New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-21
LONDON'S POLICE FORCE.
SIR ROBERT PEELS CREATION
IT KEEPS THE PEACE IN DISTRICT
OF THIRTY NILES DIAMETER.


THE HOME sEcRETARY-MErHoDs OF ADJ
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND RETIRE
MENTs-A VAST ARRAY OF DUTIES.
(Copyright 1895. By The Tribune Assocsatton)
London, January &
The Metropolitan Police is a comparatively
modern institution. 1t was formed In 1929. and
the area over which 1t now has control was fixed
by an order Of the Prvy Council In 1S4O under
the authority Of Acts Of Parliament which gave
power to the Queen in Council to define within
certain limits. the district of the Metropolitan
Police
In order to understand the immense change
brought abou. by the establishment Of the Met.
ropolitan Police. and the nature OF the multi.
farious duties which that force now discharges.
II Is necessary to refer briefly to the circum-
stances of its origin and the special nature OF
the area within which 1t exercises its functions.
The origin OF the Metropolitan Police 10
closely connected with the reform Of the admin
istration Of justice in London by the appoint
ment of Metropolitan Police Magistrates, who
are now all trained lawyers paid by the State.
The ancient city Of London has for many cen-
turtles had a municipal government Of it's own.
With courts and magistrates for the admins
tration Of justice; but its Is small. extend
iIlS Ouly W dDOul oic oiudic Hiiic, diu tD
boundaries never extended to include any
part Of the vast town which grew up around II,
a hundred times more popuous and extensive
than itself. This large had unity in
law and no central government, but consisted
Of a number Of parishes, townships manors and
extra -parochal places, contiguous in area, and
peopled for the most part with the density OF
single town, but separate and distinct In all
other respects. The magistrates were the JUS
tces Of Middlesex. Surrey. and Kent or ap-
pointed under the separate commissions which
issued for the city Of Westminster and
the Liberty Of the Tower. None Of those JUS
tices had authority over the whole Metropolis.
and the complexity Of jurisdiction and the en-
tire absence OF systematic and organized action
resulted in confusion and inefficiency, and even
led to the more serious evils of corruption and
oppression Readers Of Fielding will remember
his Justice Thrasher, in Amelia and
Squeezun. in THE Coffee-House Potician."-the
bitterly satircal pictures Of the men who, In the
London of last century. earned the bad reputa-
ton of trading Justices" and exercised their
office for the sake Of gain.
The appointment of efficient and impartial
police magistrates soon led to the discovery Of
the utter inadequacy of the means provided in
London for the prevention and detection OF
crime, and the protection of person and prop
erty. DR.. Colquhoun one OF the Metropolitan
Police Magistrates at the end of last century,
wrote book on the Police Of the River Thames.
and another on the Police Of the Metropolis.
which attracted much public attention. He
described in detail the unexampled prevalance
of many forms OF crime in London and the
enormous extent Of the depredations committed
on the valuable cargoes of ships on the Thames.
which. according to his estimate, amounted In
the year 1898 to upward Of half million
sterling. Committees Of the House Of Commons
were again and again appointed to consider the
question Of the police. and the existing evils were
partially dealt with from time to time In differ
ent ways. A police Office was established at
Mapping Old Stairs. to which was attached
marine police. for service on the Thames and
the protection OF commerce from river pirates.
and the numerous and curiously named bodies
organized for the pillage and plunder Of ships
in the port of London A force Of mounted
police called the Horse Patrol. created In
1906 for the prevention OF highway robbery In
the outlying parts Of London, and the number Of
constables appointed in connection with the
several metropolitan police courts was grad
ually increased. 1t not, however. till 1923
that Sir Robert Peel introduced a bin for the
establishment of new police force for the
metropolis. acting under the direct authority
and control Of a Secretary of State.
ORGANIZATION OF THE FORCE
The organization Of the Metropolitan Police
has been modified in several respects since II
was created in 1929; its district has been en-
larged, and its powers and duties have been
increased or altered by many Acts Of Parlia-
ment since that date. but it will be convenient
here to refer only to the force as it exists at
~~xt.,1 -l, Of he
within which 1t acts. its administration. its
powers and duties with respect to crime and
criminal matters. and the civil duties which 1t
discharges.
Like all other police forces in England the
Metropolitan Police is essentially a civil and
non-military body. although the members OF tho
force must of course be less drilled to
enable them to act together in bodies when that
is necessary for the preservation OF the peace
Reference has been made to the historical con-
nection between the origin OF the Metropolitan
Police and the administration OF Justice III
London. but II is important to observe that
there is for the most part. a clear distinction
between the functions Of justice ana those oi
the police All members of the force are In
structed that the primary object OF the ponce Is
the prevention of crime and the next Is the
detection and punishment or oHenuers WHEN
crime has been committed. the protection Oh
ife and property, the preservation Of public
tranquility and the absence OF crime are re.
gal rded as the proper evidence Of the measure
OF success attained.
Roughly speaking. the Metropolitan Police
District lies within a circle OF which the centre
Is Charing Cross and he radius Is fifteen miles
The district however. is not a regular circle
but follows the boundaries of parishes, and in
cludes all parishes which lie wholly within
fifteen miles OF Charing Cross, and also all
parishes any part Of which lies within twelve
miles Of Charing Cross. although some part may
extend bevond fifteen miles from that centre.
1t comprises the county Of London IA county
which created by Act OF Parliament az
recently as 1889, .he county OF Middlesex,
number OF specified parishes In each OF the