Special Branch
Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security and intelligence in British, Commonwealth, Irish, and other police forces. A Special Branch unit acquires and develops intelligence, usually of a political or sensitive nature, and conducts investigations to protect the State from perceived threats of subversion, particularly terrorism and other extremist political activity. The first Special Branch, or Special Irish Branch, as it was then known, was a unit of London's Metropolitan Police formed in March 1883 to combat the Irish Republican Brotherhood. The name became Special Branch as the unit's remit widened to include more than just Irish Republican-related counterespionage.
The first Special Branch in the world was formed in London in 1883. It spread throughout the United Kingdom. Each British police force went on to form its own Special Branch. The largest Special Branch was that of the Metropolitan Police until it was merged with the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13) to form Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) in 2006, completing a process begun when the investigative wing of the Special Branch X squad became The Anti-Terrorist Branch in 1972. with the new department coming into being on 2 October 2006, Special Branch maintained contact with the Security Service. Although they were not part of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), they were entitled to use the prefix "Detective" in front of their ranks. Special Branch had responsibility for, among other things, personal protection of (non-royal) VIPs and performing the role of examining officer at designated ports and airports, as prescribed by the Terrorism Act 2000. Regional counter terrorism units and organized crime units have since been established between smaller forces. In Norther Ireland, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (1922–2001) had the RUC Special Branch.
Heads of the Metropolitan Police Special Branch
- 1883: Adolphus Williamson
- 1887: John Littlechild
- 1893: William Melville
- 1903: Patrick Quinn
