History

On Richmond Street overlooking Covent Garden Market (1855).

We had no uniforms at first but each officer was given a badge with a number. Uniforms did not become mandatory until 1857 and we are not sure what they looked like.

In 1867 our clothing and equipment included:

• an overcoat
• a dress coat
• an armlet
• a rope
• a baton
• a pair of handcuffs
• an instruction book

Officers were paid 50 pounds per year until 1869 when they started getting 1 dollar a day. A First Class Constable was paid $1.40 a day by 1881. 

In 1887, the London Police Benefit Fund was created to give officers a pension. At that time, an officer only got a pension if the Police Commission voted in favour of awarding one at the time of retirement.

Officers worked 7 days a week until 1918 when they were given one day off a week. Their shifts were 12 hours long during the day and up to 9 hours at night. Officers got 1 week of vacation each year by 1904.

Officer carried guns in 1878, but only on night patrol.

A horse-drawn patrol wagon was purchased to transport prisoners in 1889.

In 1913, our first motorized patrol wagon (Cadillac) was purchased for $3,350. We then bought a 1915 seven-passenger Studebaker for about $1,000. We purchased our first 3 motorcycles in 1920.

In 1961, two women were hired to work mostly with morality offences. Only unmarried women in their twenties were to be considered for the job. Today, more than 20% of our officers are female.

We changed our name in 1991 to focus our attention on the service we provide the community.