Scotland Yard

Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police in London.

Scotland Yard
New Scotland Yard
The iconic sign outside the New Scotland Yard building on Victoria Embankment, City of Westminster.
General information
Address	(1829–1890) 4 Whitehall Place, St James's, City of Westminster (1890–1967) Norman Shaw Buildings, Victoria Embankment, Victoria, City of Westminster (1967–2016) 8-10 Broadway, City of Westminster (2016–present) New Scotland Yard, Victoria Embankment, Victoria, City of Westminster
Town or city	City of Westminster, Greater London
Coordinates	51.502778°N 0.124167°W / 51.502778; -0.124167

Duties

This police force is responsible for the security in Greater London. They are not responsible for the square mile of the City of London, which is covered by the City of London Police. Also, they are not responsible for the London Underground and National Rail networks, which are the responsibility of the British Transport Police.

The name "New Scotland Yard" comes from the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place. This had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard.^[1] The Scotland Yard entrance became the public entrance to the police station, and over time the street and the Metropolitan Police became synonymous.

The New York Times wrote that, just as Wall Street gave its name to New York's financial district, Scotland Yard became the name for police activity in London.^[2]

Buildings

The force moved from Great Scotland Yard in 1890 to a newly completed building on the Victoria Embankment right next to the Ministry of Defence. The name "New Scotland Yard" was adopted for the new headquarters.^[3] An adjacent building was completed in 1906. A third building was added in 1940.

In 1967, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) moved its headquarters from the three-building complex to a tall, newly constructed building on Broadway in Victoria. In summer 2013, it was announced that the force would move to a building on New Scotland Yard's previous site (1890–1967). The headquarters were renamed as 'Scotland Yard.'^[4] In November 2016, MPS moved to its new headquarters. The words "New Scotland Yard" (in tall letters) can be seen in a photograph of the front of the building. ^[5]

History

4 Whitehall Place

The Metropolitan Police was formed by Robert Peel with the implementation of the Metropolitan Police Act, passed by Parliament in 1829.^[1] Peel selected the original site on Whitehall Place for the new police headquarters. Previously a private house, 4 Whitehall Place (51.50598°N 0.12609°W / 51.50598; -0.12609 (Original Scotland Yard - 4 Whitehall Place)) backed onto a street called Great Scotland Yard.

New Scotland Yard is in a 20-storey office block on Broadway and Victoria Street in Westminster, about 450 metres away from the Houses of Parliament. The famous rotating sign, which is seen on television and in films, is outside the main doors on Broadway.

References

1. "Metropolitan Police Service – History of the Metropolitan Police Service". Met.police.uk. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
2. Farnsworth, Clyde H. (15 May 1964). "Move is planned by Scotland Yard". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
3. Hutton, Mike (15 March 2012). The Story of Soho: The Windmill Years 1932-1964. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-445-60684-2.
4. "New Metropolitan Police HQ announced as Curtis Green Building". BBC News. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
5. Patel, Salina (23 March 2017). "Royal opening of new Met Police HQ postponed following London terrorist attack: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were due to visit New Scotland Yard today". getwestlondon.co.uk. Trinity Mirror Southern. Retrieved 23 March 2017.