The Metropolitan Police by the Late 19th Century

This section explores the Metropolitan Police by the late 19th century. The Metropolitan Police was established in 1829 by then Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel as the first modern police force in the world. Funded by local London authorities, the force was controlled by the Home Secretary but aimed to provide law enforcement across the entire capital. The main goals of the police were to maintain public order, protect property, and reduce crime. Over the following decades, the police force evolved in response to the changing needs of a rapidly growing city like London, especially in areas like Whitechapel, which saw a significant rise in crime and social unrest.

Public Attitudes Towards the Metropolitan Police

From the outset, the role of the Metropolitan Police was controversial. While it was a groundbreaking institution, it was met with suspicion and hostility by certain sections of the public, particularly in working-class areas. The police were seen by some as an instrument of the state used to control the population and suppress working-class protests.

In 1842, the formation of the Detective Branch of the Metropolitan Police led to further public concern. Some people feared that plainclothes detectives might be used to spy on ordinary citizens, particularly the working classes. As a result, the police were ordered to identify themselves during any confrontations, wearing badges or other forms of identification to make it clear they were officers of the law. This measure was put in place to reduce suspicions and maintain public trust.

Reform and Growth under Edmund Henderson

The Metropolitan Police began to reform and expand in the later half of the 19th century, especially as London’s population grew rapidly due to industrialisation, migration, and urbanisation. By 1870, the new Police Commissioner, Edmund Henderson, made significant changes to improve the quality of recruits joining the police force. Recognising the importance of literacy and education, Henderson introduced higher standards for recruitment, including the expectation that officers should be able to read and write well. This was part of a broader effort to improve the effectiveness and professionalism of the force.

However, despite these reforms, there were growing concerns that the police force was still too small to effectively manage the increasing size and complexity of London. Crime rates were rising, and many people felt the Metropolitan Police were not doing enough to keep the city safe.

The Trial of the Detectives and the Formation of the CID

In 1877, a major scandal known as the Trial of the Detectives further damaged public trust in the police. It was revealed that senior officers from the Detective Branch were involved in a gambling fraud conspiracy that had international implications. This exposed a serious level of corruption within the police force, particularly in the upper ranks. The scandal, widely reported in the press, intensified public suspicion of the police.

In response to this crisis, the following year, Sir Howard Vincent, a barrister, introduced sweeping reforms to the Detective Branch, transforming it into the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). This new department had a much clearer focus on crime detection rather than crime prevention. The CID consisted of 216 officers and was set apart from other police units, which were primarily focused on preventing crimes. This reorganisation helped to restore some degree of public confidence in the force and marked the beginning of more professional, investigative policing in London.

Commissioner Charles Warren and the Military Influence

In 1886, Edmund Henderson was replaced by Charles Warren as the new Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Prior to joining the police, Warren had a military background, serving in the British Army. As a result, he applied his military experience to the role of Commissioner, and his leadership style reflected a more disciplinary and structured approach to law enforcement.

Under Warren’s leadership, the Metropolitan Police underwent further militarisation. He implemented stricter recruitment standards and increased the frequency of military drill practices for the police force. Warren also brought in more ex-soldiers to join the police, believing that they would bring discipline and organisation to the force.

However, this militarisation of the police was not universally popular. Many people, especially the working class, feared that the police were becoming more like an army and that they might be used to suppress popular dissent or manage social unrest. This fear was heightened in 1887 when the police were involved in Bloody Sunday, a violent clash between protesters and police officers.

The Trafalgar Square Protest and Bloody Sunday

In 1887, large protests took place in Trafalgar Square in central London, driven by rising unemployment and dissatisfaction with government policies, including laws that granted authorities greater powers to control acts of disorder or discontent, particularly in Ireland. These protests, organised by a group of socialists and trade unionists, turned violent when the police, supported by the army, attempted to disperse the crowd. Several protesters were injured in what became known as Bloody Sunday.

The events of Bloody Sunday were a critical moment in the history of the Metropolitan Police under Charles Warren. Critics of Warren’s leadership, especially those from the socialist and working-class communities, accused him of using excessive force to suppress legitimate protest. The violent clashes further tarnished the reputation of the police force, with many people fearing that the police were being used to quash dissent rather than maintain public order.

Criticism of Warren’s Leadership

The use of military-style tactics to deal with civilians and the heavy-handed response to peaceful protests led to significant criticism of Warren’s leadership. Many saw his actions as evidence of an over-militarised police force that was more interested in maintaining control through force than protecting the rights of citizens. Public confidence in the police continued to decline, and Warren faced mounting pressure to reform the force.

By the end of the 1880s, the Metropolitan Police had become a highly controversial institution. While the force had made significant strides in terms of professionalism, corruption, militarisation, and class tensions continued to plague it. The police’s inability to effectively deal with crime, their association with government repression, and the increasing number of public protests created an atmosphere of distrust between the people of London and their law enforcement.

Conclusion

By the late 19th century, the Metropolitan Police had undergone significant changes in terms of structure, recruitment, and operations. However, these changes were not without challenges. Scandals, corruption, public protests, and the militarisation of the force contributed to growing tensions between the police and the public. While there were efforts to raise the standards of policing, these were often overshadowed by the continuing issues of trust and legitimacy. The tensions and challenges faced by the police during this period set the stage for further reforms in the years that followed.