Whitechapel - policing Flashcards
How many divisions was the Metropolitan Police split into, which one worked in Whitechapel, and where in Whitechapel were they based?
20 divisions, H division, main police station at Leman Street.
How many officers/what kind were in H division?
1 chief inspector, 37 sergeants, 500 constables who walked a beat, 15 detectives assigned to H Division from the CID. 1 policeman for every 300 people in Whitechapel.
What did constables’ duties include, other than policing?
Dealing with vagrants, dealing with lunatics, regulating pubs, managing street traffic, monitoring litter and sewage, protecting the welfare of children, and reporting fires and accidents.
Where were records of who joined and left the police?
The Joining and Leaving Ledgers
What were the requirements for joining the police?
Between 21 and 32 years old, no more than 2 children, literate, and physically fit. Survey in 1874 suggested 31% of new recruits came from countryside around London - many farm labourers or ex-soldiers.
What was the name of the courthouse in Whitechapel?
The Old Bailey
The ‘beat’ - 4 points
1 - each beat would be walked every 30 minutes during the day, and every 15 at night
2 - each constable worked an 8 hour shift on their own
3 - they were timed so that the sergeant could meet or contact the constable when necessary
4 - they walked them with a truncheon and lamp
What caused the CID to be created, and what year did it take place?
The Trial of the Detectives, 1877
Who created the Central Investigation Department and what year did they do so?
Howard Vincent in 1878
Who was Commissioner Charles Warren and what did he do?
He was given the task of raising standards in the police. He focused on increasing the quality of recruits and on military discipline. He brought in many ex-soldiers.
What happened in 1887 in Trafalgar Square?
A protest was put down with excessive force by the police (who were supported by 1,000 members of the army). The press and public complained that the police had become too heavy handed.
When did Charles Warren resign and why?
1888, due to his failure to catch the Ripper.
What were attitudes towards the police like in Whitechapel? (4 points)
1 - they saw the police as ‘snoopers’. Their attempts to send people to workhouses or control prostitution were met with resentment (many women relied on prostitution to make a living).
2 - thought the police should be more concerned with preventing crime than imposing ‘civilised’ behaviour. Metropolitan Police Act (1867) was abandoned because the public ignored it.
3 - violent attacks from criminal gangs e.g. Bessarabian
4 - Trafalgar Square riots contributed to feeling that the police were a heavy handed arm of the government who didn’t care about ordinary people
What was the environment in Whitechapel like?
Dark alleyways and rookeries. Criminals could hide easily.
How many brothels + prostitutes were were there estimates to be in Whitechapel in 1888?
62 brothels, 1,200 prostitutes
