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. The Metropolitan Police Service (usually just referred to as the Metropolitan Police or the Met) are the police of Greater London, England, with the exception of the square mile of the City of London, which has its own police force, the City of London Police. ... Greater London and the Regions of England. ...

The post was created by the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 and was, until 1855, held jointly by two men. The Commissioner is generally regarded as the most senior operational police officer in the United Kingdom (although since each police force is independent this is not technically accurate). He is always knighted on appointment if he has not already been (many of the Deputy Commissioners are also knighted). The insignia of rank, unique within the British police, is a crown above a Bath Star ("pip") above crossed tipstaves within a wreath, very similar to the insignia worn by a full general in the British Army. 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The British police are a group of similar but independent police services which operate in the United Kingdom. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... The dignity of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. ... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... The Tipstaff itself is just a truncheon or rod. ... General is a military rank, in most nations the highest rank, although some nations have the higher rank of Field Marshal. ... The British Army is the land armed forces of the United Kingdom. ...

At one time, the commissioners were either retired military officers or civil servants. Sir John Nott-Bower was the first career police officer to hold the post (although several previous commissioners had served in senior administrative positions in colonial forces and the Metropolitan Police itself) and Sir Joseph Simpson was the first commissioner to have started his career as a constable (although he was soon appointed to higher rank). However, Sir Robert Mark, appointed in 1972, was the first to have risen through all the ranks from the lowest to the highest, as all his successors have done. United Kingdom A Constable is a police officer in Britain and most countries with a British colonial history (now mostly members of the Commonwealth of Nations). ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ...

The Commissioner of Police is senior to (from next lowest rank downwards) Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, and Commander.

Commissioners of Police of the Metropolis

• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Rowan, 1829 - 1850
• Sir Richard Mayne, 1829 - 1868
• Captain William Hay, 1850 - 1855
• Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Labalmondière (acting), 1868 - 1869
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edmund Henderson, 1869 - 1886
• Major-General Sir Charles Warren, 1886 - 1888
• James Monro, 1888 - 1890
• Colonel Sir Edward Bradford, 1890 - 1903
• Sir Edward Henry, 1903 - 1918
• General Sir Nevil Macready, 1918 - 1920
• Brigadier-General Sir William Horwood, 1918 - 1928
• General Viscount Byng of Vimy, 1928 - 1931
• Marshal of the RAF Lord Trenchard, 1931 - 1935
• Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Game, 1935 - 1945
• Sir Harold Scott, 1945 - 1953
• Sir John Nott-Bower, 1953 - 1958
• Sir Joseph Simpson, 1958 - 1968
• Sir John Waldron, 1968 - 1972
• Sir Robert Mark, 1972 - 1977
• Sir David McNee, 1977 - 1982
• Sir Kenneth Newman, 1982 - 1987
• Sir Peter Imbert, 1987 - 1993
• Sir Paul Condon, 1993 - 2000
• Sir John Stevens, 2000 - 2005
• Sir Ian Blair, 2005 -

Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy (September 11, 1862 - June 6, 1935) was commander of the Canadian army in World War I, and later became Governor General of Canada. ... Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard (February 3, 1873 - February 10, 1956) was the British Chief of the Air Staff during World War I, and was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force (RAF). ... Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Woolcott Game (March 30, 1876–February 4, 1961) was a British Royal Air Force commander and Governor of New South Wales, Australia. ... Sir John Nott-Bower was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (the head of London Metropolitan Police Service) from 1953 to 1958. ... Sir John Stevens (born October 21, 1942) was Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 2000 until 2005. ... Sir Ian Blair QPM, MA (born 19 March 1953) is the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London. ...

External link

• Metropolitan Police Service timeline (http://www.met.police.uk/history/timeline1829-1849.htm)