City of London Police

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Image:Mounted.police.london.arp.600pix.jpg The City of London Police is the Home Office police force responsible for the City of London, including the Middle and Inner Temple. (The Metropolitan Police is responsible for the rest of London, excluding the railways and underground system which is policed by the British Transport Police.)

With about 1,200 employees (including about 900 police officers) and only three police stations, on Snow Hill, Wood Street, and Bishopsgate, the City of London Police is the smallest Home Office (territorial) police force in the United Kingdom both in terms of geographic area (1 square mile) and numbers of police officers. The Commissioner is Dr James Hart, QPM.

The force area has a resident population of 8,043 with 4,421 households. However, these numbers are increased by the daily influx of 350,000 commuters working in the City and also 300,000 cars travelling through the square mile and tourists visiting.

Force headquarters is at Wood Street police station with the force being divided into two territorial divisions for operational policing. The two divisions are Snow Hill and Bishopsgate with one police station for each. Around half the force staff work from these two police stations, providing services such as uniformed patrol and criminal investigation. Since it polices one of the world's financial hubs, the force has a very well regarded Economic Crime Department, commonly referred to as the Fraud Squad, which deals with fraud and other financial crime.

The force in its present form dates from 1839, when the Corporation of London agreed to reform its police service along modern lines in order for it to not be amalgamated with the new Metropolitan Police. It is a direct successor to the Watch of the 13th century.

1 Recent events
2 Ranks in the City of London Police
3 Commissioners of Police for the City of London
4 See also
5 External link

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Recent events

On 10 August 2005, the Commissioner, Dr James Hart, made worldwide headlines by suggesting that a terrorist strike against the financial district in the City of London was inevitable [1]. Although Dr Hart told the Associated Press that he did not have knowledge of specific attacks being planned, his officers had previously disrupted target surveillance. When asked whether it was a matter of when, rather than if, the financial district would be struck, he replied, "Yes, I don't doubt that at all."

In late 2005, the Home Secretary announced plans to alter the organisation and number of Home Office (territorial) police forces in England and Wales. These plans do not at present include the Metropolitan Police or City of London Police.

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Ranks in the City of London Police

Police Constable (PC) (collar number)
Police Sergeant (Sgt or PS) (three point down chevrons over collar number)
Inspector (Insp) (two stars of the Order of the Bath, informally known as pips)
Chief Inspector (Ch Insp) (three pips)
Superintendent (Supt) (crown)
Chief Superintendent (Ch Supt) (crown over one pip)
Commander (Cmdr) (crossed tipstaves in a laurel wreath)
Assistant Commissioner (AC) (pip over Commander's badge)
Commissioner (crown above one pip above Commander's badge)

Whereas all other British police forces have silver-coloured badges, those of the City Police are gold. Unique also are their red and white chequered sleeve and cap bands (red and white being the colours of the City of London).

The prefix 'Woman' in front of female officers' ranks — as in Woman Police Constable (WPC) and Woman Police Sergeant (WPS) — is now obsolete.

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