Records of most police forces will be held in their local area, but The National Archives hold some records for the Metropolitan Police. the Royal Irish Constabulary, and for Transport Police. There are Research Guides for all three
Some of the names of Metropolitan Police pensioners are searchable in the online Catalogue, and the actual records of a very few (years 1892-93 in MEPO 21/22) are in DocumentsOnline, also searchable by name.
Some of the Registers of Leavers from 1889 are also in DocumentsOnline, but they aren't searchable by name, and are a bit of a swine to use, so you might want to pretend they're not there!
The only other police records I have any experience of are those of the Glasgow Police (older than the Met) at the Mitchell Library, which are indexed by name. That's how I found that my great-great-grandmother's brother-in-law was dismissed from the force for drunkenness.
I went to the National Archives at Kew looking for details about a Met Police Inspector relation of mine in the mid 1800's - I found all his promotion records and pension details, if you have the opportunity it is very rewarding reading the Police orders.
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COLLINS - St Pancras, Kentish Town LANGLEY - Kentish Town, Camden, Islington, Barnet MCDONALD - St Pancras, London CARTER - Kentish Town HOWARD - Pimlico, Kentish Town, Surrey, Sussex PROUDLEY - Kent, Sussex TAYLOR - Devon GREEN - Somerset BARRELL - St Pancras, London ANDERSON - Pimlico, Kentish Town BROWN - Fenton, Staffs BRUNT - Fenton/Longton Staffs
I couldn't link up with the www.lightage.demon.co.uk./POLNOTES.htm site as noted in one of these posts. I'm not sure if this site is still available, but found this site which includes Police, Railway, Mining Reports, etc. which might be very helpful for research. It gives the index of the surnames which helps in finding people.
The web site www.lightage.demon.co.uk etc doesn't appear to be working as has been said before but the following has the first police recruits from Sept 1829 - Feb 1830 listed.
If all else fails Google the following "List of Recruits 1829-30" and select the second cached option (there should only be two - well, there was when I just did it )
Good luck
Di (PS - If anyone needs a lookup - just ask, as I may be able to help with the early years)
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MOULE :Whaddon/Cambs SMITH :SSX/Brighton and Birmingham TATTERSALL : NSW,SSX/Brighton GINGER : London AGGS : Norfolk & London GOODWIN : Kent