National Crime Squad
Encyclopedia
The National Crime Squad (NCS) was a British police organisation which dealt mainly with organised and major crimes. Formed in April 1998 after the amalgamation of six former Regional Crime Squads it merged on 1 April 2006 into the Serious Organised Crime Agency
. The NCS reported directly to the Home Office
and had nationwide and international jurisdiction. It did not handle security matters, referring such matters to the appropriate security service.
It primarily dealt with organised crime, major drug trafficking, murder for hire schemes, illegal arms dealing, human trafficking, computer and high tech crimes, money counterfeiting and laundering, extortion, kidnapping and murder relating to any of the above. Lastly, it augmented and supported regional forces throughout the United Kingdom
.
Its personnel were directly recruited or seconded from other British police forces and it was headed by a Director-General and had its own service authority, the last being Trevor Pearce QPM who subsequently became an Executive Director of the Serious Orgnaised Crime Agency.
The NCS headquarters was in London
, with three Regional Operational Command Units: Northern, Eastern, and Western with an extensive residential property estate plus other premises. Other units were the Financial OCU, the Paedophilia
Unit, the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit
, and the Immigration Crimes Team. The NCS consisted of 1,656 full time personnel, including 5 Directors, 1,169 seconded police officers, and 280 civilian police staff.
The NCS was fictionalised in the television series NCS: Manhunt
, and in Burnside
, a spin-off
of The Bill
.
Serious Organised Crime Agency
The Serious Organised Crime Agency is a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom under Home Office sponsorship...
. The NCS reported directly to the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
and had nationwide and international jurisdiction. It did not handle security matters, referring such matters to the appropriate security service.
It primarily dealt with organised crime, major drug trafficking, murder for hire schemes, illegal arms dealing, human trafficking, computer and high tech crimes, money counterfeiting and laundering, extortion, kidnapping and murder relating to any of the above. Lastly, it augmented and supported regional forces throughout 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...
.
Its personnel were directly recruited or seconded from other British police forces and it was headed by a Director-General and had its own service authority, the last being Trevor Pearce QPM who subsequently became an Executive Director of the Serious Orgnaised Crime Agency.
The NCS headquarters was in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, with three Regional Operational Command Units: Northern, Eastern, and Western with an extensive residential property estate plus other premises. Other units were the Financial OCU, the Paedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
Unit, the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit
National Hi-Tech Crime Unit
The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit previously formed part of the National Crime Squad, a British Police organisation which dealt with major crime....
, and the Immigration Crimes Team. The NCS consisted of 1,656 full time personnel, including 5 Directors, 1,169 seconded police officers, and 280 civilian police staff.
The NCS was fictionalised in the television series NCS: Manhunt
NCS: Manhunt
NCS: Manhunt is a British crime drama television series starring David Suchet, and based on the National Crime Squad. Created by Malcolm McKay, the first series premiered with two episodes on BBC One on 26—27 March 2001...
, and in Burnside
Burnside (TV series)
Burnside is a British television police procedural drama, broadcast on ITV in 2000. The series, a spin-off from ITV's long-running police drama The Bill, focused on DCI Frank Burnside, formerly a detective at Sun Hill and now working for the National Crime Squad...
, a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
.