Originally posted by Craig H
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In regard to your statement, "I can see how someone from City of London Police (or Railway Police) would have enjoyed seeing Metropolitan Police be embarrassed and ridiculed in public." --
Police experts Neil Bell or Donald Rumbelow could probably better answer that contention more fully than I could. I should think though that the City of London Police and the Railway Police of 1888 would have felt very territorial and inferior to the Metropolitan Police, even if they would have avowed the very opposite, upholding the traditions of their respective police forces. In truth, however, and taking a hard look at the situation, the Met was truly massive compared to the City Police, whose jurisdiction was, as you no doubt know, just that small area enclosed by the original walls of the City of London, and the Railway Police were just concerned with the rail lines that ran into London. By contrast, the Met had the responsibility for the whole of the extraordinary sprawl of metropolitan London -- with a population in 1888 of some eight million to guard (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor...don#Population), their area of jurisdiction was truly a monster compared the relatively tiny area that the City and Railway Police administered. So, I should think that, yes, there was bad feeling between the different police forces and even perhaps, slyly, some "secret pleasure" enjoyed by the City Police, especially, that their giant counterpart, the Met, ultimately proved unable to catch the Ripper.
Best regards
Chris
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