History of the Metropolitan Police
Time Line 1950 - 1969
| 1950 | The Metropolitan Police Roll of Honour is unveiled at Westminster Abbey by the Queen, displaying the names of officers killed in the 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 wars. | ||
| 1951 | Commissioner Harold Scott introduces training of cadets aged 16 - 18 to become police officers. | ||
| 1952 | The Dixon Report advocates many changes in the Metropolitan Police, including greater civilianisation. | ||
| 1953 | Sir Harold Scott retires, and is replaced as Commissioner by Sir John Nott-Bower. |  |
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| 1954 | Serious understaffing problems, with the force consisting of only 16,000 and needing an estimated 4,000 men, mainly Police Constables. | ||
| 1955 | Formation of the Central Traffic Squad, consisting of 100 men. | ||
| 1956 | Flying Squad makes over 1,000 arrests, a record since its formation. | ||
| 1957 | New Information Room opens at New Scotland Yard. | ||
| 1958 | Sir John Nott-Bower retires as Commissioner. He is replaced by Joseph Simpson. | 
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| 1959 | Indictable offences reach over 160,000, the highest recorded to date. | ||
| 1960 | Traffic Wardens
introduced. Criminal Intelligence Section and Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation branches established. |
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| 1961 | The Receivers Office moved from
Scotland House to new premises at Tintagel House. The Minicab arrives on the London scene, and the Metropolitan Police obtain 24 convictions for illegal plying for hire. |
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| 1962 | The rate of indictable
crimes for this year reaches an all time high - 214,120. The series 'Police 5', designed to prevent crime, begins on BBC. |
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| 1963 | The Commissioner,
Joseph Simpson, stresses the need for the Beat
system to reduce motorised patrols and deter incidents
of crime. The first computer to be used by the Met (an ICT 1301) was set up in the office of the Receiver for use on pay and crime statistics. |
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| 1964 | The worst year
so far this century for crime, with over a quarter of a million
indictable crimes. Regional Crime Squads formed. Police face major criticism and complaints as a result of the Challenor Case, in which a policeman was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic and made infamous for planting evidence. |
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| 1965 | Special Patrol Group formed consisting of 100 officers. It arrested 396 people in its first 9 months of operation. | 
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| 1966 | The Commissioner's
Office and the Receiver's Office are combined. 3 Metropolitan Police officers murdered at Shepherds Bush. |
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| 1967 | The headquarters
is moved from the Norman Shaw
Building to a new building in Broadway, just off Victoria
Street. The name of New Scotland Yard is retained. Norwell Roberts joins the Met as the first black police officer. He retired after 30 years service with the rank of Detective Sergeant and received the QPM in 1996. |
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| 1968 | Sir Joseph Simpson dies in service, and is replaced as Commissioner by John Waldron. | 
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| 1969 | MPS officers sent
to offer assistance in the Anguilla
crisis. Serious Crime Squad becomes permanent. |
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