Ronald Hope (29 January 1954 – 12 June 2022[1]) was the first non-white police officer in the United Kingdom to be promoted to the rank of inspector, on 28 December 1979.[2]
Hope was born in South London, but grew up in Watford. His father was from Guyana and his mother was white English.[2] He joined the Metropolitan Police in April 1973, initially posted to Lewisham. By 1979 he was a detective sergeant at Kennington.[3] On promotion to inspector at the age of 25 he was posted to Marylebone as a uniformed officer.[2] Hope was later promoted to chief superintendent. By 2000 he was borough commander of Islington. He died in 2022.[4]