Police Service

Spread out:

• 45 territorial police forces in UK with regional reach.

• 39 in England.

• 4 in Wales.

• single forces each covering Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Aims + Objectives:

• Reduce crime

• maintain law and order

• Protection of life and property

• preservation of the peace

• prevention and detection of criminal offence

• They do this by working alongside communities + statutory powers of:

  • arrest

  • detention

  • search

  • interview.

• Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984.

Funding

• England/Wales main source of income is central gov grant.

• Some income also raised through council tax.

Philosophy:

• honesty and integrity

• authority, respect and courtesy → officers act with self-control and tolerance.

• equality and diversity → officers act with fairness and impartiality, do not discriminate unlawfully or unfairly.

Working practices:

• Teams of officers responsible for general beat duties + response to non/emergency calls.

• Begin careers in this area of policing, some moving to specialist roles e.g CIDs deal with serious/complex crimes (neighbourhood officers and Criminal Investigation Departments).

• specialist operations with branches covering wide range of functions:

  • anti-terrorism

  • covert operations and intelligence

  • diplomatic protection

  • firearms

  • royal protection

  • special branch

  • dog handlers

  • river police

  • mounted police

  • Drugs

PCSOs:

• Police Community Support Officers.

• Work on frontlines providing visible/reassuring presence on streets + tackling anti-social behaviour.

• Special Constables - trained force of volunteers possessing full range of policing powers, give up part of their spare time to provide policing support.

• Not paid but entitled to claim reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their role.