EPISODE 6: THE POLICE ## PART ONE: THE STRUCTURE ### CHAPTER 1: TWO FORCES The investigation of the Ripper murders was hampered from the start by a peculiar fact of London geography. The Metropolitan Police covered most of London, including Whitechapel and the East End. But the City of London—the square mile at the heart of the capital—had its own separate police force. When Catherine Eddowes was murdered in Mitre Square, she died inside the City boundary, making it a City Police case. The two forces had different leadership, different methods, and different priorities. They were expected to cooperate, but cooperation between police organizations has never been easy. Each force pursued its own leads, conducted its own interviews, and developed its own theories. The killer, apparently, could cross jurisdictional boundaries at will. --- ### CHAPTER 2: H DIVISION H Division was the Metropolitan Police unit responsible for Whitechapel. It was, by general consensus, the worst posting in London. The district was vast, impoverished, and crime-ridden. The police were understaffed, underpaid, and perpetually overwhelmed. Walking the beat in Whitechapel meant navigating a maze of courts and alleys where anything could happen. The division was headquartered at Leman Street Police Station, a cramped building that served as the nerve center for hundreds of officers. The men who worked there knew the...