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. 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 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. ... 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. ...

Deputy Commissioner was formally established as a separate rank, additional to the Assistant Commissioners, in 1931, although the Assistant Commissioner "A" had acted as de facto deputy for some years and had been given the courtesy title of Deputy Commissioner since 1922. The badge of rank worn on the epaulettes by the Deputy Commissioner is unique in the British police service: a crown, above two small pips placed side by side, above crossed tipstaves in a wreath. This badge was introduced in 2001; before that the Deputy Commissioner wore the same rank badge as the Assistant Commissioners - a crown over crossed tipstaves in a wreath. 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Epaulette pronunciation: ĕp-ǝ-lĕt, a French word meaning little shoulders (epaule, referring to shoulder), originally meant only one type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia or rank by military or other organizations. ... 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. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

Deputy Commissioners

• Sir James Olive, 1922–1925
• Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Royds, 1926–1931
• Sir Trevor Bigham, 1931–1934
• Colonel Sir Maurice Drummond, 1935–1946
• Sir John Nott-Bower, 1946–1953
• Sir Ronald Howe, 1953–1957
• Sir Joseph Simpson, 1957–1958
• Sir Alexander Robertson, 1958–1961
• Douglas Webb, 1961–1966
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ranulph Bacon, 1966
• Sir John Waldron, 1966–1968
• Robert Mark, 1968–1972
• John Hill, 1972
• Sir James Starritt, 1972–1975
• Sir Colin Woods, 1975–1977
• Patrick Kavanagh, 1977–1983
• Albert Laugharne, 1983–1985
• Peter Imbert, 1985–1987
• Sir John Dellow, 1987–1991
• Sir John Smith, 1991–1995
• Sir Brian Hayes, 1995–1998
• Sir John Stevens, 1998–2000
• Sir Ian Blair, 2000–2005
• Paul Stephenson, 2005–