The number of deaths in hospital was 15.

310 men were admitted to the Metropolitan Police Nursing Home.

821 men were sent to the Convalescent Home at Hove at the cost of the Metropolitan and City Police Convalescent Home Fund for periods varying from 4 to 63 days.

4 men were admitted to Workhouse Infirmaries for observation, 3 of whom were certified insane and sent to mental hospitals. Deaths. The total number of deaths during the year was 40. Dental Surgery-Cases seen and operations performed by the Dental Surgeons to the Metropolitan Police :

In 95 cases repairs were executed to dentures.

Injury on duty.--2,707 police officers were injured on duty, including 1,295 cases of accidental injury, and 895 were placed on the Sick List. These figures include 106 officers bitten by dogs.

First Aid.-18,056 officers were holding on 31st December, 1927, certificates of competency to render first aid, and in 26 cases Police were specially commended for first aid rendered.

Bacteriological and X-ray Examinations.-The number of bacteriological and X-ray examinations conducted during the year were :—

Examinations for tubercle bacilli ..
Examinations for diphtheria

X-ray examinations..

Wassermann tests

Other examinations

Total ..

36

61

478

26

11

612

Nursing Home. The Metropolitan Police Nursing Home was opened for the admission of patients on 5th April. It fills a long felt want and has given great satisfaction to the Service.

Hours of Station Officers.-The hours of duty of Station Officers which were in operation prior to the alteration in 1925, were reverted to on 1st January, 1927, subject to the condition that periodical variations should be made at the discretion of Superintendents, to make the supervision of reliefs more effective. The change is much appreciated by the officers concerned.

Housing of Police.-The difficulty of finding suitable housing accommodation for Police is not quite so pronounced as formerly, but in some districts the trouble is still very great and it is frequently necessary on this account to post single rather than married men to outer stations. This has the unfortunate result of leaving many vacancies in section houses.

King's Police Medal.-During the year His Majesty The King was graciously pleased to award this Medal to the following officers for the services stated :

P.S. Henry Pegler, "D" Division. P.S. Alfred Clayden, "D" Division

P.C. Frederick Stone, "A" Division.

P.C. George Hainsby, "B" Division,

P.C. Percival Roberts, "C" Division.

P.C. Duncan Dunn, "D" Division.

P.C. William Marshall,

"D" Division.

P.C. Albert Turpin, "R" Division.

Overpowering and arresting an armed criminal who attempted to shoot P.S. Pegler.

Rescuing, at night, a drowning man from the River Thames. Rescuing, at night, a drowning woman from the River Thames.

Overpowering and arresting an armed man who attempted to shoot him.

Rescuing a woman from a fire.

Rescuing a woman from a fire.

Recreation. The keenness of the Force in matters of sport and athletics is well maintained and the number of those participating is on the increase. The grants made or promised by the Trustees of the National Police Fund will enable better facilities to be given and should act as a strong stimulus to this most beneficial side of police activities.

Athletics.-The Metropolitan Police Athletic Association (M.P.A.A.) won the British Police Relay Championship and several members have been awarded County honours.

Boxing. The M.P.A.A. successfully competed in the British Police Light Heavy Weight Championship in contests at Liverpool, Shipley, Stoke and Redhill. In team events they were again victorious in Paris, against the Paris Police, and by beating the British Army for the sixth time they secured the Boxing Trophy presented by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke of York and Prince Henry.

Rugby Football.-The M.P.A.A. beat the Paris Police.

Golf. The M.P.A.A. beat both Coombe Hill and Hadley Woods Golf Clubs.

Hockey.-P.C. Gardner gained County honours for Surrey. Rowing. The M.P.A.A. won the Junior and Senior Eights at Weybridge.

Shooting. The M.P.A.A. won the "Elliott Alves" and Mander" Cups with Divisional Club Teams.

Walking. The M.P.A.A. were victorious against the Surrey Athletic Club (National Team Champions), the Cambridge Walking Club and the Polytechnic Harriers.

Individual and team events were won in the British Police 32 miles Walking Championship.

Wrestling and Ju Jitsu.-The M.P.A.A. beat the Budokwai Club, and were successful in 5 other team contests.

Imber Court will undoubtedly prove to be one of the finest recreation grounds in the Metropolitan Police District as the much needed development of the grounds and the building of an up-todate pavilion have now been made possible owing to the assistance which has been promised by the Trustees of the National Police Fund.

The concerts, dances, etc., provided at Peel House for the men and their families, continue to be appreciated, and are conducive to the well-being of the Force.

National Police Fund.-The Board of Trustees of the National Police Fund have sanctioned the following grants to the Metropolitan Police subject to the conditions stated:

(a) The grant of £14,500 for the erection of a pavilion at the Imber Court Recreation Ground and £2,000 for the further development of the ground, subject to the conditions that the plans of the proposed pavilion be approved by, or on behalf of, the Trustees of the National Police Fund and that if any portion. of the said sums be granted out of the capital of the Fund any prospective share of the Metropolitan Police in the income of the Fund will be debited on a sinking fund basis, or otherwise, so as to take due account of prospective reduction in the income of the Fund.

(b) The grant of £800 per annum for three years towards the cost of maintenance of Imber Court.

(c) The grant of £100 per annum for five years to the Metropolitan and City Police Relief Fund.

Schemes for the development of athletics in Chief Constables' Districts Nos. 2, 3 and 4 have been prepared and submitted for the consideration of the Trustees.

Also, Committees of the Trustees' Advisory Council have been set up to consider the question of grants from the Fund for other purposes, including (a) Educational assistance and (b) the whole subject of Compassionate Grants.

Changes among Higher Officials.-Several important changes took place at New Scotland Yard during the year.

Mr. George H. Edwards, O.B.E., resigned the Secretaryship on the ground of age and health on the 30th September, having completed 43 years of service in the course of which he was for eighteen years Private Secretary to the Commissioner of Police.

He was succeeded by Mr. H. M. Howgrave-Graham, O.B.E., a Principal Clerk at the Treasury.

On the same date Mr. James Billings, O.B.E., resigned his post as a Chief Constable, also on the ground of age. He was succeeded by Colonel James Whitehead, C.M.G., D.S.O., Aide-deCamp to the King, formerly commanding the 11th Infantry Brigade at Abbottabad, North West Frontier Province.

Subordinate Clerical Personnel.-In May a Committee was appointed to consider―

(a) the organisation and future status of the subordinate clerical staff at New Scotland Yard;

(b) the allocation of duties in the headquarters establishments between police personnel and the executive and clerical grades; and

(c) the nature of the establishments to be provided to meet the permanent requirements of the Public Carriage Office, the Lost Property Office, and any other department in which executive and/or clerical officers can properly be employed.

The Committee consisted of Mr. A. C. Pedley, C.B., I.S.O. (Chairman), Mr. F. C. Johnson (Home Office), Mr. A. E. Banham (Treasury), Colonel S. G. Partridge, C.M.G., C.B.E. (Commissioner's Office), Superintendent F. W. Abbott, M.V.O. (Commissioner's Office) and Mr. C. A. Palmer (Receiver's Office), with Mr. G. D. Kirwan, M.C. (Home Office) as Secretary; and they presented their report in September.

(II). OBSERVATIONS ON THE WORK OF THE POLICE DURING THE YEAR.

Crime in 1927. The number of indictable offences recorded was 15,328, a decrease of 776 on the figures for 1926 when the number was 16,104. 10,764 persons were proceeded against in respect to these offences as against 11,083 in the previous year. There was a decrease in housebreaking and shopbreaking offences, the total of 2,800 being 384 less than in 1926.

Burglary, larceny in dwelling-houses (of property valued at £5 and upwards), larceny of post-letters and other aggravated larcenies show increases of 26, 160, 31 and 24 respectively. Embezzlement and larcenies by servants, however, decreased by 46 and 191 respectively, and there was the considerable decrease of 440 cases of simple larceny.

There were fewer cases of larceny from the person and more prosecutions in respect to them than in 1926.

A reduction is also recorded in the number of cases of obtaining goods by false pretences, there being 192 less than in the previous year. Other kinds of fraud, however, show a slight increase.

The number of cases of forgery increased by 14, 181 being reported as against 167 in 1926. Three important cases of forgery on an extensive scale by separate groups of criminals were brought

before the Courts. In each instance skill far above the average had been shown in the production of the forgeries.

443 persons were proceeded against for receiving stolen property, a slight increase on the number for the previous year. There were 16 prosecutions of persons for perjury-6 more than in 1926.

A decrease of 12 is shown in the number of cases of carnal knowledge of females; but there was an increase of 16 cases of indecency between male persons.

A decrease of 27 cases of bigamy is recorded, the figures being 106 for 1927 and 133 for 1926.

Crimes of Violence.-27 cases of murder of persons over one year of age, and 13 of persons under that age, are recorded, the figures for 1926 being 17 and 11, and for 1925 27 and 9 respectively. All of the 27 cases of murder were solved. 12 persons were charged and 10 murderers committed suicide, whilst one died in an asylum. One of the murderers who committed suicide was responsible for three deaths. In another case a man confessed to the murder of three persons and was charged with the crimes, but he subsequently recanted and was acquitted, the Jury accepting the defence that the prisoner's father murdered his two sons and then committed suicide.

Three persons, one of whom had committed two murders, were convicted of murder but were declared insane. Two persons were charged with causing the deaths of women by performing illegal operations upon them, but were discharged by the Magistrate. A man who was charged in connection with the death of his brother's wife by entering into a "suicide pact with her, was acquitted by the Jury.

"

Cases of serious wounding remained at about the same figure as in 1926, but minor cases of wounding and assault increased by 44.

There was a noticeable increase in the number of cases of attempted suicide, 630 occurring in 1927 as against 526 in 1926.

Property Stolen and Recovered.-The value of property stolen was £564,269, an increase of £46,047 over the previous year. Property recovered was valued at £130,020, an increase of £8,529 on the amount for 1926.

Motor Vehicles Stolen.-The number of motor vehicles reported to the Clearing House at New Scotland Yard as stolen from all parts of Great Britain (including the Metropolitan Police District) was 1,932, of the declared value of £97,307.

The numbers for each of the past six years were as follow:

Motor Cycles.

Total.