John Gerrard (police officer)
Encyclopedia
John Henry Gerrard CBE
MC
QPM
(25 November 1920 – 2 June 2003) was a British police officer with the London
Metropolitan Police
.
Gerrard was educated at Cordwainers' Technical College and enlisted in the British Army
in 1939. In 1943 he was commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment
and served with the 1st Battalion in North-West Europe until he was demobilised with the rank of Captain
in 1946. He won the Military Cross
(MC) in 1944.
In 1946 he joined the Metropolitan Police as a Constable
. He was promoted Sergeant
in 1951, Inspector
at Hammersmith
in 1955, Chief Inspector
soon afterwards, Superintendent
at West End Central in 1961 and Chief Superintendent
soon afterwards. In 1965, he was promoted Commander and took command of West End Central. In 1968 he was appointed Commander (Public Order and Operations) and in February 1970 was promoted to Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Public Order and Operations)
. In 1974 he took over No.1 Area and in 1978 he was appointed Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training)
, a post he held until his retirement in 1981.
Gerrard was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1972, awarded the Queen's Police Medal
(QPM) in 1975, and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1981.
From 1983 to 1986, Gerrard was London District Commissioner of the St John Ambulance Brigade. He married Gladys Hefford in 1943; they had two sons.
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...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
QPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(25 November 1920 – 2 June 2003) was a British police officer with 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...
.
Gerrard was educated at Cordwainers' Technical College and enlisted in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1939. In 1943 he was commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
The Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
and served with the 1st Battalion in North-West Europe until he was demobilised with the rank of Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1946. He won the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(MC) in 1944.
In 1946 he joined the Metropolitan Police as a Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
. He was promoted Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in 1951, Inspector
Inspector
Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
at Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
in 1955, Chief Inspector
Chief inspector
Chief inspector is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police .-Australia:...
soon afterwards, 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...
at West End Central in 1961 and 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...
soon afterwards. In 1965, he was promoted Commander and took command of West End Central. In 1968 he was appointed Commander (Public Order and Operations) and in February 1970 was promoted to Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Public Order and Operations)
Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Deputy assistant commissioner is a rank in London's Metropolitan Police Service between assistant commissioner and commander. It is equivalent to deputy chief constable in other British police forces and wears the same insignia: a pip above crossed tipstaves within a wreath.The rank was introduced...
. In 1974 he took over No.1 Area and in 1978 he was appointed Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training)
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...
, a post he held until his retirement in 1981.
Gerrard was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1972, awarded the Queen's Police Medal
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(QPM) in 1975, and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1981.
From 1983 to 1986, Gerrard was London District Commissioner of the St John Ambulance Brigade. He married Gladys Hefford in 1943; they had two sons.