London Falling Page 40
five by fives – a grading system with which analysts assess the importance and reliability of intelligence
Flying Squad – mobile detective unit within the Met
FME – Force Medical Examiner, the on-call doctor covering several police stations
Grindr – gay dating website
Hendon – location of the police college
39 Hilldrop Crescent – home of infamous murderer Dr Crippen
I2 link chart – analysis tool to show links within criminal organizations
IBO – Integrated Borough Operations, a police department within a borough, which handles communications and gives out pocket books
‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’ – a song associated with West Ham Football Club
Intelligence Cycle – a standard model of how intelligence is processed in professional organizations
the Irons – nickname for West Ham Football Club
kettling – police crowd-control tactic of isolating groups of protest marchers and containing them
Kojack – police slang term for an electrical socket only found on the dashboards of police vehicles
marked car – a police car with police insignia on it. An unmarked car is a car without insignia
Metvest – body armour that also identifies the wearer as an officer in the London Metropolitan Police
NDNAD – the United Kingdom National DNA Database
Nagra – an outdated form of undercover recording device
National Intelligence Model – a formal declaration of how intelligence should be applied to policing
OCN – an organized criminal network, a gang
OCU – Operational Command Unit, a division of police forces not on a geographical basis
Professional Standards – the department of the London Metropolitan Police that deals with police wrongdoing and corruption
PRO-FIT – software that lets a witness build up an image of a suspect’s face
punt – slang term for a bet or a liaison with a prostitute
10 Rillington Place – home of infamous murderer John Christie
RV point – rendezvous point
SCD 4 – the police department that examines the scene of the crime
SCD 7(2) – the police department that deals with special projects within Serious and Organized Crime
SCD 10 – the police department that runs undercover operations
Shebeen – an illegal and unlicensed bar, usually in a private house
shout – paramedic and fire service slang for a call out
SOCO – a Scene of Crime Officer
spod – slang term for an intellectual
the thirty-three boroughs – all the boroughs that together make up Greater London
tom – slang term for a prostitute
Tyburn Tree – the gibbet where criminals were hanged, in what is now central London
UC – undercover police detective
Acknowledgements
I’ve been helped by a great many people in writing this book, a number of whom chose not to be named, being serving undercover police officers and intelligence analysts. Where I’ve got it wrong, or used artistic licence (for instance in keeping Gipsy Hill police station open and hugely increasing its size) the fault is mine, not theirs. Decades ago, these characters were first created for a television series pitch overseen by the tremendous talents of Steven Moffat and Beryl and Sue Vertue. The story has changed out of all recognition since those days, but their support and encouragement remain, and I owe them many thanks.
I’d particularly like to thank my editors Julie Crisp, for a life-changing set of notes, and Bella Pagan, for her continual good stewardship, as well as Chloe Healy, the publicity genius. I couldn’t be happier to be part of Team Tor. And this book wouldn’t have happened at all without the support and friendship of my agent, Simon Kavanagh.
I’d also like to thank:
Rob Appleby; Ali Blackburn; ‘DC B’ of the Specialist Crime Directorate; Liam Brison; Tracy and Darren at the Faringdon Coffee House; Cerys Clarke; Rev. Sheena Cleaton; Hywel Clifford; Simon Colenutt; Jessica Cuthbert-Smith; Robert Dick; Jac Farrow; ‘SJG’; David Gifford; Toby Hadoke; Joanne Hall; Jennifer Heddle; Lyn Holmes; Simon Holmes; Tom Hunter; Fazana Saleem-Ismail; ‘JPL’; Matthew Kilburn; Paul Kirkley; Peter Lavery; Rabbi Markus A. Lange; Tony and Tracy Lee; Patricia MacEwen; Seanan McGuire; Mike Maddox; Inspector Dick Malcolm; Laurie Mann; Harry Markos; David Matthams; Ian Mond; Mike Perkins; Rabbi Danny Rich; Claire Ridgway of www.theanneboleynfiles.com; Al Robertson; Guy Robinson; Graham Sleight; Chief Inspector Andrew Smith and ‘T’.
About the Author
Paul Cornell has written some of Doctor Who’s best-loved episodes for the BBC. He has also written on a number of comic book series for Marvel and DC, including X-men and Batman and Robin. He has been Hugo Award-nominated for his work in TV, comics and prose, and won the BSFA Award for his short fiction. London Falling is his first urban fantasy novel.
First published 2012 by Tor
This electronic edition published 2012 by Tor
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