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Wapping Dispute

01 January 1991

Wapping Dispute
bacdoc December=1991

Hansard written answer 13.4.89 Col 720

Mr Tony Banks asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department to give the number of police officers deployed on
public order duties outside the News International plant at
Wapping on 24 January 1987; and what were the ranks from
commander downwards of those employed, the length of the tours
of duty of police officers on that date, and the number of
divisions within the Metropolitan district from which officers
were drawn.

Mr. Douglas Hogg: I understand from the Commissioner of
Police of the Metropolis that 1,018 officers were deployed.
their ranks were as follows:

Superintendent 1
Chief Inspector 2
Inspector 42
Sergeant 102
Constable 871

A commander and a chief superintendent were initially in
charge of police operations; a deputy assistant commissioner
subsequently took charge. The average tour of duty was 8.8
hours. No central record was kept of the number of divisions
from which officers were drawn.