The official history of the Metropolitan Police - Gary Mason

This book traces the fascinating history of the Met Police Service from the lawless London of 1829 when Sir Robert Peel passed the first Metropolitan Police Act, to the modernised force of the present day. Beginning with an overview of the first 150 years, the author examines various mileposts in the growth of the MPS, from the policing of the Coldbath Field Riots of 1833 to the General Strike of 1926, as well as examining the changing face of crime, and how the Met has adapted to deal with organised crime and politically motivated violence.;The main emphasis of the book, however, is on the last 25 years. Public order policing, community policing, specialist policing, terrorism, technology, and forensics are all explored in detail, and supplemented by material gained by first-hand interviews with key players in all these areas. Written in conjunction with the Met Police, the author will have access to primary archive material, and will interview many key players in the MPS. The book will be complemented by fascinating case histories throughout, and illustrated by photographs from the Met archives.