Scotland Yard

New Scotland Yard often referred to as simply 'Scotland Yard' is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service, responsible for policing Greater London (although not the City of London itself). New Scotland Yard is located at Broadway in Westminster about 200 yards away from the Houses of Parliament. Despite its name it is not in Scotland, nor responsible for the policing of any part of Scotland.

The name derives from its original location which was called Scotland Yard. The exact origins of this name are unknown, though two popular explanations are that it formerly contained the residence of the Scottish kings[?] (when staying in England) or their ambassadors, prior to the union of England and Scotland, or that it derives from land owned in the Middle Ages by a man called Scott. The premises later moved twice, once in 1890 and then again to the current premises in 1967; both new premises were called 'New Scotland Yard'. (Source: [1] (http://www.scotlandyard.police.uk/history/definition.htm#p7)).

• Official website, http://www.scotlandyard.police.uk/
• The Official Encyclopedia of Scotland Yard, http://www.scotlandyard.police.uk/history/encyclopedia.htm

See also:

• Flying Squad[?] and the fictional The Sweeney[?]
• Specialist Crime Directorate
• Specialist Operations:
  • Covert Operations (SO10)
  • Intelligence (SO11)
  • Special Branch (SO12)
  • Anti-Terrorism Branch (SO13)
  • Royalty protection (SO14)
  • Diplomatic Protection Group (SO16)
  • Palace of Westminster Division (SO17)

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Other uses of this term include: Scotland Yard (band), Scotland Yard board game