Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police.
Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college has officially been known as the Peel Centre since 1974, although its original name is still used frequently. Within the police service it is known simply as "Hendon".
It is within walking distance of Colindale Underground station on the Northern line and Colindale police station.
Police College (1934–1939)
The college was opened on 31 May 1934 by the
The original concept for the college was a military-style cadet establishment to train officers to enter directly at senior rank, instead of the traditional entry at the lowest rank of constable for all personnel. Trenchard's idea was that in future almost all officers above the rank of inspector should be selected from college graduates, thus introducing a military-style officer corps. Candidates, of which there were to be about 30 every year, were selected by a competitive examination based on that for the Indian Police Service. Most of the candidates were already serving officers, although some were direct entrants from civilian life. Graduates were given the newly created rank of junior station inspector.[2] Cadets who were already serving police officers received an annual salary of £200 (equivalent to £15,100 in 2021) and direct entrants received £170 (equivalent to £12,800 in 2021). New junior station inspectors were paid £300 (equivalent to £22,700 in 2021), rising to £320 (equivalent to £24,200 in 2021).[2]
The first
It was intended that the Metropolitan Police Training School for constables at Peel House in Westminster should also move to a site adjacent to the college,[3] but in the end this did not happen until much later.
The first 32 cadets began their course on 10 May 1934. Twenty were serving officers (two sergeants and eighteen constables) and twelve were new recruits.[4][7] The college was founded upon a modern and scientific approach to training. There were forensic laboratories, detective training facilities, a police driving school[8] and a police wireless school,[9] as well as representations of a police court and a police station.[10]
The first course completed their training at the college in August 1935. The graduates then spent four months working as ordinary police constables at police stations in West Central London, four months at the various specialist departments at Scotland Yard, two months as section sergeants and two months as station sergeants. Although they were officially junior station inspectors throughout this period, they wore the uniforms of the rank in which they were serving at the time and not until this twelve-month period was up were they entitled to wear inspector's uniform.[11] A junior station inspector was to wear one star over one bar on his epaulettes.[12] The second intake of 29 cadets passed out in December 1935[13] and the third intake of 32 cadets in December 1936.[14] In 1937, the course was extended from 15 months to two years, although only one intake ever completed this longer course. In August 1938, Major John Ferguson succeeded Halland as commandant.[15] In November 1938 it was announced that the rank of junior station inspector was to be abolished, and in future all graduates were to be appointed to the rank of inspector. Promotion above this rank was also reopened to all officers, whether college graduates or not.[16] The college was closed in September 1939.[17] 197 men had trained there, of whom 188 had graduated.[18]
Graduates
Graduates of the 1930s phase of the College included two future
Peel Centre (1974-present)
After
When the
The last 17-week course at Hendon finished on 6 July 2007. It was replaced with a 26-week course known as Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP) scheme. In the summer of 2011, owing to budget restraints, IPLDP was replaced with a new, slimline, entrants course, bringing foundation training at the college in line with the national requirement as set by the Association of Chief of Police Officers, the NPIA and the Home Office.
The Peel Centre was redeveloped between 2014 and 2016, with Peel House, Simpson Hall and three tower blocks (previously used to house officers during initial training) demolished and sold to housing developer Redrow. The Metropolitan Police Book of Remembrance was moved from the old Simpson Hall in 2016 before its demolition and is now displayed at the entrance of the new Peel House.[19] The memorial garden was also moved to its new home outside the new Peel House, with the original rose bushes and silver beech trees retained and replanted in the new location. The new Peel Centre sits on the site of the old Metropolitan Police swimming pool.
Current use
The centre is run by the Director and Co-ordinator of Training, who is responsible for overseeing the training received by new recruits. Hendon is one of three regional training centres where new recruits attend to undertake a 13-week course (as paid trainees). In addition, all special constables begin their training at Hendon, completing the rest of their 23-day course (either as a weekdays intensive course or on 23 consecutive Saturdays or Sundays) at Hendon or another of the Metropolitan Police Service's 'Regional Training Centres'. The centre runs courses on many aspects of police work, from forensic and crime scene analysis, to radio operations and driving skills. Police officers can expect to return to the Centre at various times during their career.
In popular culture
The college is frequently referenced in films and television series featuring the Metropolitan Police.
- Some of the action in the film The Lavender Hill Mob takes place at Hendon Police College.
- In the 1980s comedy-drama series A Very Peculiar Practice, Hendon Police College briefly merges with the fictional Lowlands University.
- The opening scenes of the 2007 film Hot Fuzz depict the main character attending the college in a montage.
- The college was used for the filming of the 2015 film Avengers: Age of Ultron.
References
- ^ "The Police College", The Times, 20 March 1934
- ^ a b "The London Police College: Examination of 150 Candidates", The Times, 21 February 1934
- ^ a b c "Police College Opening at Hendon Next Spring", The Times, 28 November 1933
- ^ a b "Metropolitan Police College: The Instructors", The Times, 4 April 1934
- ^ "Metropolitan Police Changes: Promotions in Uniformed Branch", The Times, 23 October 1934
- ^ "Police Appointments", The Times, 4 January 1935
- ^ "Metropolitan Police College", The Times, 12 April 1934
- ^ "School for Police Drivers", The Times, 31 December 1934
- ^ "Wireless for Police Officers: School Transferred to Hendon", The Times, 7 January 1935
- ^ "Police College Plans", The Times, 26 April 1934
- ^ "Student Policemen on the Beat", The Times, 21 August 1935
- ^ "New Police Badges", The Times, 27 June 1936
- ^ "Sir P. Game's Visit to Police College", The Times, 21 December 1935
- ^ "Hendon Police College Awards", The Times, 21 December 1936
- ^ "New Commandant of Hendon College", The Times, 16 August 1938
- ^ "Police College Changes", The Times, 26 November 1938
- ^ "Hendon Police College to Be Closed", The Times, 7 September 1939
- ^ "What Hendon Did for the Police", The Times, 7 May 1959
- ^ "Home - The Met".