6. "Two Police Chiefs Promoted", The Times, 16 March 1966
  7. "New Chief of Metropolitan Police is a reformer of vision", 4 November 1971
  8. "Yard man to be Chief Inspector of Constabulary", The Times, 25 October 1972
  9. The London Gazette: no. 45843. p. 14420. 5 December 1972.
  10. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46162. p. 1. 28 December 1973.

References