William Johnson
English police officer
About William Johnson
Sir William Clarence Johnson, CMG, CBE, QPM (8 May 1899 – 9 March 1982) was an eminent English police officer.
Johnson was born in Eastbourne, Sussex, in 1899, and educated at Willowfield. Though underage, in August 1914 when the First World War broke out he enlisted in the British Army, eventually reaching the rank of Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers. In 1932, he was appointed as Chief Constable of Plymouth City Police. He became Assistant Chief Constable of Birmingham City Police in 1936. He was appointed Chief Constable in Birmingham in 1941. He served with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary from 1945 to 1963, including roles as Inspector General of the Colonial Police from 1948 to 1951, chairman of the Police Salaries Commission, Malta, in 1960. In 1962–63, he was Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary inaugural Chief.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1936 and Commander of the same order in 1945. In 1951, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was knighted in 1957.
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Important facts
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Johnson?
English police officer
When did William Johnson die?
William Johnson died in 1982.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Johnson (police officer)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Johnson. https://biography.guide/william-johnson-qa39ea2e2/
MLA: "William Johnson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-johnson-qa39ea2e2/.
Chicago: "William Johnson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-johnson-qa39ea2e2/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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