Law enforcement in the United Kingdom

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Mounted officer of the Metropolitan Police at Buckingham Palace, London
Mounted officer of the Metropolitan Police at Buckingham Palace, London

Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is regulated by the laws of the appropriate country of the United Kingdom, i.e., Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales (administration of police matters is not generally affected by the Government of Wales Act 2006), and arranged in geographical areas matched to the boundaries of one or more local authorities.

Each country has a number of "territorial police forces" except for Northern Ireland (which has one unified force, the Police Service of Northern Ireland). It is common for the territorial police forces in England and Wales to be referred to as "Home Office" police forces, after the government department which exercises control at a national level in England and Wales, but this is erroneous as the description can encompass a number of miscellaneous forces subject to some kind of control by the Home Office but which are not the concern of the various Police Acts which control territorial police forces.

Contents

[edit] Jurisdictions and territories

The United Kingdom has three distinct legal systems covering England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. A constable's powers can be exercised throughout the jurisdiction within which he has taken oath and in others within legally-defined circumstances. A police officer of one of the three jurisdictions has all the powers of a constable throughout his own jurisdiction but generally no police powers in the other two jurisdictions unless he has been additionally sworn as occurs with police in border areas (many of what are perceived as "police" powers, such as the general power of arrest, are actually possessed by all citizens so a constable is never totally powerless). All police officers are "constables" in law, irrespective of rank. Police officers of one of the specialised police services such as the British Transport Police or Ministry of Defence Police have more restricted jurisdiction. Although British police officers have wide ranging powers, they are still civilians and subject to the same laws as members of the public. (See List of police forces in the United Kingdom for a fuller explanation of jurisdictions.)

The smallest territorial police force in the UK is the City of London Police, which is responsible for the City of London and some of its extra-territorial possessions, the City having strongly resisted various plans in recent years to merge its force with the Metropolitan Police. It is the single exception to the general grouping of UK police forces into areas of at least "county" size. Like the neighbouring Metropolitan Police, it assists other forces with some specialised crime matters. The rest of Greater London is policed by the Metropolitan Police, which is also the largest police service in the country, by a large margin, in terms of organisational size.

Certain departments of the Metropolitan Police operate extra-territorially to varying extents, including the Counter Terrorism Command, Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department, and certain units of the Specialist Crime Directorate. The new Serious Organised Crime Agency operates in conjunction with the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and the Northern Ireland Organised Crime Taskforce.

A number of other police forces exist which were not formed under general national legislation and are not responsible for general public policing. These have previously been referred to as "special police forces", but that designation has now been given the special meaning of describing the British Transport Police (BTP), the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency: their remit being associated with particular activities which cross national and local boundaries.

The miscellaneous police forces which are neither territorial police forces nor (by the new definition) special police forces include various bodies (not all uniformed) such as those responsible for some local authority-owned public parks; the smallest force is possibly the York Minster Police, however these very small police forces provide no general police services to the public and tend to rely on the local territorial force when assistance is required.

[edit] History

 This list may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please help improve this list. It may be poorly defined, unverified or indiscriminate. (January 2008)
David Kirkwood being detained by police during the 1919 Battle of George Square
David Kirkwood being detained by police during the 1919 Battle of George Square
A police helicopter (Eurocopter EC 135T), shared by the English police forces of Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire
A police helicopter (Eurocopter EC 135T), shared by the English police forces of Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire

The office of Constable has existed in England since Saxon times, but a modern-type police force did not start until the early 19th century, with the introduction of broadly similar forces in localised areas.

[edit] Accountability

Main article: Police Authority

In England and Wales a Police Authority, normally consisting of three magistrates, nine local councillors and five independent members, is responsible for overseeing each local force. They also have a duty under law to ensure that their community gets best value from their police force.

In Northern Ireland the Police Service of Northern Ireland is supervised by the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

In Scotland each police force is overseen either by the local authority (for Fife Constabulary and Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary) or by a joint board of the relevant authorities (all other forces).

Two of the three special police forces in Great Britain, (the British Transport Police and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary) had their own police authorities set up in 2004. These forces operate across national jurisdictions but their normal responsibility is to the activities they police, i.e. the railways and the civil nuclear industry.

Police harbour patrol boat in Poole Harbour, Dorset
Police harbour patrol boat in Poole Harbour, Dorset

[edit] Her Majesty's Inspectorates of Constabulary

Her Majesty's Inspectorates of Constabulary (HMIC) are the official bodies responsible for the examination and assessment of police forces to ensure their fitness to function.

There are two similarly-named organisations:

[edit] Crown dependencies and overseas territories

The Crown dependencies and British overseas territories have their own police forces, the majority of which utilise the British model. Because they are not part of the United Kingdom, they are not answerable to the British Government; instead they are organised by and are responsible to their own governments (an exception to this is the Sovereign Base Areas Police - because the SBAs existence is purely for the benefit of the British armed forces and do not have full overseas territory status, the SBA Police are responsible to the Ministry of Defence). However, because they are based on the British model of policing, these police forces conform to the standards set out by the British government, which includes voluntarily submitting themselves to inspection by the HMIC.

[edit] Ranks

Main article: UK police ranks

The rank structure of United Kingdom police forces are identical up to the rank of Chief Superintendent. However, the higher ranks are distinct within London. The two territorial police forces in Greater London (Metropolitan, City of London) have a series of Commander and Commissioner ranks as their top ranks whereas other UK police forces have a chief constable and deputies as their top ranks; all Chief Commissioners and Chief Constables are equal in rank to each other.

[edit] Uniform and equipment

A Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Ford Focus, Ilfracombe
A Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Ford Focus, Ilfracombe
Main articles: Uniforms and equipment of the British police and Police use of firearms in the United Kingdom

Uniforms, the issuing of firearms, type of patrol cars and other equipment varies by force. Unlike police in most other countries, the vast majority of British police officers do not carry firearms on standard patrol; they do however carry extendable batons and CS/PAVA spray. In most forces, CS spray is now obsolete, being replaced by PAVA Incapacitant Spray.

There are, however, exceptions. Every territorial force maintains specialist armed response units, while one territorial force (the Police Service of Northern Ireland) and two of the national, special police forces (the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence Police) are routinely armed, usually only within their establishments but the MDP guard Whitehalls Ministry of Defence head quarters so are in the public eye.

With the rare occurrence of UK Police carrying firearms, it will usually be at an airport or an armed incident. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) firearms unit is called CO19 (formerly SO19), but every force in England operates an armed response unit. Metropolitan Police and City of London Police operate with three officers per Armed Response Vehicle, a driver. The observer who gathers information about the incident and liasing with other units, and a navigator. Other police forces carry two Authorised Firearms Officers instead of three. Armed Police carry a combination of weapons, ranging from German Heckler & Koch MP5 carbines, Heckler & Koch MSG901 Sniper rifles, Heckler & Koch Baton Guns (which fire baton rounds) and Heckler & Koch G36Cs to a number of specialist weapons such as the Remington pump-action shotgun.

[edit] Height

In the 19th and early 20th centuries most forces required their recruits to be at least 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) in height. By 1960 many forces had reduced this to 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm), and 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm) for women. Many senior officers deplored this, believing that height was a vital requirement for a uniformed constable.[2] Some forces retained the height standard at 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) or 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) until the early 1990s, when the height standard was gradually removed. No British force now requires its recruits to be of any minimum height.

[edit] Organisation of police stations

Police stations may have:

  • Police Officers/Sergeants and Inspectors who respond to 999 calls. Also known as Response Officers.
  • Police Officers/Sergeants and Inspectors who work alongside the community, dealing with the 'lower' level of crime, (i.e. they do not respond to 999 calls. Also known as Beat Officers)
  • Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) who perform foot patrols in the community. PSCOs hold limited police powers, linked with the local community such as low level crime, youth disorder and are usually termed as 'civilian' or 'police staff'. In some forces, they have replaced Traffic Wardens and have taken on their traffic duties.
  • Traffic Wardens (TWs) who enforce parking regulations. The traffic wardens have been privatised (County Council controlled).(see Decriminalised Parking Enforcement).
  • Crime Reduction Officers who attend public functions, visiting households with advice and handing out items such as rape alarms
  • Firearms Enquiries Officer who maintains firearms certificates etc.
  • Station Reception Officers (SROs) or Station enquiry officers (SEOs) who are in charge of the front desk and do administration.
  • Fingerprinting/Identification Officers who deal with Criminal Identities for Archives.
  • In some police stations, Police Cadets may be present helping regular / part-time police officers/PCSOs or any police staff.
  • Special Police Constables/Sergeants/Inspectors/Chief Inspectors will be present. A Special Police Constable / Officer is a part-time trained Police Officer with full police powers, including powers of arrest.
  • Criminal Investigation Department offices (CID) to investigate major crime.
  • Specialist Investigation Department, such as Fraud Squad, Hi-Tech Crime Unit (HTCU), Public Protection Unit (PPU).
  • Smaller stations usually have a number of Detective Constables (DCs) headed by a Detective Sergeant (DS), or in larger stations usually a large number of DCs, DSs and Detective Inspectors (DIs), with the Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) in charge of the department.
  • Most stations have temporary Prison cells where an arrested offender can be held overnight until escort to the court for sentencing
  • Stations have kitchens so the officers can have hot meals, paperwork rooms and restrooms.
  • If the police station is central in an area, it may have Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO's) who are based there.

[edit] Issues

[edit] Controversial shootings

The policy under which British police use firearms has resulted in controversy.

Main article: Police use of firearms in the United Kingdom#Controversial shootings

[edit] Controversial Cases

In 1975 Stefan Kiszko, a tax clerk, was the subject of an infamous miscarriage of justice. He was wrongly convicted of the sexual assault and murder of Lesley Molseed. Senior police officers of the case retired early but some were formally charged with "doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice", withholding evidence, the case never went to court. The same police officer Dick Holland was described as ignorant and boorish towards a junior DC for trying to alert him to his suspicions of Sutcliffe a few years before he was apprehended.

In 1979 Blair Peach was a teacher who became a symbol of resistance when he died as a result of alleged police brutality during a demonstration in London, England. Eleven witnesses claimed to have seen members of the Metropolitan Police Special Patrol Group (SPG) hitting Mr Peach in a side-street. When the lockers and some houses of Special Patrol Group members were later searched coshes, knives, bayonets, swords and Nazi regalia were found. No officer was convicted of his murder. Controversially, in a recent newspaper report crucial evidence from the case has disappeared.

In 2007 speeding police were not prosecuted despite not attending an emergency call but on duty after refusing to say who was at the wheel. Information Commissioner refused to name them saying that "risk that those individuals will be vilified and as a consequence their mental or physical health will suffer". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7130028.stm

[edit] Deaths in police custody

Main article: Controversial Deaths in UK Police Custody

In 1997/98, 69 people died in police custody or following contact with the police across England and Wales; 26 resulted from deliberate self harm. [1]

There are two defined categories of death in custody issued by the Home Office: [2]

Category A: This category also encompasses deaths of those under arrest who are held in temporary police accommodation or have been taken to hospital following arrest. It also includes those who die, following arrest, whilst in a police vehicle.

  • s/he has been taken to a police station after being arrested for an offence, or
  • s/he is arrested at a police station after attending voluntarily at the station or accompanying a Constable to it, and is detained there or is detained elsewhere in the charge of a constable, except that a person who is at a court after being charged is not in police detention for those purposes.

Category B: Where the deceased was otherwise in the hands of the police or death resulted from the actions of a police officer in the purported execution of his duty.

  • when suspects are being interviewed by the police but have not been detained;
  • when persons are actively attempting to evade arrest;
  • when persons are stopped and searched or questioned by the police; and
  • when persons are in police vehicles (other than whilst in police detention).

[edit] Recent issues

Evidence of corruption in the 1970s, serious urban riots and the police role in controlling industrial disorder in the 1980s, and the changing nature of police procedure made police accountability and control a major political football from the 1990s onwards.

The coal miners' strike (1984–1985) saw thousands of police from various forces deployed against miners, frequently resulting in violent confrontation.

The presence of Freemasons in the police caused disquiet in the early 1990s.

The Fettesgate scandal in the early 1990s concerned the theft (and allegedly the subsequent recovery) of sensitive documents from the Edinburgh headquarters of Lothian and Borders Police. Nobody has ever been charged, and, at least publicly, no officer was disciplined.

Despite attempts to end racism and what the Macpherson Report described as "institutionalised racism" in the police since the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence, there have been ongoing problems. At the same time, some commentators and academics have claimed that political correctness and excessive sensitivity to issues of race and class have reduced the effectiveness of the police force, not least for people living in deprived areas or members of minority groups themselves.

In 2003, ten police officers from Greater Manchester Police, North Wales Police and Cheshire Constabulary were forced to resign after a BBC documentary, "The Secret Policeman", shown on 21 October, revealed racism among recruits at Bruche Police National Training Centre at Warrington. On 4 March 2005 the BBC noted that minor disciplinary action would be taken against twelve other officers (eleven from Greater Manchester Police and one from Lancashire Constabulary) in connection with the programme, but that they would not lose their jobs. In November 2003, allegations were made that some police officers were members of the far-right British National Party.

The perceived absence of a visible police presence on the streets also frequently causes concern. This is partially being addressed by the introduction of uniformed Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), following the passing of the Police Reform Act 2002, although some have criticised these as for being a cheap alternative to fully-trained police officers.[3]

At the beginning of 2005 it was announced that the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) had signed an eight-year £122 m contract to introduce biometric identification technology. [4] PITO are also planning to use CCTV facial recognition systems to identify known suspects; a future link to the proposed National Identity Register has been suggested by some. [5]

A number of recent cases in which the police have intervened in matters of free speech have also given rise to allegations that the police are in danger of becoming thought police. In December 2005, author Lynette Burrows was interviewed by police after expressing her opinion on BBC Radio 5 Live that homosexuals should not be allowed to adopt children.[6] The following month, Sir Iqbal Sacranie was investigated by police for stating the Islamic view that homosexuality is a sin.[7]

Recent undercover TV programmes BBC's The Secret Policeman [8] and Channel 4 Dispatches programme Undercover Copper [9] raised questions of standards within UK police forces.

[edit] Censorship

The image on the front cover of Filth by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh caused outrage when released and the Southampton police seized promotional material they deemed obscene and offensive to the police [3].

[edit] Proposed mergers for England and Wales

In 1981, James Anderton, the then Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police called for 10 regional police forces for England and Wales, one for each of the regions which would be adopted as Government Office Regions in England, and Wales.[4]

A 2004 proposal by the Police Superintendents Association for the creation of a single national police force, similar to Garda Síochána na hÉireann was rejected by the Association of Chief Police Officers, and the government has thus far agreed.[5]

In September 2005, in a report[6] delivered to the then Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary suggested that the forty-three force structure in England and Wales was "no longer fit for purpose" and smaller forces should be forcibly merged. As of 2005, nineteen forces had fewer than 2,000 regular officers, and the report suggested that forces with 4,000 or more officers performed better and could deliver cost savings.[7] Forces were asked to produce proposals for mergers, within Wales and the English Government Office Regions. Nearly all the existing forces were under the 4,000 limit, with only the Metropolitan Police, Greater Manchester Police, Merseyside Police, Northumbria Police, Thames Valley Police, West Midlands Police and West Yorkshire Police over the limit - see List of police forces in England and Wales by officers for a full list.

Draft options were announced in November 2005.[8] The Home Office offered money to police authorities that decided to voluntarily merge ahead of schedule, and was consequently accused of attempting to "bribe" unwilling Chief Constables into compliance.[9] The proposals were debated in the House of Commons on December 19, 2005.[10] Most Chief Constables and police authorities did not back the measure,[11] and some suggested that cross-regional mergers would make more sense (for example, Hampshire Constabulary in the South East suggested it could merge with Dorset Police in the South West, whilst there was also a suggestion of North Wales Police increasing co-operation with Cheshire Police)[12]

On February 6, 2006, preferred options for several regions were announced by the Home Secretary in a Written Ministerial Statement,[13][14] and set a deadline of February 24 for forces to agree to the mergers. By this dead-line the only merger to have the agreement of all forces involved was the Cumbria/Lancashire merger. Cheshire was opposed to a merger with Merseyside, and West Mercia and Cleveland were holdouts in their regions, whilst all the Welsh forces opposed the creation of a single Welsh force.[15] The Home Secretary had the power to order the Cumbria/Lancashire merger to proceed by statutory instrument under the Police Act 1996, and also to force through the contested mergers, given a four-month consultation period. In a Written Statement made on March 3, 2006,[16] he announced that the Lancashire/Cumbria merger could be ordered in May, and that the consultation period on the others was starting, and would end on July 2, 2006. The new forces would come into being on April 1, 2007.[17][18]

A second batch of merger proposals were made on March 20, 2006, with the Eastern, East Midlands and South East regions covered. A deadline of April 7, 2006 was set for responses, after which it was expected that the process above would be followed.[19][20][21] The following day, the Home Secretary proposed a merger of all four forces in the Yorkshire and the Humber region.[22] The consultation period on this second batch of mergers started on April 11, 2006, and would have finished on August 11, with a target of April 1, 2008 for the mergers coming into effect.[23]

[edit] Greater London

Upon the publication of the proposals, the Greater London area was not included. This was due to two separate reviews of policing in the capital - the first was a review by the Department of Transport into the future role and function of the British Transport Police. The second was a review by the Attorney-General into national measures for combating fraud (the City of London Police is one of the major organisations for combating economic crime).[24] Both the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, and the Mayor, Ken Livingstone, stated that they would like to see a single police force in London, with the Metropolitan Police absorbing the City of London Police and the functions of the British Transport Police in London.[25] However, this met with criticism from several areas; the House of Commons Transport Select Committee severely criticised the idea of the Metropolitan Police taking over policing of the rail network in a report published on 16 May 2006,[26] while the City of London Corporation and several major financial institutions in The City made public their opposition to the City Police merging with the Met.[27] In a statement on 20 July 2006, the Transport Secretary announced that there would be no structural or operational changes to the British Transport Police, effectively ruling out any merger[28] The interim report by the Attorney General's fraud review recognised the role taken by the City Police as the lead force in London and the South-East for tackling fraud, and made a recommendation that, should a national lead force be required, the City Police, with its expertise, would be an ideal candidate to take this role.[29] This view was confirmed on the publication of the final report, which recommended that the City of London Police's Fraud Squad should be the national lead force in combatting fraud, to "act as a centre of excellence, disseminate best practice, give advice on complex inquiries in other regions, and assist with or direct the most complex of such investigations"[30]

[edit] Abandonment

On 20 June 2006 the new Home Secretary, John Reid, announced that the contested mergers would be delayed for further discussion,[31] and no mergers would be ordered before Parliament's summer recess on 25 July other than the agreed Lancashire/Cumbria one.

On 11 July 2006, it then emerged that the entire proposal for police mergers might be ended, following the decision by the only two forces to have agreed to amalgamation, Cumbria and Lancashire, not to proceed.[32] The announcement of this was followed by the head of the ACPO stating that "The necessary financial support has not materialised and mergers, including voluntary ones, will not take place".[33] On 12 July 2006, the Home Office confirmed that the mergers were to be abandoned, with the entire proposal taken back for consultation[34]

[edit] list mergers

Note: these mergers have all been suspended in the long term while a further review and consultation into policing in England and Wales takes place

Region Proposed force
Eastern Merge Bedfordshire Police, Essex Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary
Merge Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Norfolk Constabulary and Suffolk Constabulary
East Midlands Merge Derbyshire Constabulary, Leicestershire Constabulary, Lincolnshire Police, Northamptonshire Police and Nottinghamshire Police
London London not included in the review of policing, so City of London Police and Metropolitan Police unaffected.
North-East Merge Cleveland Police, Durham Constabulary and Northumbria Police
North-West Merge Cumbria Constabulary and Lancashire Constabulary
Merge Cheshire Constabulary and Merseyside Police
Greater Manchester Police unchanged
South-East Kent Police unchanged
Merge Surrey Police and Sussex Police
Hampshire Constabulary unchanged
Thames Valley Police unchanged
South-West[35] Option 1: Merge Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Dorset Police and Wiltshire Constabulary
Option 2: Merge Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Wiltshire Constabulary and Dorset Police
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary unchanged
Wales Merge Dyfed-Powys Police, Gwent Police, North Wales Police and South Wales Police
West Midlands Merge Staffordshire Police, Warwickshire Police, West Mercia Constabulary, West Midlands Police
Yorkshire and Humberside Merge Humberside Police, North Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Police

[edit] Border police

As part of the wide ranging review of the Home Office, the then Home Secretary, John Reid, announced in July 2006 that all British immigration officers would be uniformed. On April 1 2007, the Border and Immigration Agency was created and commenced operation, though this was replaced with a wider-reaching body, the UK Border Agency, on 1 April 2008. Further powers, including PCSO-style powers of detention and also some extra powers of arrest were introduced by the UK Borders Act 2007.[36]

[edit] National Crime Force

In April 2007, the Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron announced the Conservative Party's proposals for reform of policing. These included:

  • Replacing police authorities with directly elected police commissioners. These individuals would have control over budgets and target setting, with the Chief Constable retaining operational control of policing.
  • Giving the public the right to discuss local policing issues with their local police officers at regular meetings.

In addition, the proposals made clear that on the issue of serious crime the 43 police forces in England and Wales would either have to have greater cooperation, or that the serious crime elements of their function would be invested in a National Serious Crime Force.[37]

[edit] Police Pay

The decision to award police officers in England and Wales a 2.5% pay increase as recommended, but to pay it from December 2007, rather than backdated to September, has caused widespread anger, especially as this decision stood in sharp contrast to the decision of the Scottish Government to fully backdate the award for police officers in Scotland.[38]

[edit] Mandatory drug tests

Scotland's police forces are to introduce mandatory drugs tests in an attempt to stamp out substance abuse by officers.[39] The zero-tolerance policy will bring Scotland's police into line with the Army and other agencies and companies, as concerns grow over the number of police officers using recreational drugs. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is behind the roll out of the scheme.

[edit] Overseas police forces in the UK

There are certain instances where police forces of other nations operate in a limited degree in the United Kingdom:

  • The Police aux Frontières or PAF (French Border Police), a division of the Police Nationale, is permitted to operate both on Eurostar trains to London and within the international terminal at St Pancras Station as well as Ebbsfleet and Ashford International railway stations and the Cheriton Parc Le Shuttle terminal alongside French Customs officials, in regard to services through the Channel Tunnel. The PAF also operate at Dover Ferry terminals. This arrangement is reciprocated to the British Transport Police, UK Immigration Service, and UK Customs Officers on Paris bound trains and within the terminal at Paris Gare du Nord, Coquelles (Le Shuttle), Gare de Lille-Europe, Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid and the Calais, Dunkerque, and Boulogne ferry terminals.[40] The French police officers are not permitted to carry their firearms in the London Terminal; the firearms must be left on the train.
  • An Garda Síochána na hÉireann (The Irish Police), under a recent agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, have the right, alongside the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, to carry out inspections of the Sellafield nuclear facility in Cumbria.[41]
  • In 2006 a small number of officers from the Policja (Polish Police) were seconded to the North Wales Police to assist with the supervision of foreign (largely eastern European) truck traffic largely on European route E22 (the A55 road).[42] The Chief Constable of North Wales has publicly stated (November 2006) that he is considering directly recruiting a small number of officers from Poland to assist with policing the substantial population of Polish people that has migrated to his area since Poland's accession to the EU in 2004.[43]
  • Military Police of forces present in the UK within the terms of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 are permitted to travel to/from relevant premises in uniform and their (usually distinctive) vehicles will occasionally be seen. Their powers (including the carrying of firearms) are generally limited by that and other legislation to those necessary for the performance of duties related to their own forces and to those possessed by the General Public.

[edit] See also

[edit] Databases

[edit] References

  1. ^ Glasgow Police
  2. ^ Royal Commission on the Police, Interim Report, 1960
  3. ^ Police seize 'offensive' pig posters. BBC (1998-08-13). Retrieved on 2006-06-16.
  4. ^ Plea for 10 regional police forces. The Times. March 19, 1981.
  5. ^ Senior police back national force. BBC News. 15 August 2004.
  6. ^ Closing the Gap
  7. ^ Police forces 'no longer working'. BBC News. 16 September 2005.
  8. ^ Plan to cut police forces to 12. BBC News. 10 November 2005.
  9. ^ Clarke attacked on police reform. BBC News. 19 December 2005.
  10. ^ Hansard, 19 December 2005, Column 1581
  11. ^ Police 'reject' force merger plan. BBC News. 22 December 2005.
  12. ^ Merger 'to make policing worse'. BBC News. 28 October 2005.
  13. ^ Hansard, 6 February 2006, Column 39WS
  14. ^ Police mergers outlined by Clarke. BBC News. 6 February 2006.
  15. ^ Setback for police merger plans. BBC News. 24 February 2006.
  16. ^ Hansard, 3 March 2006, Column 44WS
  17. ^ Police merger plans to go ahead. BBC News. 3 March 2006.
  18. ^ Wales police merger to go ahead. BBC News. 4 March 2006.
  19. ^ Hansard, 20 March 2006, Column 6WS
  20. ^ Police forces set to be slashed to 24. The Independent. 20 March 2006.
  21. ^ Police forces 'to be cut to 24'. BBC News. 20 March 2006.
  22. ^ Hansard, 21 March 2006, Column 15WS
  23. ^ Police merger plan given go-ahead. BBC News. 11 April 2006
  24. ^ Hansard 18 April 2006, Col 328W
  25. ^ Battle to merge London's Police. The Guardian. 8 October 2004.
  26. ^ Future of the British Transport Police HoC Transport Committee. 16 May 2006
  27. ^ London City Police Tap Bankers to Help Fight Takeover Bloomberg 20 March 2006
  28. ^ Review of the British Transport Police DfT, 20 July 2006
  29. ^ Interim Fraud Review LSLO, January 2006
  30. ^ Final fraud Review Report Published LSLO, July 2006
  31. ^ Home Secretary delays police force mergers, Home Office, 20 June 2006
  32. ^ Forces back out of merger plans BBC News 10 July 2006
  33. ^ Merger of police forces is scrapped. The Times. 11 July 2006.
  34. ^ Police mergers still on agenda. BBC News 12 July 2006
  35. ^ Plan to cut police forces to 12. BBC News. 10 November 2005.
  36. ^ UK Borders Act 2007 retrieved November 10, 2007
  37. ^ Tories unveil police reform plan BBC News, April 3rd 2007
  38. ^ Police in protest rally over pay BBC January 24 2008
  39. ^ Mandatory drugs testing for Scotland’s police forces The Herald, April 13, 2008
  40. ^ Cross-channel Policing New York Times, 4 May 2001.
  41. ^ Irish Sellafield appeal ruled illegal The Guardian, 30 May 2006
  42. ^ TISPOL - Crossing Borders to Save Lives TISPOL
  43. ^ North Wales Police Chief Constable's Blog, 24 November 2006

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[edit] National Police Resources

[edit] Staff Associations

[edit] Complaints against police

Non-official and Independent Sites

v • d • e
Police forces in the United Kingdom
England Avon and Somerset · Bedfordshire · Cambridgeshire · Cheshire · City of London · Cleveland · Cumbria · Derbyshire · Devon and Cornwall · Dorset · Durham · Essex · Gloucestershire · Greater Manchester · Hampshire · Hertfordshire · Humberside · Kent · Lancashire · Leicestershire · Lincolnshire · Merseyside · Metropolitan · Norfolk · North Yorkshire · Northamptonshire · Northumbria · Nottinghamshire · South Yorkshire · Staffordshire · Suffolk · Surrey · Sussex · Thames Valley · Warwickshire · West Mercia · West Midlands · West Yorkshire · Wiltshire
Scotland Central Scotland · Dumfries and Galloway · Fife · Grampian · Lothian and Borders · Northern · SCDEA · Strathclyde · Tayside
Wales Dyfed-Powys · Gwent · North Wales · South Wales
Northern Ireland Police Service of Northern Ireland
Special Police Forces British Transport · Civil Nuclear · Ministry Of Defence · SOCA
v • d • e
Other UK, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories Police forces and Military Police
United Kingdom Belfast Harbour · Belfast International Airport · Cambridge University · Epping Forest · Falmouth Docks · Kew · Larne Harbour · Mersey Tunnels · Port of Bristol · Port of Dover · Port of Felixstowe · Port of Liverpool · Port of Tilbury · Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority · York Minster
Crown Dependencies Guernsey · Isle of Man · Jersey (States) · Jersey (Honorary)
Overseas Territories Bermuda · British Virgin Islands · Falkland Islands · Gibraltar · Gibraltar (MOD) · Pitcairn Islands · Saint Helena · Sovereign Base Areas
Military Police Royal Navy Police1  · Royal Military Police · Royal Air Force Police
1(including the Royal Marines Police)
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Law enforcement agencies of the United Kingdom
UK Border Agency · Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre · Health and Safety Executive · Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs · Serious Fraud Office · Serious Organised Crime Agency Flag of the United Kingdom
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Law enforcement in Europe
Sovereign
states

Albania · Andorra · Armenia1 · Austria · Azerbaijan2 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus1 · Czech Republic · Denmark4 · Estonia · Finland · France4, 5, 6 · Georgia2 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan3 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia3 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain6 · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey3 · Ukraine · United Kingdom (England • Northern Ireland • Scotland • Wales)
Dependencies,
autonomies,
other territories
Italics indicates an unrecognised or partially recognised country. 1 Entirely in Southwest Asia.  2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the border definitions.  3 / 4 / 5 / 6 Has part of its territory in Asia / North America / South America / Africa.  7 / 8 Entirely on the North American Plate / African Plate.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_the_United_Kingdom"
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