Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis

19th century

The rank of Assistant Commissioner was introduced by the Police Act 1856, which abolished the two Joint Commissioners and established a single Commissioner (Sir Richard Mayne) assisted by two Assistant Commissioners. The Assistant Commissioner (Administrative) was in charge of administration and discipline. The Assistant Commissioner (Executive) was in charge of executive business, supplies and buildings. The first two men to fill these posts were Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Labalmondière and Captain William C. Harris respectively.

Like the Commissioner, the Assistant Commissioners were sworn in as Justices of the Peace, although they could not try criminal cases. This continued until 1973. Like the Commissioner, the Assistant Commissioners were mainly appointed from outside the police until well into the 20th century, although career police officers could and sometimes did rise to the rank.

In 1878, Howard Vincent was appointed Director of Criminal Intelligence, a post that had equal rank to the Assistant Commissioners, but not the title. On his resignation in 1884, his post was replaced by a third Assistant Commissioner, the Assistant Commissioner (Crime).

Lettered departments

In 1909, Commissioner Sir Edward Henry, realising that the Assistant Commissioners' workload was becoming too great, appointed a fourth Assistant Commissioner, who took over some of the duties of the Assistant Commissioner (Executive). The four became known as Assistant Commissioners "A", "B", "C" and "L", heading departments with the same letter designations. Assistant Commissioner "A" effectively acted as Deputy Commissioner until 1931, when a separate Deputy Commissioner was appointed. From 1922 until 1931, Assistant Commissioner "A" was generally known as the Deputy Commissioner.

After World War I, Assistant Commissioner "B" became responsible solely for traffic and lost property, with his other former duties divided between Assistant Commissioners "A" and "L". Assistant Commissioner "L" was responsible for "L" (Legal) Department until its reorganisation in 1931. After 1931, he was renamed Assistant Commissioner "D" and became responsible for policy and planning.

By the end of World War II, Assistant Commissioner "A" (Operations and Administration) was responsible for all uniformed police, including specialist units, except traffic police, which were under Assistant Commissioner "B" (Traffic). Assistant Commissioner "C" (Crime) headed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training) was responsible for recruitment, training, welfare, communications and police dogs. In 1970, Commissioner Sir John Waldron designated Assistant Commissioner "D" as the senior Assistant Commissioner. As policing became more technical, Assistant Commissioner "B" also became responsible for technical support.

Reorganisation in the 1980s and 1990s

In 1985, Commissioner Sir Kenneth Newman finally abolished the system of lettered departments. He redesignated the four Assistant Commissioners as:

Assistant Commissioner Territorial Operations (ACTO), in charge of all uniformed and CID units based on the divisions.

Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations (ACSO), in charge of all specialised and centralised uniformed and CID units.

Assistant Commissioner Personnel and Training (ACPT), in charge of all personnel issues, including recruitment, training and welfare.

Assistant Commissioner Management Support (ACMS), in charge of strategic planning, management services, public relations and a number of other miscellaneous departments.

In 1992, with increasing focus on the Met's image and quality of service, Commissioner Sir Peter Imbert redesignated the ACMS as Assistant Commissioner Inspection and Review (ACIR), in charge of collecting performance data from across the Metropolitan Police District.

In 1995, Commissioner Sir Paul Condon introduced the widest-ranging reorganisation when he increased the number of Assistant Commissioners to six. The previous eight Areas, each commanded by a Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC), were reduced to five, each commanded by an Assistant Commissioner, designated AC 1 to 5. Each Assistant Commissioner also had force-wide responsibility for a 'portfolio' (such as Crime or Traffic), setting force policy and managing related headquarters branches. ACSO remained outside the Area system and continued to manage the Specialist Operations units.

Current organisation

In 2000, the system changed again, with policing restructured around the Boroughs and the Areas being abolished. The six Assistant Commissioners were reduced to four again. With the creation of the Specialist Crime Directorate under its own Assistant Commissioner in 2002, there were five Assistant Commissioners, although this was once again reduced to four in 2008. In 2011 the number was briefly increased to five again, then reduced to four once more. The posts have held varying designations since 2000, with the ACSO being the only post to have remained since the initial reorganisation in 1985.

The Assistant Commissioners are considered to hold equal rank to the Chief Constables of other British police forces and wear the same rank insignia: a crown over crossed tipstaves in a wreath.

Assistant Commissioners from 1856 to 1985

These positions existed concurrently.

Assistant Commissioners "A"

Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Labalmondière, 1856–1884

Sir Alexander Carmichael Bruce, 1884–1914

Frank Elliott, 1914–1918

Brigadier-General William Horwood, 1918–1920

Sir James Olive, 1920–1925

Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Royds, 1926–1931

Sir Trevor Bigham, 1931

Lieutenant-Colonel David Allan, 1931

Brigadier James Whitehead, 1933–1938

Lieutenant-Colonel John Carter, 1938–1940

John Nott-Bower, 1940–1945

Major John Ferguson, 1945–1946

Major Sir Philip Margetson, 1946–1957

Alexander Robertson, 1957–1958

Douglas Webb, 1958–1961

Lieutenant-Colonel Ranulph Bacon, 1961–1963

Sir John Waldron, 1963–1966

John Hill, 1966–1968

Andrew Way, 1968–1969

James Starritt, 1970–1972

John Mastel, 1972–1976

Wilford Gibson, 1977–1984

Geoffrey Dear, 1984–1985

Assistant Commissioners "B"

Captain William C. Harris, 1856–1881

Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Pearson, 1881–1890

Sir Charles Howard, 1890–1902

Major Sir Frederick Wodehouse, 1902–1918

Frank Elliott, 1918–1931

Sir Alker Tripp, 1932–1947

Sir Henry Dalton, 1947–1956

Joseph Simpson, 1956–1957

Douglas Webb, 1957–1958

John Waldron, 1958–1963

Andrew Way, 1963–1968

Robert Mark, 1968

James Starritt, 1968–1970

Colin Woods, 1970–1972

Henry Hunt, 1972–1974

Patrick Kavanagh, 1974–1977

Jock Wilson, 1977–1982

John Dellow, 1982–1984

Colin Sutton, 1984–1985

Assistant Commissioners "C"

James Monro, 1884–1888

Sir Robert Anderson, 1888–1901

Edward Henry, 1901–1903

Sir Melville Macnaghten, 1903–1913

Sir Basil Thomson, 1913–1921

Major-General Sir Wyndham Childs, 1921–1928

Sir Trevor Bigham, 1928–1931

Sir Norman Kendal, 1931–1945

Ronald Howe, 1945–1953

Sir Joe Jackson, 1953–1963

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ranulph Bacon, 1963–1966

Peter Brodie, 1966–1972

Colin Woods, 1972–1975

Jock Wilson, 1975–1977

Gilbert Kelland, 1977–1984

John Dellow, 1984–1985

Assistant Commissioners "L/D"

Frederick Bullock, 1909–1914

Trevor Bigham, 1914–1928

Norman Kendal, 1928–1931

Major Maurice Tomlin, 1932–1933

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Laurie, 1933–1936

Sir George Abbiss, 1936–1946

Major Philip Margetson, 1946

Colonel Arthur Young, 1947–1950

Brigadier John Rymer-Jones, 1950–1959

Tom Mahir, 1959–1967

Robert Mark, 1967–1968

John Hill, 1968–1972

John Mastel, 1972

John Alderson, 1973

Henry Hunt, 1974–1978

John Gerrard, 1978–1981

Geoffrey Dear, 1981–1984

Geoffrey McLean, 1984–1985

Assistant Commissioners from 1985 onwards

These were not all concurrently existing positions.

Assistant Commissioners Specialist Operations

John Dellow, 1985–1987

Hugh Annesley, 1987–1989

John Smith, 1989–1990

William Taylor, 1990–1994

Sir David Veness, 1994–2005

Andy Hayman, 2005–2007

Bob Quick, 2008–2009

John Yates, 2009–2011

Cressida Dick, 2011–2014

Mark Rowley, 2014–

Assistant Commissioners Territorial Operations

Geoffrey McLean, 1985–1990

Robert Hunt, 1991–1995

Assistant Commissioners Management Support

Colin Sutton, 1985–1987

John Smith, 1987–1989

Peter Winship, 1989–1992

Assistant Commissioners Personnel and Training

Hugh Annesley, 1985–1987

Colin Sutton, 1987–1988

Wyn Jones, 1989–1993

Assistant Commissioner Inspection and Review

Peter Winship, 1992–1995

Assistant Commissioner Central Area (1)

Anthony Speed, 1995–1999

Assistant Commissioners North-West Area (2)

Baden Skitt, 1995–1997

Anderson Dunn, 1997–2000

Assistant Commissioners North-East Area (3)

Anderson Dunn, 1995–1997

Paul Manning, 1997–2000

Assistant Commissioner South-East Area (4)

Ian Johnston, 1995–2000

Assistant Commissioners South-West Area (5)

Paul Manning, 1995–1997

Denis O'Connor, 1997–2000

Assistant Commissioner Strategic Development

Anderson Dunn, 2000–2001

Assistant Commissioners Territorial Policing

Ian Johnston, 2000–2001

Michael J. Todd, 2001–2003

Tim Godwin, 2003–2009

Rose Fitzpatrick, 2009 (acting)

Ian McPherson, 2009–2011

Simon Byrne, 2011–2014

Helen King, 2014–2016

Martin Hewitt, 2016–

Assistant Commissioners Policy, Review and Standards

Michael J. Todd, 2000–2001

Tarique Ghaffur, 2001–2002

Assistant Commissioner Human Resources

Bernard Hogan-Howe, 2001–2004

Assistant Commissioners Specialist Crime

Tarique Ghaffur, 2002–2006

Stephen House, 2006–2007

John Yates, 2007–2009

Cressida Dick, 2009–2011

Assistant Commissioners Central Operations

Stephen House, 2005–2006

Tarique Ghaffur, 2006–2008

Chris Allison, 2008–2010

Lynne Owens, 2010–2011

Assistant Commissioner Service Improvement

Alan Brown, 2005–2006

Assistant Commissioner Professional Standards and Intelligence

John Yates, 2006–2007

Assistant Commissioners Operational Services

John Yates, 2007

Alfred Hitchcock, 2007–2008

Assistant Commissioner Olympics and Paralympics

Chris Allison, 2011–2013

Assistant Commissioners Central Operations and Specialist Crime

Lynne Owens, 2011

Mark Rowley, 2011–2014

Assistant Commissioner Operation Resolve

Jon Stoddard, 2012–2016

Rob Beckley, 2016–

Assistant Commissioner Professionalism

Martin Hewitt, 2014–2016

Helen King, 2016–2017

Vacant

Assistant Commissioners Specialist Crime and Operations

Cressida Dick, 2014–2015

Pat Gallan, 2015–