Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, usually just called Assistant Commissioner (AC), is today the third highest rank in the London Metropolitan Police, ranking below Deputy Commissioner and above Deputy Assistant Commissioner. London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The Standard of the Metropolitan Police The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) (commonly referred to by its former official name of the Metropolitan Police, or colloquially as The Met; often referred to in legislation as the Police of the Metropolis) is the Home Office (territorial) police force responsible for Greater London... The Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (usually just called the Deputy Commissioner) is the second-in-command of the London Metropolitan Police, ranking below the Commissioner and above the Assistant Commissioners. ... The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (usually just referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner or, more colloquially, as the Met Commissioner) is the head of the Metropolitan Police Service in London. ...

19th century

The rank of Assistant Commmissioner was introduced by the Police Act 1856, which abolished the two Joint Commissioners and established a single Commissioner (Sir Richard Mayne) assisted by two Assistant Commissioners. The Assistant Commissioner (Administrative) was in charge of administration and discipline. The Assistant Commissioner (Executive) was in charge of executive business, supplies and buildings. The first two men to fill these posts were Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Labalmondière and Captain W. C. Harris respectively. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (usually just referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner or, more colloquially, as the Met Commissioner) is the head of the Metropolitan Police Service in London. ... Sir Richard Mayne KCB (27 November 1796–26 December 1868) was a barrister and the joint first Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the head of the London Metropolitan Police. ... Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas William Parish Labalmondière CB (1815–8 March 1893) was the first Assistant Commissioner (Administrative) of the London Metropolitan Police and acted as Commissioner for three months in 1868–1869. ...

Like the Commmissioner, the Assistant Commissioners were sworn in as Justices of the Peace, although they could not try criminal cases. This continued until 1973. Like the Commissioner, the Assistant Commissioners were mainly appointed from outside the police until well into the 20th century, although career police officers could and sometimes did rise to the rank. A Justice of the Peace (JP) is a magistrate appointed by a commission to keep the peace, dispense summary justice and deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

In 1878, Howard Vincent was appointed Director of Criminal Intelligence, a post that had equal rank to the Assistant Commissioners, but not the title. On his resignation in 1884, his post was replaced by a third Assistant Commissioner, the Assistant Commissioner (Crime). 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ...

Lettered departments

In 1909, Commissioner Sir Edward Henry, realising that the Assistant Commissioners' workload was becoming too great, appointed a fourth Assistant Commissioner, who took over some of the duties of the Assistant Commissioner (Executive). The four became known as Assistant Commissioners "A", "B", "C" and "L", heading departments with the same letter designations. Assistant Commissioner "A" effectively acted as Deputy Commissioner until 1931, when a separate Deputy Commissioner was appointed. From 1922, Assistant Commissioner "A" was generally known as the Deputy Commissioner. 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Sir Edward Richard Henry, KCB (26 July 1850–19 February 1931) was the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (head of the Metropolitan Police Force of London) from 1903 to 1918. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

After World War I, Assistant Commissioner "B" became responsible solely for traffic and lost property, with his other former duties divided between Assistant Commissioners "A" and "L". Assistant Commissioner "L" was responsible for "L" (Legal) Department until its reorganisation in 1931. After 1931, he was renamed Assistant Commissioner "D" and became responsible for policy and planning. Combatants Entente Powers Central Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties > 5 million military deaths > 3 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War I, also known as the First World War and (before 1939) the Great War, the War of the Nations, War to End All Wars was a world... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ...

By the end of World War II, Assistant Commissioner "A" (Operations and Administration) was responsible for all uniformed police, including specialist units, except traffic police, which were under Assistant Commissioner "B" (Traffic). Assistant Commissioner "C" (Crime) headed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training) was responsible for recruitment, training, welfare, communications and police dogs. In 1970, Commissioner Sir John Waldron designated Assistant Commissioner "D" as the senior Assistant Commissioner. Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War II, also known as the Second World War (sometimes WW2 or WWII or World War Two), was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the... The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is the branch of all British Police forces to which plain clothes detectives belong. ... Belgian Malinois as K-9 unit A police dog is a Dog that is trained specifically to assist Police and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Reorganisation in the 1980s and 1990s

In 1985, Commissioner Sir Kenneth Newman finally abolished the system of lettered departments. He redesignated the four Assistant Commissioners as: This article is about the year. ...

• Assistant Commissioner Territorial Operations (ACTO), in charge of all uniformed and CID units based on the divisions.
• Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations (ACSO), in charge of all specialised and centralised uniformed and CID units.
• Assistant Commissioner Personnel and Training (ACPT), in charge of all personnel issues, including recruitment, training and welfare.
• Assistant Commissioner Management Support (ACMS), in charge of strategic planning, management services, public relations and a number of other miscellaneous departments.

In 1992, with increasing focus on the Met's image and quality of service, Commissioner Sir Peter Imbert redesignated the ACMS as Assistant Commissioner Inspection and Review (ACIR), in charge of collecting performance data from across the Metropolitan Police area. A division was until recently the largest territorial subdivision of most British Police forces, similar to a precinct in American city police departments. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

In 1995, Commissioner Sir Paul Condon introduced the widest-ranging reorganisation when he increased the number of Assistant Commissioners to six. The previous eight Areas, each commanded by a Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC), were reduced to five, each commanded by an Assistant Commissioner, designated AC 1 to 5. Each Assistant Commissioner also managed a number of headquarters branches. ACSO remained outside the Area system and continued to manage the Specialist Operations units. 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Specialist Operations was a group of twenty specialist Metropolitan Police units which were set up in 1986 as part of Sir Kenneth Newmans restructuring of the Metropolitan Police Service. ...

Current organisation

In 2000, the system changed again, with policing restructured around the Boroughs and the Areas being abolished. The six Assistant Commissioners were reduced to four again. With the creation of the Specialist Crime Directorate under its own Assistant Commissioner in 2002, there are now five Assistant Commissioners: This article is about the year 2000. ... The administrative area of Greater London contains 32 London Boroughs, of which 12 (plus the City of London) make up Inner London and 20 Outer London. ... The Specialist Crime Directorate is an elite unit within the London Metropolitan Police Service. ... 2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• Assistant Commissioner Territorial Policing, currently Tim Godwin
• Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations, currently Andy Hayman
• Assistant Commissioner Specialist Crime, currently Tarique Ghaffur
• Assistant Commissioner Central Operations, currently Steve House
• Assistant Commissioner Service Improvement, currently Alan Brown

Assistant Commissioners are equivalent in rank to the Chief Constables of other British police forces and wear the same badge of rank: a crown over crossed tipstaves in a wreath. Chief Constable is the title given to the commanding officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except the two responsible for Greater London. ... The British police are a group of similar but independent police services which operate in the United Kingdom. ... The Tipstaff has two different meanings, both somewhat related // Staff The Tipstaff itself is a truncheon or rod. ...

Assistant Commissioners

Assistant Commissioners "A"

• Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Labalmondière, 1856–1884
• Sir Alexander Carmichael Bruce, 1884–1914
• Frank Elliott, 1914–1918
• Brigadier-General William Horwood, 1918–1920
• Sir James Olive, 1920–1925
• Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Royds, 1926–1931
• Sir Trevor Bigham, 1931
• Lieutenant-Colonel David Allan, 1931
• Brigadier James Whitehead, 1933–1938
• Lieutenant-Colonel John Carter, 1938–1940
• John Nott-Bower, 1940–1945
• Major John Ferguson, 1945–1946
• Major Sir Philip Margetson, 1946–1957
• Alexander Robertson, 1957–1958
• Douglas Webb, 1958–1961
• Lieutenant-Colonel Ranulph Bacon, 1961–1963
• Sir John Waldron, 1963–1966
• John Hill, 1966–1968
• James Starritt, 1968–1972
• John Mastel, 1972–1976
• Wilford Gibson, 1977–1984
• Geoffrey Dear, 1984–1985

Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas William Parish Labalmondière CB (1815–8 March 1893) was the first Assistant Commissioner (Administrative) of the London Metropolitan Police and acted as Commissioner for three months in 1868–1869. ... Sir Alexander Carmichael Bruce (circa 1850–26 October 1926) was the second Assistant Commissioner A of the London Metropolitan Police, from 1888 to 1914. ... Sir John Nott-Bower was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (the head of London Metropolitan Police Service) from 1953 to 1958. ...

Assistant Commissioners "B"

• Captain W. C. Harris, 1856–1881
• Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Pearson, 1881–1890
• Sir Charles Howard, 1890–1902
• Major Sir Frederick Wodehouse, 1902–1918
• Frank Elliott, 1918–1931
• Sir Alker Tripp, 1932–1947
• Sir Henry Dalton, 1947–1956
• Joseph Simpson, 1956–1957
• Douglas Webb, 1957–1958
• John Waldron, 1958–1963
• Andrew Way, 1963–1969
• Colin Woods, 1970–1972
• Henry Hunt, 1972–1974
• Patrick Kavanagh, 1974–1977
• John Dellow, 1982–1984
• Colin Sutton, 1984–1985

Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Lyons Otway Pearson CB (1831–30 May 1890) was Assistant Commissioner (Executive) of the London Metropolitan Police. ...

Assistant Commissioners "C"

• James Monro, 1884–1888
• Sir Robert Anderson, 1888–1901
• Edward Henry, 1901–1903
• Sir Melville Macnaghten, 1903–1913
• Sir Basil Thomson, 1913–1921
• Major-General Sir Wyndham Childs, 1921–1928
• Sir Trevor Bigham, 1928–1931
• Sir Norman Kendal, 1931–1945
• Ronald Howe, 1945–1953
• Sir Richard Jackson, 1953–1963
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ranulph Bacon, 1963–1966
• Peter Brodie, 1966–1972
• Colin Woods, 1972–1975
• Gilbert Kelland, 1977–1984
• John Dellow, 1984–1985

James Monro CB (1838–1920) was a lawyer who became the first Assistant Commissioner (Crime) of the London Metropolitan Police and also served as Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis from 1888 to 1890. ... Robert Anderson (theologian) Sir Robert Anderson (1841 - 1918) Born in Dublin, Ireland. ... Sir Edward Richard Henry, KCB (26 July 1850–19 February 1931) was the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (head of the Metropolitan Police Force of London) from 1903 to 1918. ... Sir Melville MacNaghten Sir Melville Leslie MacNaghten CBE, CB (June 16, 1853-May 12, 1921) was Assistant Commissioner (Crime) of the London Metropolitan Force from 1903-1913. ...

Assistant Commissioners "L/D"

• Frederick Bullock, 1909–1914
• Trevor Bigham, 1914–1928
• Norman Kendal, 1928–1931
• Major Maurice Tomlin, 1931–1933
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Laurie, 1933–1936
• Sir George Abbiss, 1936–1946
• Major Philip Margetson, 1946
• Colonel Arthur Young, 1947–1950
• Captain John Rymer-Jones, 1950–1959
• Tom Mahir, 1959–1967
• Robert Mark, 1967–1968
• John Hill, 1968–1972
• John Mastel, 1972
• John Alderson, 1972–1974
• Henry Hunt, 1974–1978
• Geoffrey Dear, 1982–1984
• Geoffrey McLean, 1984–1985

Colonel Sir Arthur Edwin Young, KBE, CMG, CVO, KPM (born 1907) was the Commissioner of the City of London Police from 1950 to 1971. ...

Assistant Commissioners Specialist Operations

• John Dellow, 1985–1987
• John Smith, 1989–1990
• William Taylor, 1990–1994
• Sir David Veness, 1994–2005
• Andy Hayman, 2005–

Assistant Commissioners Territorial Operations

• Geoffrey McLean, 1985–1991
• Robert Hunt, 1991–1995

Assistant Commissioners Management Support

• John Smith, 1987–1989
• Peter Winship, 1989–1992

Assistant Commissioner Inspection and Review

• Peter Winship, 1992–1995

Assistant Commissioners Personnel and Training

• Colin Sutton, 1985–1988
• Wyn Jones, 1989–1993

Assistant Commissioners Central Area (1)

• Anthony Speed, 1995–1999

Assistant Commissioners North-West Area (2)

• Baden Skitt, 1995–1997
• Anderson Dunn, 1997–2000

Assistant Commissioners North-East Area (3)

• Anderson Dunn, 1995–1997
• Paul Manning, 1997–2000

Assistant Commissioner South-East Area (4)

• Ian Johnston, 1995–2000

Assistant Commissioners South-West Area (5)

• Paul Manning, 1995–1997
• Denis O'Connor, 1997–2000

Assistant Commissioner Strategic Development

• Anderson Dunn, 2000–2001

Assistants Commissioners Territorial Policing

• Ian Johnston, 2000–2001
• Michael Todd, 2001–2003
• Tim Godwin, 2003–

Assistant Commissioners Policy, Review and Standards

• Michael Todd, 2000–2001
• Tarique Ghaffur, 2001–2002

Assistant Commissioner Human Resources

• Bernard Hogan-Howe, 2001–2004

Assistant Commissioner Specialist Crime

• Tarique Ghaffur, 2002–

Assistant Commissioner Central Operations

• Steve House, 2005–

Assistant Commissioner Service Improvement

• Alan Brown, 2005–