Receiver of the Metropolitan Police

The Receiver's title came from the fact that his original role was to 'receive' money raised from the rates of the Metropolitan Police District's parishes.

[5] All the property of the Metropolitan Police was technically owned by the holder of the post of Receiver, who had the legal status of a corporation sole.

Wray had worked well with the Commissioners, but his successors had increasingly bad relations with them, despite the Metropolitan Police Act 1861 further codifying the role of Receiver.

This came to a head under Commissioner Sir Charles Warren, a soldier who was accustomed to exercising full authority, and intensely disliked having to clear every decision with a bureaucrat who had equal standing to himself.

With the consent of the Home Secretary, he could issue precepts on the local authorities within the Metropolitan Police District in order to finance the force.