Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Encyclopedia
Cambridgeshire Constabulary is the territorial police force
responsible for law enforcement within the ceremonial county
of Cambridgeshire
in the United Kingdom
. In addition to the non-metropolitan county, the Police area
includes the city of Peterborough
, which became a unitary authority
area in 1998. The Chief Constable
is Simon Parr, who replaced Julie Spence
on the 5 September 2010. The Deputy Chief Constable
(Support) and Assistant Chief Constable
(Operations) are John Feavyour and Mark Hopkins.
The force is divided into three divisions, each based on the areas of local district councils:
The force headquarters is situated at Hinchingbrooke Park on the outskirts of Huntingdon. There is a centralised call centre for the county at Copse Court in Peterborough.
Constabulary in 1889.
The force was renamed Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 1974, when the new non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire was created by the Local Government Act 1972
with identical boundaries to the Mid-Anglia Constabulary area.
Proposals made by the then Home Secretary
, Charles Clarke
, in March 2006 would have seen the force merge with neighbouring Norfolk Constabulary
and Suffolk Constabulary
to form a strategic police force for East Anglia
. While Norfolk supported the proposal; Suffolk indicated it would have preferred a merger with Norfolk and Essex Constabulary, although wanted to explore the viability of options other than merger; and Cambridgeshire expressed a preference to stand alone. In July 2006 however, the Home Office announced that all plans to merge police forces had been abandoned by the incoming Dr. John Reid
.
comprises 17 members. This is made up of nine district councillors, of which seven are nominated by Cambridgeshire county council and two by Peterborough city council, three magistrates, nominated by the county's Magistrates' Courts Committee; and five independent members, chosen from the community.
lists and commemorates all British police officers killed in the line of duty, and since its establishment in 1984 has erected over 38 memorials to some of those officers.
Since 1900 the following officers of Cambridgeshire Constabulary were killed while attempting to prevent, stop or resolve a crime:
Territorial police force
The phrase Territorial Police Force varies in precise meaning according to the country to which it is related, generally distinguishing a force whose area of responsibility is defined by sub-national boundaries from others which deal with the entire country or a restricted range of...
responsible for law enforcement within the ceremonial county
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
of Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In addition to the non-metropolitan county, the Police area
Police area
A police area is the area for which a territorial police force in the United Kingdom is responsible for policing.Every location in the United Kingdom has a designated territorial police force with statutory responsibility for providing policing services and enforcing criminal law, which is set out...
includes the city of Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, which became a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
area in 1998. The Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
is Simon Parr, who replaced Julie Spence
Julie Spence
Julie Spence OBE, was the Chief Constable for Cambridgeshire Constabulary from 10 December 2005 to 5 September 2010.Julie Spence made headline news over demanding more officers due to the recent rise in immigration....
on the 5 September 2010. The Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy chief constable is the second highest rank in all territorial police forces in the United Kingdom , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Civil Nuclear...
(Support) and Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant chief constable is the third highest rank in all British territorial police forces , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and...
(Operations) are John Feavyour and Mark Hopkins.
The force is divided into three divisions, each based on the areas of local district councils:
- Northern, covering PeterboroughPeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
- Central, covering FenlandFenlandFenland is a local government district in Cambridgeshire, England. Its council is based in March, and covers the neighbouring market towns of Chatteris, Whittlesey, and Wisbech, often called the "capital of the fens"...
and HuntingdonshireHuntingdonshireHuntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right... - Southern, covering CambridgeCambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, South CambridgeshireSouth CambridgeshireSouth Cambridgeshire is a mostly rural local government district of Cambridgeshire, England. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Chesterton Rural District and South Cambridgeshire Rural District. It surrounds the city of Cambridge, which is administered separately from the district by...
and East CambridgeshireEast CambridgeshireEast Cambridgeshire is a local government district in Cambridgeshire, England. Its council is based in Ely....
The force headquarters is situated at Hinchingbrooke Park on the outskirts of Huntingdon. There is a centralised call centre for the county at Copse Court in Peterborough.
History
The original Cambridgeshire Constabulary was formed in 1851. In 1965, it amalgamated with Cambridge City Police (called Cambridge Borough Police until 1951), Isle of Ely Constabulary, Huntingdonshire Constabulary, and Peterborough Combined Police (created in 1947 from a merger of the Liberty of Peterborough Constabulary and the City of Peterborough Constabulary) to form Mid-Anglia Constabulary, with the same boundaries as the current force. This force initially had an establishment of 805 and an actual strength of 728. A separate Wisbech Borough Police had already merged with the Isle of ElyIsle of Ely
The Isle of Ely is a historic region around the city of Ely now in Cambridgeshire, England but previously a county in its own right.-Etymology:...
Constabulary in 1889.
The force was renamed Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 1974, when the new non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire was created by the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
with identical boundaries to the Mid-Anglia Constabulary area.
Proposals made by the then Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
, in March 2006 would have seen the force merge with neighbouring Norfolk Constabulary
Norfolk Constabulary
Norfolk Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for the county of Norfolk in England. As of March 2009 the force had a strength of 1,668 police officers, 243 Special Constables, 277 PCSOs and just over 1,300 police staff.-History:...
and Suffolk Constabulary
Suffolk Constabulary
Suffolk Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing Suffolk in East Anglia, England.Suffolk Constabulary is responsible for policing an area of , with a population of...
to form a strategic police force for East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
. While Norfolk supported the proposal; Suffolk indicated it would have preferred a merger with Norfolk and Essex Constabulary, although wanted to explore the viability of options other than merger; and Cambridgeshire expressed a preference to stand alone. In July 2006 however, the Home Office announced that all plans to merge police forces had been abandoned by the incoming Dr. John Reid
John Reid (politician)
John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, PC is a British politician, who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament and cabinet minister under Tony Blair, most notably as Defence Secretary and then Home Secretary...
.
Police Authority
The police authorityPolice authority
A police authority in the United Kingdom, is a body charged with securing efficient and effective policing of a police area served by a territorial police force or the area and/or activity policed by a special police force...
comprises 17 members. This is made up of nine district councillors, of which seven are nominated by Cambridgeshire county council and two by Peterborough city council, three magistrates, nominated by the county's Magistrates' Courts Committee; and five independent members, chosen from the community.
Officers killed in the line of duty
The Police Memorial TrustPolice Memorial Trust
The Police Memorial Trust is a charitable organisation founded in 1984 and based in London. The trust's objective is to erect memorials to British police officers killed in the line of duty, at or near the spot where they died, thereby acting as a permanent reminder to the public of the sacrifice...
lists and commemorates all British police officers killed in the line of duty, and since its establishment in 1984 has erected over 38 memorials to some of those officers.
Since 1900 the following officers of Cambridgeshire Constabulary were killed while attempting to prevent, stop or resolve a crime:
- DS Francis James Willis, 1930 (shot while questioning a suspect).
- Sgt Raymond George Bowland, 1957 (contracted a fatal disease while performing search duty).
See also
- Policing in the United KingdomPolicing in the United KingdomLaw enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England & Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland ....
- List of police forces in the United Kingdom
- Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue ServiceCambridgeshire Fire and Rescue ServiceCambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority of Peterborough....
- East of England Ambulance ServiceEast of England Ambulance ServiceThe East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing National Health Service ambulance services in the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, in the East of England region.It is one of 12 Ambulance Trusts providing...
- Table of police forces in the United KingdomTable of police forces in the United KingdomThis table of police forces in the United Kingdom includes territorial police forces and special police forces. It does not include non-police law enforcement agencies or bodies of constables not constituted as police forces.-Table:-England and Wales:...