Douglas Webb (police officer)
Encyclopedia
Douglas Edward Webb CVO
OBE
(8 October 1909–11 January 1988) was a British
police
officer in the London
Metropolitan Police
, who served as Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
from 1961 to 1966.
Webb was the son of a Metropolitan Police Superintendent
. He was educated at Bordon Grammar School and Devonport High School for Boys
and followed his father into the Metropolitan Police in 1929. In 1935 he was selected for Hendon Police College
, passing out with the Baton of Honour the following year.
During the Second World War, he served as aircrew
in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
. He was commissioned (from the rank of Warrant Officer
) as a Pilot Officer
in December 1944. He was promoted Flying Officer
in June 1945. From 1945 to 1947 he served on the Allied Commission in Italy
and Austria
. In 1947 he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1952, Webb was promoted Chief Superintendent
commanding Bow Street
division
. In 1953 he transferred to West End Central and in 1954 he was promoted Deputy Commander
at Scotland Yard
.
He was promoted to Commander
and took over No.3 District (North-East London) on 1 December 1955. He was promoted to Assistant Commissioner "B"
(Traffic) on 20 January 1957, and Assistant Commissioner "A" (Operations and Administration) in December 1958. While holding this post he established the Special Patrol Group
. In 1961 he was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) and Officier of the Légion d'honneur
. He retired on 8 April 1966.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(8 October 1909–11 January 1988) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officer in the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
, who served as Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, commonly referred to simply as the Deputy Commissioner, is the second-in-command of London's Metropolitan Police Service. The rank is senior to Assistant Commissioner, but junior by one rank to Commissioner...
from 1961 to 1966.
Webb was the son of a Metropolitan Police Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
. He was educated at Bordon Grammar School and Devonport High School for Boys
Devonport High School for Boys
Devonport High School for Boys is a Grammar School and Type 2 Academy, for boys aged 11 to 18, in Plymouth, Devon, England. It has around 1100 pupils. Its catchment area includes southwest Devon and southeast Cornwall as well as Plymouth...
and followed his father into the Metropolitan Police in 1929. In 1935 he was selected for Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police Service. Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college is today officially called the Peel Centre, although its original name is still used frequently...
, passing out with the Baton of Honour the following year.
During the Second World War, he served as aircrew
Aircrew
Aircrew are the personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of the crew depends on the type of aircraft as well as the purpose of the flight.-Civilian:*Aviator** Pilot-in-command** First officer** Second officer** Third officer...
in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
. He was commissioned (from the rank of Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
) as a Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
in December 1944. He was promoted Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
in June 1945. From 1945 to 1947 he served on the Allied Commission in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. In 1947 he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1952, Webb was promoted Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
commanding Bow Street
Bow Street
Bow Street is a thoroughfare in Covent Garden, Westminster, London. It features as one of the streets on the standard London Monopoly board....
division
Police division
A division was the usual term for the largest territorial subdivision of most British police forces. In major reforms of police organisation in the 1990s divisions of many forces were restructured and retitled Basic Command Units , although some forces continue to refer to them as divisions.The...
. In 1953 he transferred to West End Central and in 1954 he was promoted Deputy Commander
Deputy Commander
Deputy commander was a rank in the London Metropolitan Police which existed between 1946 and 1968.In 1946, the rank of chief constable, which was between superintendent and deputy assistant commissioner, was renamed deputy commander. At the same time, the rank of deputy assistant commissioner was...
at Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
.
He was promoted to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
and took over No.3 District (North-East London) on 1 December 1955. He was promoted to Assistant Commissioner "B"
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, usually just Assistant Commissioner , is the third highest rank in London's Metropolitan Police, ranking below Deputy Commissioner and above Deputy Assistant Commissioner. There are usually four officers in the rank...
(Traffic) on 20 January 1957, and Assistant Commissioner "A" (Operations and Administration) in December 1958. While holding this post he established the Special Patrol Group
Special Patrol Group
The Special Patrol Group was a unit of Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service, responsible for providing a centrally-based mobile capability for combating serious public disorder and crime that could not be dealt with by local divisions....
. In 1961 he was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) and Officier of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. He retired on 8 April 1966.