Governance and the London Metropolitan Police Service

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has long been a global icon for liberal, community oriented policing by consent of the people. Yet, for over a century the mode of governance of the MPS reflected a tension between the attempt to provide a locally responsive service and its national role in protecting the monarchy and state. It was simple and military in form, providing scant voice for local populations. The great transformation in London's population helped to shift towards more democratic modes of locally accountable governance and towards a greater emphasis on partnership. This article traces the growing complexity of these new modes of governance and notes that this presents obstacles both to would-be autocrats and also to the more effective coordination of agencies in trying to govern the crime problem and ensure security.