dec 1, 1887 - Source: Sir Charles Warren

Description:

"The rapid increase both of buildings and population which has taken place in the metropolitan police district of late years has outrun the increase which it had been possible to make the police force... London of today, with its 5,476,447 inhabitants and 8873 police to protect them, is in far worse case than the London of 1849, when 2,473,758 persons had an available strength of 5288 police to look after their safety."

- Sir Charles Warren, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, annual report to the Home Office, December 1887