section A

• metropolitan police:

  -many different police forces at the time and the home secretary had little control over the ones outside of London

  -the exception was the metropolitan police who reported directly to the home secretary

  -police hampered by insufficient manpower

  -by 1885 the met was made of 13000 men in a population of 5 million

  -only 1300 available for duty at one time

  -pay not good for constables

  -not all recruits of good quality

  -each beat constables had their own beat to patrol
• development of C.I.D:

  -a detective department added in 1842

  -it was tiny and ineffective

  -police corruption scandal in 1877 led to CID set up in 1878 by Howard Vincent with 216 officers
• Commissioner Charles Warren:

  -appointed as metropolitan police commissioner in 1886

  -not a popular decision as he used to be a general

  -'government in uniform'

  -13 November 1887 Warren called in the army to control protesters in Trafalgar square

  -large number of casualties at the peaceful protest, became known as bloody Sunday

  -general feeling that police favoured upper and middle classes
• public attitudes:

  -by mid 19th century the metropolitan police had improved and policemen were seen as reliable and helpful

  -nickname 'bobbies'

  -in deprived areas like Whitechapel they were still unpopular and often attacked by gangs

  -when discontent became protest the police became seen upholders of unpopular government decisions

  -gained a reputation for heavy handedness