Metropolitan Police Act 1829 Metropolitan Police Act 1829 The Metropolitan Police Act 1829 (10 Geo.4, c.44) was an Act of Parliament introduced by Sir Robert Peel. The Act established the Metropolitan Police of London (with the exception of the City), replacing the previously disorganized system of parish constables and watchmen. The Act was the enabling legislation for what is often considered to be the first modern police force, the "bobbies" or "peelers" (after Peel), which served as the model for modern urban police departments throughout England. Until the 1829 Act, the Statute of Winchester of 1285 was cited as the primary legislation regulating the
Metropolitan Police Service the Home Office and the Mayor of London, through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime. The post of Commissioner was first held jointly by Sir Charles Rowan and Sir Richard Mayne. Cressida Dick is the current Commissioner having been appointed in April 2017. A number of informal names and abbreviations are applied to the Metropolitan Police Service, the most common being "the Met". In colloquial London (or Cockney slang), it is sometimes referred to as the "Old Bill". The Met is also referred to as Scotland Yard after the location of its original headquarters in a road called Great