An Act for improving the Police in and near the Metropolis.
[19th June 1829]
Whereas offences against property have of late increased in and near the metropolis; and the local establishments of nightly watch and nightly police have been found inadequate to the prevention and detection of crime, by reason of the frequent unfitness of the individuals employed, the insufficiency of their number, the limited sphere of their authority, and their want of connection and co-operation with each other: And whereas it is expedient to substitute a new and more efficient system of police in lieu of such establishments of nightly watch and nightly police, within the limits herein-after mentioned, and to constitute an office of police, which, acting under the immediate authority of one of his Majesty’s principal secretaries of state, shall direct and control the whole of such new system of police within those limits:
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Short title given by Short Titles Act 1896 (c. 14)
C2Act explained by London Government Act 1963 (c. 33), s. 76
C3References to the “said justices” to be construed as references to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis: Administration of Justice Act 1973 (c. 15), Sch. 1 para. 10(2)
It shall be lawful for his Majesty to cause a new police office to be established in the city of Westminster, [F1and from time to time by warrant under his sign manual to appoint during His Majesty’s pleasure a Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to execute the duties of chief officer of the police force hereby established], . . . F2, together with such other duties as shall be herein-after specified, or as shall be from time to time directed by one of his Majesty’s principal secretaries of state, for the more efficient administration of the police within the limits herein-after mentioned; . . . F3
Textual Amendments
F1Words substituted by Administration of Justice Act 1973 (c. 15), Sch. 1 para. 10(1)
F2Words repealed by Justices of the Peace Act 1968 (c. 69), Sch. 5 Pt. I
F3Words repealed by Administration of Justice Act 1973 (c. 15), s. 20(6), Sch. 5 Pt. II
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C4Unreliable marginal note
C5S. 1 amended by Administration of Justice Act 1973 (c. 15), Sch. 1 para. 10(1)
Textual Amendments
. . . F6 a sufficient number of fit and able men shall from time to time, by the directions of one of his Majesty’s principal secretaries of state, be appointed as a police force for the whole of such district, who . . . F7 shall obey all such lawful commands as they may from time to time receive from any of the said justices for conducting themselves in the execution of their office.
Textual Amendments
F6Words repealed by Police Act 1946 (c. 46), Sch. 5 Pt. II
F7Words repealed by Police Act 1964 (c. 48), Sch. 10 Pt. I
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C6Unreliable marginal note
The said justices may from time to time, subject to the approbation of one of his Majesty’s principal secretaries of state, frame such orders and regulations as they shall deem expedient, relative to the general government of the men to be appointed members of the police force under this Act; the places of their residence; the classification, rank, and particular service of the several members; their distribution and inspection; the description of arms, accoutrements, and other necessaries to be furnished to them; and which of them shall be provided with horses for the performance of their duty; and all such other orders and regulations, relative to the said police force, as the said justices shall from time to time deem expedient for preventing neglect or abuse, and for rendering such force efficient in the discharge of all its duties; . . . F8
Textual Amendments
F8Words repealed by Police Act 1964 (c. 48), Sch. 10 Pt. I
It shall be lawful for his Majesty to appoint a proper person to receive all sums of money applicable to the purposes of this Act, who shall be called “The Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District;” and his Majesty may remove any such receiver if he shall see occasion so to do, and may, upon any vacancy in that office, by death, removal, or otherwise, appoint another person to be such receiver; . . . F12 and the receiver for the time being shall receive all sums of money applicable to the purposes of this Act, and shall keep an exact and particular account thereof, and shall [F13subject as hereinafter provided] pay all monies, bills, and notes by him received under this Act into the hands of the governor and company of the Bank of England; and the same shall be placed to an account in the books of the said governor and company, which shall be entitled “The Account of the Public Monies of the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District,” . . . F14[F13and all moneys standing to the credit of the said account shall be available to meet such expenses as may be authorized by or under any exactment or by the Secretary of State to be paid out of the Metropolitan Police Fund, and the said account shall be drawn upon by such persons and in such manner as the Secretary of State may direct.][F13Provided that such moneys received by or on behalf of the receiver as the Secretary of State may direct shall, in lieu of being paid into the account aforesaid, be paid into such other accounts at such banks as may be approved by him, and payments into and out of any such accounts shall be regulated in such manner as the Secretary of State may direct.]
Textual Amendments
F12Words repealed by Police Act 1890 (c. 45), Sch. 4
F13Words substituted by Metropolitan Police (Staff Superannuation and Police Fund) Act 1931 (c. 12), s. 4
F14Words repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1873 (c. 91)
The receiver shall account for the due application of all monies so to be drawn by him out of the Bank of England, and shall, once in every six months, and oftener if required by one of his Majesty’s principal secretaries of state, make out and sign a full and particular account of all monies which shall have been received by him under this Act, and how much thereof hath been paid by him, and for what purposes together with proper vouchers for the receipts and payments; and such account shall be delivered, for the purpose of being examined and audited, either to the commissioners for auditing the public accounts of this kingdom, or to any other person or persons whom such principal secretary of state may from time to time direct; and the receiver, if directed to account before the said commissioners, shall be subject to the same regulations and penalties in that respect as any public accountant.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C7Functions of commissioners for auditing the public accounts now exercisable by Comptroller and Auditor General: Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1866 (c. 39), s. 5
. . . F15 the receiver, out of the same monies, shall from time to time pay to the persons belonging to the police force appointed under this Act such salaries, wages, and allowances, and at such periods, as one of his Majesty’s principal secretaries of state shall direct, and also any extraordinary expences which they shall appear to have necessarily incurred in apprehending offenders and executing the orders of either of the justices appointed under this Act, such expences being first examined and approved of by one of the said justices; . . . F16; and he shall also pay all other charges and expences which such principal secretary of state shall direct to be paid for carrying this Act into execution.
Textual Amendments
F15Words repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1873 (c. 91)
F16Words repealed by Police Pensions Act 1948 (c. 24), Sch. 1 Pt. I and Police Act 1964 (c. 48), Sch. 10 Pt. I
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C8The “same monies” means the monies received by the receiver under s. 10
Textual Amendments
F18Ss.14,15,16 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1986 (c. 12), s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. I
Textual Amendments
The justices appointed under this Act, subject to the approbation of one of his Majesty’s principal secretaries of state, may order such a number of watchboxes as they shall from time to time think fit to be placed or fixed in such parts of the highways in any of the parishes, townships, precincts, and places, within the metropolitan police district as the said justices shall deem most convenient.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C9Reference to parish to be construed as reference to a rating area: Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 Pt. I para. 6(6)(b)
Textual Amendments
F23S. 34 repealed by Police Act 1946 (c. 46), Sch. 5 Pt. II
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textual Amendments
F31Sch. repealed by Police Act 1946 (c. 46), Sch. 5 Pt. II