Daphne Skillern

Who is Daphne Skillern?

Kathleen Daphne Skillern QPM was a British police officer. She was the second woman to hold the rank of Commander in the London Metropolitan Police and the first woman to head a branch at Scotland Yard apart from A4, which was disbanded in 1973; in 1974 she took command of CO Branch, responsible for research and personnel.

Skillern spent most of her career as a detective in the Criminal Investigation Department. She was promoted to Commander on 29 April 1974. In August 1977 she was transferred to head the Obscene Publications Squad. She was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in the 1979 Birthday Honours.