Special Branch (Metropolitan Police)

For other similarly named police units in Commonwealth territories, seeSpecial Branch.

Special Branchwas a unit in theMetropolitan Policein London, formed as acounter-terrorismunit in 1883 and merged with another unit to formCounter Terrorism Command(SO15) in 2006. It maintained contact with theSecurity Service (MI5)and had responsibility for, among other things, personal protection of (non-royal)VIPsand performing the role of examining officer at designated ports and airports, as prescribed by theTerrorism Act 2000.

Special Branch detectives on an undercover operation at theLondon Docks,1911.

History

In response to the escalatingterror campaignin Britain carried out by the militantIrish Feniansin the 1880s, theHome SecretarySir William Harcourtestablished the firstcounter-terrorismunit ever in 1883, named Special Irish Branch, to combat Irish republican terrorism through infiltration and subversion. It initially formed a section of theCriminal Investigation Departmentwithin theLondon Metropolitan Police.

Harcourt envisioned a permanent unit dedicated to the prevention of politically motivated violence through the use of modern techniques such asundercover infiltration.This pioneering branch was the first to be trained in counter-terrorism techniques.In 1886 its name was changed to Special Branch as its remit had gradually expanded to incorporate a general role in counter-terrorism, combating foreign subversion, and infiltratingorganized crimeand trades unions,becoming the largestSpecial Branchin the United Kingdom. Although it later became independent of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), its officers were entitled to use the prefix "Detective" in front of their ranks.

Special Branch investigated theGeneral Post Office Tower bombingin 1971 and the following year the investigative wing of its "X squad" became theAnti-Terrorist Branch(SO13).It also investigated the sieges atBalcombe Streetin 1975 and theIranian Embassyin 1980, theLibyan Embassy shootingin 1984, along with the bombings atHyde Park and Regents Parkin 1982,Harrodsin 1983,Brightonin 1984 andBishopsgatein 1993.

The attempted bombing byNezar Hindawiof anEl Alflight from Heathrow to Israel in 1986 was also investigated by Special Branch, along withProvisional IRAmortar attacks onDowning Streetin 1991 andHeathrowin 1994 and theirCanary Wharf bombin 1996. Beyond that campaign, it led the investigations into the racist and homophobic1999 London nail bombingsalong withRichard Reidin 2001 and thebombingsandattempted bombingsin London in July 2005. The formation of SO13 had begun a process which on 2 October 2006 culminated in Special Branch and SO13 merging to formCounter Terrorism Command(SO15).

Commanding officers

• 1883:Adolphus Williamson(DCI)^{[note A]}
• 1887:John Littlechild(DCI)
• 1893:William Melville(DSU)^{[note B]}
• 1903:Patrick Quinn(DSU)
• 1918:James McBrien
• 1936: Albert Canning
• 1946:Leonard Burt(CDR)^{[note C]}
• 1958: Evan Jones
• 1966: Ferguson Smith
• 1972: Victor Gilbert
• 1977: Robert Bryan
• 1981: Colin Hewett
• 1986: Simon Crawshaw
• 1987: Peter Phelan
• 1991: John Howley
• 1996: Barry Moss
• 1999: Roger Pearce
• 2003: Janet Williams (CDR)^{[note C]}

Notes

^{[note A]}DCI -Detective Chief Inspector
^{[note B]}DSU -Detective Superintendent
^{[note C]}CDR -Commander