89-548: Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard ) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police , the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London 's 32 boroughs . Its name derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had its main public entrance on the Westminster street called Great Scotland Yard . The Scotland Yard entrance became
178-546: A Grade I listed structure known as the Norman Shaw Buildings . The original building at 4 Whitehall Place still has a rear entrance on Great Scotland Yard. Stables for some of the mounted branch still stand at 7 Great Scotland Yard, across the street from the first headquarters. The headquarters of the Metropolitan Police were moved to 8–10 Broadway in 1967, in a new building constructed on
267-503: A Scotland Yard Detective, explores Hyde's loft in Soho and discovers evidence of his depraved life. Alfred Hitchcock 's 1929 thriller film Blackmail (widely considered the first British " talkie ") features a Scotland Yard Detective Frank Webber (played by John Longden ). Scotland Yard appears in the 1972 episode of Columbo , "Dagger of the Mind". Columbo visits Scotland Yard to study
356-458: A Sikh officer whose beard was cut. The report also found that officers of minority ethnic backgrounds were more likely to be disciplined and leave the force. The report was criticised by the charity Galop for not investigating transphobia. Five former officers admitted in court in 2023 to sending racist messages, the targets of which included the Duchess of Sussex , and a sixth was convicted after
445-485: A bigger headquarters. Further increases in the size and responsibilities of the force required even more administrators and space. Therefore, new buildings were constructed and completed in 1906 and 1940, so that New Scotland Yard became a three-building complex. ( 51°30′07″N 0°07′28″W / 51.50183°N 0.12446°W / 51.50183; -0.12446 ( Norman Shaw South Building (extension to New Scotland Yard) ) ). The first two buildings are now
534-466: A concern during the 1930s, Stanley Baldwin created the position of Minister for Co-ordination of Defence . Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield held the post until the fall of the Chamberlain government in 1940. His success was limited by his lack of control over the existing Service departments, and his lack of political influence. On forming his government in 1940, Winston Churchill created
623-595: A defence policy with four primary missions for the Armed Forces: The review stated the Armed Forces will also contribute to the government's response to crises by being prepared to: Defence is governed and managed by several committees. The following organisational groups come under the control of the MOD. Top level budgets The MOD comprises seven top-level budgets . The head of each organisation
712-579: A government department and has responsibility for the strategy, performance, reform, organisation and the finances of the MOD. The role works closely with the Chief of the Defence Staff in leading the organisation and supporting Ministers in the conduct of business in the department across the full range of responsibilities. The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 included £178 billion investment in new equipment and capabilities. The review set
801-588: A higher volume of protests and events than any other British police force , with 3,500 such events in 2016. The force, by officer numbers, ranks as the largest police force within the United Kingdom and among the largest globally. Excluding its national roles, the Met oversees the eighth-smallest primary geographic area ( police area ) compared to other territorial police forces in the UK. The force operates under
890-605: A million people along the south coast of England, from Torquay to the New Forest , were exposed to bacteria including E.coli and Bacillus globigii , which mimics anthrax ." Two scientists commissioned by the Ministry of Defence stated that these trials posed no risk to the public. This was confirmed by Sue Ellison, a representative of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down who said that
979-529: A newly completed building on the Victoria Embankment , and the name "New Scotland Yard" was adopted for the new headquarters. An adjacent building was completed in 1906. A third building was added in 1940. In 1967 the MPS consolidated its headquarters from the three-building complex to a tall, newly constructed "New Scotland Yard" building on Broadway in nearby Victoria . In 2013, it was announced that
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#17327648923371068-563: A racial discrimination claim against the Ministry of Defence (MoD). In November 2019, mixed race soldier Mark De Kretser sued MoD for £100k claiming he was subjected to "grindingly repetitive" racist taunts from colleagues. In October 2009, the MOD was heavily criticised for withdrawing the bi-annual non-operational training £20m budget for the Territorial Army (TA), ending all non-operational training for six months until April 2010. The government eventually backed down and restored
1157-400: A report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said that the Met was rated inadequate or failing regarding crime investigations and managing offenders. It was rated as requiring improvement in five other areas, and as adequate in one. In September 2024, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services issued a report regarding
1246-410: A service life of three to five years; the Met replaces or upgrades between 800 and 1,000 vehicles each year. Vehicles were initially maintained and repaired on contract by Babcock International ; from November 2023, the contract for 3,700 of the Met's 5,200 vehicles was undertaken by Rivus Fleet Solutions for a ten-year period. Rivus fell into administration on 21 June 2024, with a deal being agreed by
1335-723: A site that also bordered onto Victoria Street. In 2008, the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) bought the freehold of 10 Broadway for around £120 million. 10 Broadway was sold to the Abu Dhabi Financial Group in December 2014 for £370 million, and redevelopment plans for a six-building, mixed-use development were approved in February 2016. Ownership was officially passed from the MPA to
1424-485: A statement in response stating, "As the UK's investigative authority for war crimes, counter-terrorism policing – through the Met's war crimes team – has a responsibility to support ICC investigations. The ICC opened an investigation in 2019 into alleged war crimes in Israel and Palestine." The spokesman added that "under the terms of the 1998 Rome Statute, our war crimes team is obliged to support any investigations opened by
1513-593: A system called the Defence Sourcing Portal. A separate internal policy generally operates in respect of low value purchasing below this threshold. DEFCON contract conditions are numbered defence contract conditions are in contracts issued by the MOD (not to be confused with DEFCON as used by the United States Armed Forces , which refers to a level of military "defence readiness condition"). Examples include: A full set of
1602-443: A trial. All six were given suspended jail sentences . On 1 January 2024 the Metropolitan Police were criticised by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson for allegedly demonstrating political bias and double standards in their handling of pro-Hamas demonstrations, and their efforts to support an investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes following Israel's response to terror attacks committed by Hamas on 7 October. The Met released
1691-519: 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 , 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. The Met uniformed officer rank structure, with epaulette design,
1780-604: Is neoclassical in style and was originally built between 1938 and 1959 to designs by Vincent Harris to house the Air Ministry and the Board of Trade . A major refurbishment of the building was completed under a Private Finance Initiative contract by Skanska in 2004. The northern entrance in Horse Guards Avenue is flanked by two monumental statues, Earth and Water , by Charles Wheeler . Opposite stands
1869-617: Is "in excess of £3.3 billion". The defence estate is divided as training areas & ranges (84.0%), research & development (5.4%), airfields (3.4%), barracks & camps (2.5%), storage & supply depots (1.6%), and other (3.0%). These are largely managed by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation . The headquarters of the MOD are in Whitehall and is known as MOD Main Building . This structure
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#17327648923371958-637: Is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom . It is responsible for implementing the defence policy set by the government and serves as the headquarters of the British Armed Forces . The MOD states that its principal objectives are to defend the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its interests and to strengthen international peace and stability. The MOD also manages day-to-day running of
2047-568: Is also the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel). Permanent Secretary and other senior officials The Ministers and Chiefs of the Defence Staff are supported by several civilian, scientific and professional military advisors. The Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence (generally known as the Permanent Secretary ) is the senior civil servant at the MOD. Their role is to ensure that it operates effectively as
2136-494: Is as follows (from highest to lowest): The Met also has several active Volunteer Police Cadet units, which maintain their own internal rank structure. 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 (from lowest to highest): The prefix "woman" in front of female officers' ranks has been obsolete since 1999. Members of
2225-515: Is organised into the following directorates: 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. 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
2314-717: Is personally accountable for the performance and outputs of their particular organisation. These are: Executive agencies Executive non-departmental public bodies Advisory non-departmental public bodies Ad-hoc advisory group Other bodies Public corporations Enabling organisation In addition, the MOD is responsible for the administration of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus. Competitive procurement processes are used whenever possible, and all new direct tender and contract opportunities valued over £10,000 are advertised on
2403-656: 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 . Before 2000, the Metropolitan Police was under the authority of the Home Secretary ,
2492-493: 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
2581-701: The Gurkha Monument, sculpted by Philip Jackson and unveiled in 1997 by Queen Elizabeth II . Within it is the Victoria Cross and George Cross Memorial, and nearby are memorials to the Fleet Air Arm and RAF (to its east, facing the riverside). Henry VIII 's wine cellar at the Palace of Whitehall , built in 1514–1516 for Cardinal Wolsey , is in the basement of Main Building, and is used for entertainment. The entire vaulted brick structure of
2670-549: The Hampstead Heath Constabulary . All of these enjoy powers of arrest without warrant as constables; however, the officers of the last mentioned have full police powers, much like officers of the Metropolitan Police, on the heath, whereas 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
2759-730: The London Underground and National Rail networks, which are the responsibility of the British Transport Police . The Metropolitan Police was formed by Robert Peel with the implementation of the Metropolitan Police Act , passed by Parliament in 1829. Peel, with the help of Eugène-François Vidocq , selected the original site on Whitehall Place for the new police headquarters. The first two commissioners , Charles Rowan and Richard Mayne , along with various police officers and staff, occupied
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2848-511: The Metropolitan Police , is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and crime prevention within Greater London . In addition, it is responsible for specialised tasks throughout the United Kingdom, such as dealing with counter-terrorism throughout the UK , and the protection of certain individuals, including the monarch , royal family , governmental officials , and other designated figures. Commonly referred to as
2937-538: The Metropolitan Police Act 1829 and on 29 September of that year, the first constables of the service appeared on the streets of London. 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
3026-883: 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 . 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
3115-594: The Thames River Police and the Bow Street Runners . 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). The mayor is able to appoint someone to act on his behalf. As of April 2019 , the office-holder is the deputy mayor for policing and crime, Sophie Linden . The work of MOPAC
3204-519: The ' jam sandwich ', which was first introduced in 1978 with the delivery of high-performance Rover SD1 traffic cars. Originally, marked vehicles were finished in base white paint; this was changed to silver from 2002 to help improve a vehicle's resale value when it was retired from police use. The National Police Air Service provides helicopter support to the Met. A marine policing unit operates 22 vessels from its base in Wapping . Funding for
3293-693: The Abu Dhabi Financial Group when the relocation was completed on 31 October 2016; the building began demolition later that year. In May 2013 the Metropolitan Police confirmed that the New Scotland Yard building on Broadway would be sold and the force's headquarters would be moved back to the Curtis Green Building on the Victoria Embankment. A competition was announced for architects to redesign
3382-527: The Commissioners were also non-warranted right up until 2011), but they now include police community support officers (PCSOs ), designated detention officers (DDOs), and many other non-officer roles. Their numbers are currently: As of 2023 , the Met operates and maintains a fleet of around 5,200 vehicles. In 2018, the fleet covered 46,777,720 miles (75,281,440 km). The fleet comprises numerous vehicles, including: The majority of vehicles have
3471-518: The DEFCONs can be accessed via the MoD's Defence Gateway (registration required). The government noted in 2013 that the MoD's third-party expenditure was characterised by "complex, high-value contracts". Defence purchasing contributes to government ambitions to make supply chains more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises , but the government commented that it had yet to secure good insight into
3560-725: The Defence Staff (CDS) is the professional head of the British Armed Forces and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister . The CDS is supported by the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS) who deputises and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the armed services aspect of the MOD through the Central Staff, working closely alongside
3649-455: The ICC that could involve British subjects" and said the posters were put up to meet that obligation. In April 2024, the Met settled a claim for misfeasance in a public office and false imprisonment by agreeing to pay a five-figure sum as damages to a French publisher who had been arrested and detained under anti-terrorism laws while he was on his way to a book fair in London. In August 2024,
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3738-604: The Met , it is also referred to as Scotland Yard or the Yard , after the location of its original headquarters in Great Scotland Yard , Whitehall in the 19th century. The Met is presently headquartered at New Scotland Yard , on the Victoria Embankment . The main geographical area covered by the Met, the Metropolitan Police District , consists of the 32 London boroughs , and excludes
3827-465: The Met had received such allegations from Samantha Ramsay, who is now deceased. The BBC reported that "Samantha’s family say the Met dismissed her claims. They believe that multiple women could have been saved from sexual abuse if the force had acted." The Met claimed that there was no history of Samantha's allegations on their computer system, "but that in 1995 some reports were paper-based and might not have been transferred." Ramsay's sister, Emma, recalled
3916-449: 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. 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 . The Ministry of Defence Police is responsible for policing of Ministry of Defence property throughout
4005-622: The Met, 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. The Metropolitan Police Service
4094-438: The Metropolitan Police has been cut due to austerity . Changes in the way the government pays for police pensions will lead to further cuts. Its expenditure for single years, not adjusted for inflation, has been: In addition to the headquarters at New Scotland Yard, there are many police stations in London. These range from large borough headquarters staffed around the clock every day to smaller stations, which may be open to
4183-525: The Metropolitan Police headquarters had expanded from 4 Whitehall Place into several neighbouring addresses, including 3, 5, 21 and 22 Whitehall Place; 8 and 9 Great Scotland Yard, and several stables. Eventually, the service outgrew its original site, and new headquarters designed by architect Richard Norman Shaw were built ( 51°30′08″N 0°07′29″W / 51.50222°N 0.12463°W / 51.50222; -0.12463 ( New Scotland Yard - Norman Shaw North Building (second location) ) ) on
4272-414: The Metropolitan Police to buy back its maintenance operations, saving 165 jobs. 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 green 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, known colloquially as
4361-593: The Met’s handling of the pro-Palestinian protests, saying that the Met had been largely impartial. The report criticised the then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the then Home Secretary Suella Braverman for suggesting otherwise. In November 2024, it was found that the Metropolitan Police were told about allegations of sexual assault against Mohamed Al-Fayed , the late businessman and owner of Harrods, ten years earlier than it had acknowledged. The Met had claimed that it first received such allegations in 2005. However, in 1995,
4450-516: The Ministry of Defence, as do all police officers of territorial police forces . Officers also have limited powers in Scotland and Northern Ireland. 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
4539-572: The Ministry of Defence. Those departments merged in 1964, and the defence functions of the Ministry of Aviation Supply were merged into the Ministry of Defence in 1971. The unification of all defence activities under a single ministry was motivated by a desire to curb interservice rivalries and followed the precedent set by the American National Security Act of 1947 . The Ministers in the Ministry of Defence are as follows, with cabinet ministers in bold: The Chief of
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#17327648923374628-574: The Office of Constable. *include temporary constables from war period ^includes 753 officers policing Woolwich Arsenal and Her Majesty's Dockyards in Chatham , Portsmouth , Pembroke , Devonport and Rosyth . The Met's Police Staff are non-warranted civilians. When the Met was formed in 1829 there were only six of them (the Receiver , his two clerks and the three Commissioners' clerks, although
4717-686: The Permanent Secretary. They are joined by the professional heads of the three British armed services ( Royal Navy , British Army and Royal Air Force ) and the Commander of Strategic Command . All personnel sit at OF-9 rank in the NATO rank system . Together the Chiefs of Staff form the Chiefs of Staff Committee with responsibility for providing advice on operational military matters and
4806-678: The United Kingdom, including its headquarters in Whitehall and other MoD establishments across the MPD. The British Transport Police (BTP) 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 . The English part of
4895-519: The Victoria Embankment, overlooking the River Thames , south of what is now the Ministry of Defence 's headquarters. In 1888, during the construction of the new building, workers discovered the dismembered torso of a female; the case, known as the ' Whitehall Mystery ', was never solved. In 1890, police headquarters moved to the new location, which was named New Scotland Yard. By this time, the Metropolitan Police had grown from its initial 1,000 officers to about 13,000 and needed more administrative staff and
4984-401: The allocation of contracts. A government report covered by The Guardian newspaper in 2002 indicated that between 1940 and 1979, the Ministry of Defence "turned large parts of the country into a giant laboratory to conduct a series of secret germ warfare tests on the public" and many of these tests "involved releasing potentially dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms over vast swathes of
5073-451: The armed forces, contingency planning and defence procurement . The expenditure, administration and policy of the MOD are scrutinised by the Defence Select Committee , except for Defence Intelligence which instead falls under the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament . During the 1920s and 1930s, British civil servants and politicians, looking back at the performance of the state during World War I , concluded that there
5162-469: The building prior to the Metropolitan Police moving to it in 2015. This building previously housed the Territorial Policing headquarters and is adjacent to the original New Scotland Yard (Norman Shaw North Building). In December 2015 construction work on the exterior of the Curtis Green building was completed. On 31 October 2016, the Metropolitan Police staff left the building at 10 Broadway and moved to their new headquarters. The new New Scotland Yard building
5251-470: The building. Previously a private house, 4 Whitehall Place ( 51°30′22″N 0°07′34″W / 51.50598°N 0.12609°W / 51.50598; -0.12609 ( Original Scotland Yard - 4 Whitehall Place ) ) backed onto a street called Great Scotland Yard . This building was acquired by hypermarkets operator Lulu Group International in 2015 and redeveloped into a luxury hotel, operated by Hyatt , which opened in December 2019. By 1887,
5340-564: The cellar was encased in steel and concrete and relocated nine feet to the west and nearly 19 feet (5.8 m) deeper in 1949, when construction was resumed at the site after World War II . This was carried out without any significant damage to the structure. The most notable fraud conviction has been that of Gordon Foxley , Director of Ammunition Procurement at the Ministry of Defence from 1981 to 1984. Police claimed he received at least £3.5m in total in corrupt payments, such as substantial bribes from overseas arms contractors aiming to influence
5429-404: 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
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#17327648923375518-434: The force would move again to the Victoria Embankment at Westminster's Curtis Green Building , which following tradition was renamed "New Scotland Yard". This move to the latest New Scotland Yard was completed in 2016. The Metropolitan Police Service is responsible for law enforcement within Greater London , excluding the square mile of the City of London , which is covered by the City of London Police , and excluding also
5607-425: The force's ability to carry out its responsibilities. The Met was controversial even before its formation in 1829. Since the 1970s, such controversies have often centred on institutional racism and institutional sexism within the organisation, along with the right to protest, failures in investigations, and officers belonging to proscribed organisations. In 2023, a report on the Metropolitan Police found that
5696-410: The force's chief financial officer, it was headed by a civilian secretary, who was equivalent in rank to the assistant commissioners. 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
5785-558: The funding. The TA provides a small percentage of the UK's operational troops. Its members train on weekly evenings and monthly weekends, as well as two-week exercises generally annually and occasionally bi-annually for troops doing other courses. The cuts would have meant a significant loss of personnel and would have had adverse effects on recruitment. In 2013, it was found that the Ministry of Defence had overspent on its equipment budget by £6.5bn on orders that could take up to 39 years to fulfil. The Ministry of Defence has been criticised in
5874-464: The holder any extra pay or supervisory authority compared to their uniformed colleagues. 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. A roundel azure, thereon the Royal Cypher of His Majesty King Charles the Third argent within a circlet azure fimbriated and inscribed with words 'Metropolitan Police' in letters argent,
5963-486: The investigative techniques they use in London before becoming involved as a consultant for a murder case. In Monty Python 's 1969 comedy sketch " The Funniest Joke in the World ", Graham Chapman plays a Scotland Yard Inspector who leaves the house with the joke in hand before dying from laughter. Scotland Yard as also appeared in the Professor Layton series as supporting characters, which Layton helped them solving many cases. Inspector Chelmey and Constable Barton are
6052-449: The leadership of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis , directly accountable to the Mayor of London , through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and the Home Office. The post of commissioner was first held jointly by Sir Charles Rowan and Sir Richard Mayne , with Sir Mark Rowley currently holding the position since July 2022. The Metropolitan Police Service was founded in 1829 by Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel under
6141-677: The most appearing Scotland Yard’s members. New Scotland Yard has also appeared in the movie V For Vendetta and the video game Watch Dogs: Legion as the primary hub for the private military police force, Albion. Jeffrey Archer's William Warwick series, starting with Nothing Ventured in 2019, follows William Warwick, the protagonist's rise from a detective constable to senior ranks within Scotland Yard. Download coordinates as: 51°30′10″N 0°7′27″W / 51.50278°N 0.12417°W / 51.50278; -0.12417 Metropolitan Police The Metropolitan Police Service ( MPS ), formerly and still commonly known as
6230-415: The new Minister of Defence , who had a seat in the Cabinet. The three service ministers – Admiralty, War, Air – remained in direct operational control of their respective services, but ceased to attend Cabinet. From 1946 to 1964, five Departments of State did the work of the modern Ministry of Defence: the Admiralty , the War Office , the Air Ministry , the Ministry of Aviation , and an earlier form of
6319-429: The office of Minister of Defence, to exercise ministerial control over the Chiefs of Staff Committee and to co-ordinate defence matters. The post was held by the Prime Minister of the day until Clement Attlee 's government introduced the Ministry of Defence Act of 1946 . After 1946, the three posts of Secretary of State for War , First Lord of the Admiralty , and Secretary of State for Air were formally subordinated to
6408-619: The oldest operational police stations 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
6497-461: The only British territorial police force to be administered by central government . The Metropolitan Police Office (MPO), although based at Scotland Yard, was a department of the Home Office created in 1829 and was responsible for the force's day-to-day administration. Under the authority of the receiver , a civilian official who was equivalent in rank to the deputy commissioner and served as
6586-441: The organisation 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
6675-459: The past for poor management and financial control. Specific examples of overspending include: In May 2024, the ministry's payroll system was reportedly targeted multiple times in a cyberattack in which personnel and their bank details were compromised. While initial reports attributed the cyberattack to China , the Minister of Defence Grant Shapps said it would take some time to conclude who
6764-589: The police as having said at the time: Emma recalls that the police told Samantha: “We’ve added it to a pile of other female names that we’ve got that have made the same complaint against Mohamed Al Fayed.” On 8 November, the Independent Office for Police Conduct announced that they would be investigating the Met over their handling of allegations of sexual misconduct related to the case. Other London emergency services: Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) The Ministry of Defence ( MOD or MoD )
6853-475: The population without the public being told." The Ministry of Defence claims that these trials were to simulate germ warfare and that the tests were harmless. However, families who have been in the area of many of the tests are experiencing children with birth defects and physical and mental handicaps and many are asking for a public inquiry. The report estimated these tests affected millions of people, including during one period between 1961 and 1968 where "more than
6942-615: The preparation and conduct of military operations. The current Chiefs of Staff are as follows. The Chief of Defence Staff is supported by several Deputy Chiefs of the Defence Staff and senior officers at OF-8 rank. Additionally, there are a number of Assistant Chiefs of Defence Staff , including the Defence Services Secretary in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom , who
7031-568: The public entrance, and over time "Scotland Yard" came to be used not only as the common name of the headquarters building, but also as a metonym for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) itself and police officers, especially detectives, who serve in it. The New York Times wrote in 1964 that, just as Wall Street gave its name to New York's financial district, Scotland Yard became the name for police activity in London. The force moved from Great Scotland Yard in 1890, to
7120-537: 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. 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. One of
7209-681: The public. Scotland Yard has appeared in books, films and television since the Victorian era when it featured in the Jack the Ripper cases and the stories of Sherlock Holmes . Wilkie Collins 's novel The Moonstone (1868), a tale of a Scotland Yard Detective investigating the theft of a valuable diamond, has been described as perhaps the earliest clear example of the police procedural genre. In Robert Louis Stevenson 's gothic novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886), Inspector Newcomen,
7298-576: The results from these trials "will save lives, should the country or our forces face an attack by chemical and biological weapons." In February 2019, former soldier Inoke Momonakaya won £458,000 payout after a legal battle for the racial harassment and bullying he received while serving in the army. In August 2019, A Commons Defence Select Committee report revealed that several female and BAME military staff have raised concerns regarding discrimination, bullying and harassment. In September 2019, two former British army soldiers Nkululeko Zulu and Hani Gue won
7387-472: The square mile of the City of London – a largely non-residential and financial district, overseen by the City of London Police . As the force responsible for the majority of UK's capital, the Met has significant responsibilities and unique challenges, such as protecting 164 foreign embassies and High Commissions , policing London City and Heathrow airports, protecting the Palace of Westminster , and managing
7476-570: The standard three: commander, deputy assistant commissioner, assistant commissioner, deputy commissioner and commissioner. 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. All officers are assigned
7565-417: The supply chain role of SMEs. The Ministry of Defence is one of the United Kingdom's largest landowners, owning 227,300 hectares of land and foreshore (either freehold or leasehold) at April 2014, which was valued at "about £20 billion". The MOD also has "rights of access" to a further 222,000 hectares. In total, this is about 1.8% of the UK land mass. The total annual cost to support the defence estate
7654-622: The whole upon a star of eight major and fifty-six lesser points argent, ensigned by the Royal Crown proper. The Metropolitan Police Service includes 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. As elsewhere in the UK, 'regulars' are not employees, but rather Crown servants , and holders of
7743-515: 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. Crimes reported within the Metropolitan Police District , selected by quarter centuries. The following table shows the percentage detection rates for the Metropolitan Police by offence group for 2010/11. The Metropolitan Police Service "screened out" 34,164 crimes
7832-672: Was a need for greater co-ordination between the three services that made up the armed forces of the United Kingdom: the Royal Navy , the British Army and the Royal Air Force . The formation of a united ministry of defence was rejected by the coalition government of David Lloyd George in 1921, but the Chiefs of Staff Committee was formed in 1923, for the purposes of inter-service co-ordination. As rearmament became
7921-538: Was to have been opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 23 March 2017, but that same day it was announced that the Royal opening would be postponed, due to the preceding day's terrorist attack at Westminster . The opening was re-arranged for 13 July 2017. Like all three of its predecessors it houses the Met's Crime Museum (formerly known as the Black Museum), founded in 1874, a collection of criminal memorabilia not open to
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