LEROY LOGAN MBE
Author
Born in Islington to Jamaican parents, raised and educated in Hackney, Leroy Logan MBE is an author and former Metropolitan Police superintendent. His 2020 autobiography, Closing Ranks: My Life as a Cop, draws on more than 30 years of policing experience into a powerful account of race, racism and his efforts to create change within the Metropolitan Police.
Image Credit: Rich Barr
Why Hackney Matters
Hackney has been woven through both Logan’s educational journey and his professional life, later becoming part of the story he would document through his writing. He attended Hackney Community College to study Triple Science at A level before returning to the borough professionally, serving as Superintendent at Stoke Newington Police Station between 2004 and 2007. In Closing Ranks, Logan reflects on his experiences as a Black police officer, the racism he encountered within the force and his attempts to challenge it from within. His writing offers a personal record of a significant period in British policing, while keeping his connection to Hackney at the heart of his story.
Did You Know?
Leroy Logan’s life story inspired Steve McQueen’s Red, White and Blue, an episode in the BBC anthology series Small Axe. Logan was portrayed by actor John Boyega, bringing his decision to join the police force, his experiences as a Black police officer and his efforts to challenge racism within the Metropolitan Police to a much wider audience.