Douglas Webb (police officer)

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.^[1] He was promoted Flying Officer in June 1945.^[2] 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.^[3] He was promoted to Assistant Commissioner "B" (Traffic) on 20 January 1957,^[4] 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.^[5]

Police appointments
Preceded by D. B. Deller	Commander, No.3 District, Metropolitan Police 1955–1957	Succeeded by Unknown
Preceded by Joseph Simpson	Assistant Commissioner "B", Metropolitan Police 1957–1958	Succeeded by John Waldron
Preceded by Alexander Robertson	Assistant Commissioner "A", Metropolitan Police 1958–1961	Succeeded by Ranulph Bacon
Preceded by Sir Alexander Robertson	Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis 1961–1966	Succeeded by Sir Ranulph Bacon

Footnotes

1. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37000. p. 1646. 23 March 1945.
2. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37206. p. 3974. 31 July 1945.
3. ^ "Scotland Yard Changes", The Times, 23 November 1955
4. ^ "Metropolitan Police Appointments", The Times, 12 November 1956
5. ^ "Two Police Chiefs Promoted", The Times, 16 March 1966

References

• Biography, Who Was Who

Persondata
Name	Webb, Douglas
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1909
Place of birth
Date of death	1988
Place of death