Metropolitan Police
From SR
Contents |
Roles
The Metropolitan Police Service is famed around the world and has a unique place in the history of policing. It is by far the largest of the police services that operate in greater London (the others include the City of London Police and the British Transport Police). The Royal Parks Constabulary have now become part of the Metropolitan Police Service.
Departments
The Metropolitan Police Service is made up of many different departments. Each department has a different focus.
- Air Support Unit
- Counter Terrorism Command - formerly the Anti-Terrorist Branch and Special Branch
- Association of Muslim Police
- Art and Antiques Unit
- Casualty Bureau
- C3i
- Computers Crime Unit
- Charities Office
- Child Abuse Investigation Command
- Directorate of Information
- Dog Support Unit
- Drugs Directorate
- Economic and Specialist Crime Command
- Firearms Enquiries Teams
- CO19
- Forensic Services
- Homicide and Serious Crime Command
- Service Intelligence Bureau
- Mounted Branch
- Public Order
- Serious and Organised Crime Command
- Trident and Trafalgar
- Traffic OCU
- Wildlife Crime
Reporting Hierarchy
The Metropolitan Police Service is a large organisation with a complex command structure that reflects the diverse range of tasks it is expected to undertake. The Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police is Sir Ian Blair.
Structure
- Territorial Policing: London's local police - Following a recent restructuring, most of the day-to-day policing of London is the responsibility of 33 borough operational command units (BOCUs).
- Specialist Crime Directorate - In addition to policing London's streets, the Met has various specialist units dedicated to reducing all aspects of serious and specialist crime. The intention of Specialist Crime Directorate is to place a renewed emphasis on working collaboratively with communities, boroughs and partners to identify effective solutions to serious crime problems.
- Specialist Operations - The Met has various specialist units that work across the capital or which fulfill a national role. A number of these are grouped into a section of the organisation known as Specialist Operations. They deal with tasks such as intelligence, security, protection of politicians, embassies and royalty, and the investigation of certain categories of serious crimes, including racial and violent crime and terrorism.
- Central Operations - Central Operations consists of a number of specialist units that provide a broad range of policing functions. These units effectively provide an integrated, collaborative and community focussed service to London. With Capital City Policing at the forefront of their responsibilties, they also have the remit for delivering the security arrangements for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.
The rank structure of Metropolitan Police officers is as follows:
- Commissioner
- Deputy Commissioner
- Assistant Commissioner
- Deputy Assistant Commissioner
- Commander
- Chief Superintendent
- Superintendent
- Chief Inspector
- Inspector
- Sergeant
- Constable
