Metropolitan Police Act 1829
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1829 c. 44 |
| Year | 1829 |
(10 Geo. 4) C A P. XLIV.
[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 hereinafter 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 controul the Whole of such new System of Police within those Limits:' Be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That it shall be lawful for HisMajesty to cause a new Police Office to be established in the City ofWestminster , and by Warrant under His Sign Manual to appoint Two fit Persons as Justices of the Peace of the Counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Hertford, Essex , and Kent , and of all Liberties therein, to execute the Duties of a Justice of the Peace at the said Office, and in all Parts of those several Counties, and the Liberties therein, together with such other Duties as shall be hereinafter 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 hereinafter mentioned; and His Majesty may remove either of the said Justices, if he shall see Occasion so to do, and may, upon any Vacancy in the said Office by Death, Removal, or otherwise, appoint another fit Person as a Justice of the Peace of the Counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Hertford, Essex , and Kent , and of all Liberties therein, to execute the Duties aforesaid, in lieu of the Person making such Vacancy; and it shall be lawful for His Majesty to appoint any Person to be a Justice of the Peace by virtue of this Act, and for such Person, during the Continuance of his Appointment, to execute the Duties of a Justice of the Peace for the several Counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Hertford, Essex , and Kent , and for all Liberties therein, although he may not have any such Qualificationby Estate as is required by Law in the Case of any other Person being a Justice of the Peace for any County: Provided always, that no such Person shall Act as a Justice of the Peace at any Court of General or Quarter Sessions, nor in any Matter out of Sessions, except for the Preservation of the Peace, the Prevention of Crimes, the Detection and Committal of Offenders, and in carrying into Executionthe Purposes of this Act.
II Oath to be taken by the Justices.
II. And be it enacted, That every Person to be appointed a Justice of the Peace by virtue of this Act shall, before he shall begin to execute the Duties of his Office, take the following Oath before some Justice or Baron of One of His Majesty's Courts of Record atWestminster; (that is to say,)
'IA. B. do swear, That I will faithfully, impartially, and honestly, according to the best of my Skill and Knowledge, execute all the Powers and Duties of a Justice of the Peace, under and by virtue of an Act passed in the Tenth Year of the Reign of King George the Fourth, intituled An Act for improving the Police in and near the Metropolis .'
III Salary of the Justices.
III. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for His Majesty to direct that an annual Salary, not exceeding the Sum of Eight hundred Pounds, shall be paid out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom ofGreat Britain and Ireland , to each of the Justices to be appointed under this Act, and that the same shall be payable quarterly.
IV Westminster, and Parts of Middlesex, Surrey, and Kent, to be formed into One District, to be called ‘The Metropolitan Police District.’
IV. And be it enacted, That the Whole of the City and Liberties ofWestminster , and such of the Parishes, Townships, Precincts, and Places in the Counties of Middlesex, Surrey , and Kent , as are enumerated in the Schedule to this Act, shall be constituted, for the Purposes of this Act, into One District, to be called ‘The Metropolitan Police District;’ and 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 shall be sworn in by One of the said Justices to Act as Constables for preserving the Peace, and preventing Robberies and other Felonies, and apprehending Offenders against the Peace; and the Men so sworn shall, not only within the said District, but also within the Counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Hertford, Essex , and Kent , and within all Libertiestherein, have all such Powers, Authorities, Privileges, and Advantages, and be liable to all such Duties and Responsibilities, us any Constable duly appointed now has or hereafter may have within his Constablewick by virtue of the Common Law of this Realm, or of any Statutes made or to be made, and 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.
V The Justices, subject to the Approbation of a Secretary of State, may make Regulations for the Management of the Police Force.
V. And be it enacted, That 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, and the said Justices may at any Time suspend or dismiss from his Employmentany Man belonging to the said Police Force whom they shall think remiss or negligent in the Discharge of his Duty, or otherwise unfit for the same; and when any Man shall be so dismissed, or cease to belong to the said Police Force, all Powers vested in him as a Constable by virtue of this Act shall immediately cease and determine.
VI Penalty on Publicans harbouring Police Men during the Hours of Duty.
VI. And be it enacted, That if any Victualler or Keeper of any House, Shop, Room, or other Place for the Sale of any Liquors, whether spirituous or otherwise, shall knowingly harbour or entertain any Man belonging to the said Police Force, or permit such Man to abide or remain in his House, Shop, Room, or other Place during any Part of the Time appointed for his being on Duty, every such Victualler or Keeper as aforesaid, being convicted thereof before any Two Justices of the Peace, shall for every such Offence forfeit and pay such Sum, not exceeding Five Pounds, as they shall think meet.
VII Powers of Police.
VII. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for any Man belonging to the said Police Force, during the Time of his being on Duty, to apprehend all loose, idle, and disorderly Persons whom he shall find disturbing the Public Peace, or whom he shall have just Cause to suspect of any evil Designs, and all Persons whom he shall find between Sunset and the Hour of Eight in the Forenoon lying in any Highway, Yard, or other Place, or loitering therein, and not giving a satisfactory Account of themselves, and to deliver any Person so apprehended into the Custody of the Constable appointed under this Act, who shall be in Attendance at the nearest Watch-house in order that such Person may be secured until he can be brought before a Justice of the Peace, to be dealt with according to Law, or may give Bail for his Appearance before a Justice of the Peace, if the Constable shall deem it prudent to take Bail, in the Manner hereinafter mentioned.
VIII Assaults on Police Men.
VIII. And be it enacted, That if any Person shall assault or resist any Person belonging to the said Police Force in the Execution of his Duty, or shall aid or incite any Person so to assault or resist, every such Offender, being convicted thereof before Two Justices of the Peace, shall for every such Offence forfeit and pay such Sum, not exceeding Five Pounds, as the said Justices shall think meet.
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