Hampshire Constabulary

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Hampshire Constabulary
Coverage
Hampshire Constabulary
Hampshire Constabulary area
Area Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Portsmouth
Size 4,149
Population 1.8 million
Operations
Formed 1967 (merger)
HQ Winchester
Budget {{{budget}}}
Officers 3,804
OCUs 8 (1-6 Territorial, 7 Operations, 8 Crime)[1]
Stations 47
Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan
Website http://www.hampshire.police.uk/

Hampshire Constabulary is the Home Office police force responsible for policing Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in southern England [2]

The force area includes the cities of Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth [3]. The current Hampshire Constabulary dates from 1967 but modern policing in Hampshire can be traced back to 1832.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Geographic history

The first police force formed in Hampshire was Winchester City Police in 1832. Hampshire County Constabulary was formed seven years later in 1839 [4] as a result of the County Police Act of that year. An Isle of Wight County Constabulary was formed in 1890 from the Isle of Wight part of the Hampshire force, with the granting of administrative county status to the Island.

Hampshire Constabulary absorbed various minor borough forces in the 19th century:

In 1943, during the Second World War, police forces on the south-eastern coast of England were amalgamated - with a single Sussex Constabulary being formed and various borough forces becoming part of Kent Constabulary being formed. In Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Winchester forces were merged into the Hampshire Joint Police Force, with the county borough forces of Southampton City Police and Portsmouth City Police remaining independent.

In 1948, the merger was made permanent and regularised, with Hampshire Joint Police Force being renamed Hampshire Constabulary (elsewhere, Kent retained a single police force, but five forces re-established in Sussex). A separate force for the county borough of Bournemouth was created on April 1, 1948 (this later merged with Dorset Constabulary to form the Dorset and Bournemouth Constabulary).

The name was changed once again in 1952, to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. In 1967 the Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth forces were amalgamated under the Police Act 1964 becoming the current Hampshire Constabulary. In 1974, the Local Government Act meant that responsibility for policing Christchurch moved to the control of Dorset. Since then, apart from minor border changes, the force area has remained the same.

Proposals made by the Home Secretary on March 20, 2006 would see the force stay as a standalone strategic force for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.[5]

Hampshire Constabulary is overseen by Hampshire Police Authority.[1] A police authority is an independent organisation that ensures the efficiency and effectiveness of a police force.

[edit] Time-line of policing in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

The different police forces and names of forces that have policed the modern counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are graphically illustrated in the following time-line:

[edit] Chief Constables

There have been eleven Chief Constables of Hampshire. There are currently no surviving former or retired chief constables.

[edit] Significant events

  • 1893 The Chief Constable, Peregrine Fellows, is injured outside Police Headquarters in Winchester while trying to stop a runaway horse. He dies a few days later from his wounds.
  • 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.
  • 1972 An IRA car bomb exploded at 16th Parachute Brigade Headquarters in Aldershot killing seven people.
  • 1984–1985 The Miners' Strike. Along with other police forces Hampshire contributed officers to police the miners' strike under the umbrella of 'Mutual Aid'. Hampshire was the first to fly their officers to the strike areas.
  • 1985 The force aircraft, an Optica, crashed with loss of both crew.
  • 1987 The Great Storm. The storm caused considerable damage across the force area including the destruction of Shanklin Pier. A Hampshire police officer, Chief Inspector John Smith, was one of the 19 casualties of the storm when a tree fell onto his car.[8]
  • 2006 On 15th May Hampshire Constabulary became the first to launch the new single non-emergency telephone number (SNEN), 101, as an alternative for the 999 number for reporting less serious or anti-social offences.[9]

[edit] Structure and organisation

[edit] Headquarters

The headquarters of Hampshire Constabulary is located in a tall post-war office building in West Hill, Winchester on the site of the first headquarters which were built in 1847. The building can be seen on the skyline from most approaches to the city. The force’s central administration departments are based here together with the Chief Constable and staff officers.

However the majority of the operational headquarters’ departments including the force control room are located at the Support Headquarters in Netley, just outside Southampton.

[edit] Territorial organisation

Force structure to April 2006
Force structure to April 2006

Until April 2006 Hampshire Constabulary was divided into 10 Basic Command Units (BCUs) with 46 associated police stations as follows:

  • Isle of Wight (Z)—Newport (HQ), Ryde, Shanklin, Ventnor, Yarmouth.
  • New Forest (D)—Lyndhurst (HQ), Lymington, New Milton, Ringwood, Totton, Hythe, Fordingbridge.
  • West Hampshire (W)—Eastleigh (HQ) , Hedge End, Romsey, Andover, Stockbridge, Weyhill.
  • Southampton (S)—Southampton Central (HQ), Bitterne, Shirley, Portswood.
  • Central Hampshire (O)—Winchester—North Walls (HQ), Arlesford, Alton, Petersfield, Twyford, Whitehill.
  • Solent East (H)—Fareham (HQ), Gosport, Meon Valley (Bishop's Waltham), Park Gate.
  • Portsmouth (K)—Fratton (HQ), Portsmouth Central, Southsea, Cosham.
  • Havant (J)—Havant (HQ), Hayling Island.
  • Basingstoke (B)—Basingstoke (HQ), Whitchurch, Tadley.
  • North-East Hampshire (A)—Aldershot (HQ), Farnborough, Fleet, Hartley Wintney, Yateley.

[edit] Current organisation

[edit] Members of ACPO

Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) Ian Readhead
Assistant Chief Constable Territorial Operations (ACC(TO)) Simon Cole
Assistant Chief Constable Specialist Operations (ACC(SO)) Steve Watts
Assistant Chief Constable Personnel and Operational Services (ACC(OS)) David Pryde
Director of Finance and Resources Michael Coombes[10]

Current force structure
Current force structure

The force is currently divided into 6 local policing areas known as Operational Command Units (OCUs). The accompanying map shows the divisions, along with major cities in the county. There are also forcewide OCUs for Specialist Operations, They include:
Operations OCU
Which itself encompasses:

  • Critical Incident Cadre
  • Roads Policing Unit
  • Air Support Unit
  • Dog Support Unit
  • Force Support Unit
  • Marine Support Unit
  • Tactical Firearms Support Unit
  • Operational Planning & Policy Unit

Crime OCU
Criminal Jusctice Department

[edit] Equipment

[edit] Headgear

Helmet - Constable
Helmet - Constable
Helmet - Sergeant
Helmet - Sergeant

While on foot Hampshire Constabulary male constables and sergeants wear the combed version of the custodian helmet. Hampshire is one of the few British constabularies not to use the Brunswick Star; instead the helmet carries a crowned rose within a wreath with a banner "Hampshire". There are two different types of helmet plates according to rank. Constables' plates are larger and of uncoloured white metal. These are the largest helmet plates in England and make Hampshire officers stand out when in company of officers from other forces.

Sergeants' helmets have plates which are smaller and contain enamelled blue and red colouring. The colours are present in the name "Hampshire", the centre of the Hampshire rose and the centre of the crown.

As in other forces, officers working in vehicles wear peaked caps instead of helmets.

[edit] Vehicles and livery

Typical traditional Hampshire Police vehicles' livery.
Typical traditional Hampshire Police vehicles' livery.
Typical new generic Battenburg markings.
Typical new generic Battenburg markings.

Hampshire Constabulary has had a distinctive traditional vehicle paint scheme of red and white diagonal stripes above a chequered blue and white band for many years. This is now less commonly used than the more generic and nationally recognised blue and yellow Battenburg markings.
The force uses many different vehicles. Some of them are listed below with principal uses.

  • Ford Fiesta - General Patrol
  • Ford Focus - General Patrol/ Response Panda Car
  • Ford Mondeo - Area Car/Traffic Car
  • Ford Transit Van - General Patrol/Prisoner Transport
  • Mercedes Sprinter Van - General Patrol/Prisoner Transport
  • Ford Galaxy - Collision Investigation Unit
  • Volvo XC70 D5- Rural area car based at Tadley
  • Volvo V70 T5 - Roads Policing Unit
  • Skoda Octavia VRS Unmarked - Roads Policing Unit
  • Skoda Octavia VRS Marked - Area Car
  • Skoda Octavia VRS Marked ANPR Interceptor working from Tadley
  • BMW 320 Estate - Area Car
  • BMW 330TDI Touring - Area Car
  • BMW 520D Estate - Traffic Car
  • BMW X5 - Roads Policing Unit
  • Honda Pan-European Motorcycle - Road Policing and Escort Duties
  • Smith and Wesson Pedal Cycle - General Patrol
  • Britten Norman 4000 Islander Aeroplane - Air Support Unit
  • Mitchell 31 Twin Screw Diesel Launches - Marine Support Unit


[edit] Hampshire Constabulary in fiction and the media

[edit] Graham Hurley’s ‘Joe Faraday’ series.

Graham Hurley draws on his knowledge of the Hampshire Constabulary, in particular Portsmouth CID for his series of police procedural novels. Set in Portsmouth and revolving around the fictional Detective Inspector Joe Faraday they portray a gritty picture of the city and its crime.[11]

[edit] Inspector Wexford - The Ruth Rendell Mysteries

Ruth Rendell’s series of crime novels are set in the fictional town of Kingsmarkham. In the books this is described as being in Sussex. When the books were televised, starring George Baker as Detective Chief Inspector Reg Wexford, Romsey in Hampshire was chosen as the setting for the location filming. Baker’s character is often seen wearing a Hampshire Constabulary tie and warrant card badge. Hampshire Constabulary authorised the use of the force logo and have provided props and material for the series.[12]

[edit] Traffic Cops

Hampshire Constabulary has featured in various series of Traffic Cops, an occasional BBC One documentary. The programme focuses on the work of Hampshire's Roads Policing officers and highlights issues relating to road safety and reducing the number of road deaths and serious injuries. In previous series, Traffic Cops has attracted over seven million viewers.

[edit] See also

Hampshire Portal

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Hampshire Constabulary: Specialist Operations
  2. ^ http://www.hampshire.police.uk/Internet/localpolicing/index.htm, Hampshire Constabulary Jurisdiction Chart Showing The Area that the Hampshire Constabulary has Jurisdiction in.
  3. ^ http://www.hampshire.police.uk/Internet/localpolicing/index.htm, Hampshire Constabulary Jurisdiction Chart Showing the Cities in the Hampshire Constabulary's Jurisdiction
  4. ^ http://www.hants.org.uk/hchs/summary.html, A Brief Summary of the History of the Hampshire Constabulary Also Including the Year of Founding.
  5. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4825524.stm BBC News, Accessdate March 28th 2007
  6. ^ BBC NEWS | England | Hampshire | Police chief announces retirement
  7. ^ http://www.hampshire.police.uk/Internet/about/chiefconstable/ February 2008. Info about the current Chief Constable
  8. ^ http://www.hants.org.uk/hchs/storm_sw.html Retrieved on February 5th 2008
  9. ^ Frontline (Force newspaper), June 2006.
  10. ^ Hampshire Constabulary: Home
  11. ^ http://www.grahamhurley.co.uk/books/intro.htm, Retrieved on February 22, 2006.
  12. ^ http://www.tabardroad.co.uk/, Inspector Wexford: The Ruth Rendell Mysteries starring George Baker and Christopher Ravenscroft:. Retrieved on February 22, 2006.

[edit] References

  • Watt, I. A. (1967). A history of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary 1839-1966. Winchester, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.
  • Lee, J., Peake, C., et al. (2001). Policing Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Chichester, Phillimore. ISBN 1-86077-196-3
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