London was the best policed city in Britain Is this an accurate view of the effectiveness
... It was introduced as a result of the growing population in London, which rose fears of a suspected increase in crime. At the time there was also growing discontent in England, especially in London with the Gordon Riots, Cato Street Conspiracy and the Queen Caroline Riots. Some historians believe that the 1820’s London was a criminal’s paradise. The introduction of the Metropolitan Police in 1829 has aroused a controversy between historians to the extent of their effectiveness in the city. ... He estimated that at the time, 100,000 people in the city supported themselves by crime, which amounted to £2,000,000 stolen a year. ... It was believed that London was outgrowing its policing system. London originally had in 1821 a patrol of 100 men to cover the suburbs at night. ... Historians Stephen Inwood and Clive Emsley believe that London, after the introduction of the metropolitan police, did benefit. James Grant in 1838 commented upon the widely held view at the time of the new police, ‘Person and property are now comparably safer than they were under the old system…with respect to crimes against the person, they are now comparatively rare. ... This is evidence to suggest that being so vast, covering a large area, suggests a degree of effectiveness. Between 1834 and 1848 the police arrested 64,000 people a year , this in conjunction with the Metropolitan police records claiming that the ‘crime wave’ was controlled by the 1830’s and 1840’s, leads to believe that the police were effective in London. ... ’ It can also be possible to take into consideration John Murray’s, World of London, published in 1843. ... He claims it necessary to take into consideration that although this reduction was brought about maybe through the existence of the police, it is possible to trust that London during the period showed signs of becoming a more settled city. ... In the 1850’s London still had 3,000 known brothels as well as 1,000 disreputable coffee houses and prostitutes still loitered on the streets, especially in Marylebone, Covent Garden and Whitechapel. ... By 1869 there was a police force of 8,883 men of which only 800 of them were actually patrolling London’s street during the day.