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There are a number of agencies that participate in
law enforcement in the United Kingdom Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Most law enforcement is carried out by police officers serving in regional pol ...
which can be grouped into three general types: * Territorial police forces, who carry out the majority of policing. These are police forces that cover a
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 pol ...
(a particular region) and have an independent
police authority A police authority in the United Kingdom is a public authority that is responsible for overseeing the operations of a police force. The nature and composition of police authorities has varied over time, and there are now just four dedicated "police ...
. Current police forces have their grounding in the
Police Act 1996 The Police Act 1996c 16 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which defined the current police areas in England and Wales, constituted police authorities for those areas, and set out the relationship between the Home Secretary and th ...
(in England and Wales), a combination of
Police (Scotland) Act 1967 The Police (Scotland) Act 1967 (c. 77) is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament which until 2013 had provided a framework for territorial police forces in Scotland to operate within. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, passed by the ...
and
Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament. This legislation merged the eight separate police forces and fire and rescue services in Scotland, plus several central agencies, into single agencies coveri ...
(in Scotland) and the
Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (c 32) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The act renamed the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). It also created the Northern Ireland Policing ...
(in Northern Ireland), which prescribe a number of issues such as appointment of a chief constable, jurisdiction and responsibilities. * National law enforcement bodies, including the National Crime Agency and national police forces that have a specific, non-regional jurisdiction, such as the
British Transport Police , nativename = , abbreviation = BTP , patch = , patchcaption = , logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg , logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police , badge = , badgecaption = , f ...
. The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 refers to these as '
special police force Special police usually describes a police force or unit within a police force whose duties and responsibilities are significantly different from other forces in the same country or from other police in the same force, although there is no consiste ...
s', not including the NCA which is not a police force. In addition, there are non-police law enforcement agencies, whose officers are not police officers, but still enforce laws, and other bodies with solely investigatory powers. * Miscellaneous police forces, mostly having their foundations in older legislation or common law. These are responsible for policing specific local areas or activities, such as ports and parks. Before the passing of recent legislation such as the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, they were often referred to as 'special police forces'; care must therefore be taken in interpreting historical use of that phrase. These constabularies are not within the scope of the legislation applicable to the previously mentioned organisations but can still be the subject of statutes applicable to, for example, docks, harbours or railways. Until the passing of
Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c 10) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Purposes of the Act The purposes of the Act include:- *the creation of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch *the replacement of the Rail ...
, the British Transport Police was such a force. Most law enforcement in the United Kingdom is carried out by territorial police forces that police the general public and their activities. The other types of agencies are concerned with policing of more specific matters. Over the centuries there has been a wide variation in the number of police forces in the United Kingdom, with a large number now no longer in existence.


Territorial police forces

Most policing in the United Kingdom is conducted by the 45 territorial police forces of the 4 nations. These forces are ultimately responsible for all law and order within their respective
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 pol ...
(a legal term which defines the geographic area of primary responsibility). This is not the same as legal jurisdiction, see below. Two nations of the United Kingdom, Scotland and Northern Ireland, have national police forces. The breakdown of all territorial police forces across the United Kingdom is as follows: * 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales * 1 territorial police force in Scotland * 1 territorial police force in Northern Ireland


England and Wales

Except in Greater London, each
territorial police force A territorial police force is a police service that is responsible for an area defined by sub-national boundaries, distinguished from other police services which deal with the entire country or a type of crime. In countries organized as federations, ...
covers one or more of the
local government areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The phra ...
(counties) established in the 1974 local government reorganisations (although with subsequent modifications), in an area known in statute as a
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 pol ...
. These forces provide most of the policing services to the public of England and Wales. These forces have been known historically as " Home Office police forces" due to the central government department, the Home Office, being responsible for and providing most of the funding these police forces. Despite the implication of the term, all police forces are independent, with operational control resting solely with the chief officer of each force (the Chief Constable or with regard to the Metropolitan Police and
City of London Police The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, including the Middle and Inner Temples. The force responsible for law enforcement within the remainder of the London region, ...
forces, their respective Commissioners); each force was overseen by a
Police authority A police authority in the United Kingdom is a public authority that is responsible for overseeing the operations of a police force. The nature and composition of police authorities has varied over time, and there are now just four dedicated "police ...
until these were replaced by Police and Crime Commissioners in 2012. The Police Act 1996 is the most recent piece of legislation, which outlines the areas of responsibility for the 43 territorial forces of England and Wales (found in Schedule 1 of the Act). ''Constable'' is the lowest rank in the police service, but all officers, whatever their rank, are "constables" in terms of legal powers and jurisdiction. Police officers in territorial police forces in England and Wales derive their jurisdiction from Section 30 of the Police Act 1996. This section outlines that such officers have jurisdiction throughout England and Wales and also the adjacent United Kingdom waters. Special Constables, who are part-time, volunteer officers of these forces, used to have a more limited jurisdiction – limited solely to their own force areas and adjacent forces. Since 1 April 2007, however Special Constables of England & Wales have full police powers throughout those two countries. This means that, in contrast to most countries, all UK volunteer police officers now have exactly the same powers as their full-time colleagues. There are a number of situations in which the jurisdiction of a constable extends to one of the other countries, and constables of one jurisdiction do have reciprocal powers of arrest in each other's jurisdictions as a matter of course – see the main article for details.


England

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Avon and Somerset Police Avon and Somerset Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in the county of Somerset and in four districts that used to be in the defunct county of Avon: Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and So ...
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Bedfordshire Police Bedfordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire in England, which includes the unitary authorities of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton. Its headquarters are in Kempston, B ...
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Cambridgeshire Constabulary Cambridgeshire Constabulary is the local territorial police force that covers the county of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough unitary authority. It provides law enforcement and security for an area of and population of 856,000 people, in a pred ...
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Cheshire Constabulary Cheshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the English unitary authorities of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Borough of Halton and Borough of Warrington. The force is responsible for policing an are ...
Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside participate in a partnership called the
North West Motorway Police Group The North West Motorway Police Group (NWMPG) provides a regionalised policing service for the motorways within the Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester Police areas. It was established in June 2008 in partnership with the Highways Agency. ...
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City of London Police The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, including the Middle and Inner Temples. The force responsible for law enforcement within the remainder of the London region, ...
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Cleveland Police Cleveland Police is the territorial police force responsible for the policing area corresponding to the former county of Cleveland in Northern England. As of September 2017, the force had 1,274 police officers, 278 police staff, 124 police co ...
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Cumbria Constabulary Cumbria Constabulary is the territorial police force in England covering Cumbria. As of September 2017, the force had 1,108 police officers, 535 police staff, 93 police community support officers, and 86 special constables. The force serves a ...
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Derbyshire Constabulary Derbyshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Derbyshire, England. The force covers an area of over with a population of just under one million. Organisation and structure To police the county ...
# Devon and Cornwall Police #
Dorset Police Dorset Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Dorset in the south-west of England, which includes the largely rural area covered by Dorset Council, and the urban conurbation of Bournemouth, Christchurch ...
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Durham Constabulary Durham Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing ceremonial county of County Durham in North East England. The force’s area is bordered by Cumbria Constabulary to the west, Cleveland Police to the south east, Nor ...
# Essex Police #
Gloucestershire Constabulary Gloucestershire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire in England. The force formerly covered the area of South Gloucestershire, however this was transformed to th ...
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Greater Manchester Police Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England. , Greater Manchester Police employed 6,866 police officers, 3,524 me ...
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Hampshire Constabulary The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in South East England.Hampshire Constabulary, 2012 Retrieved 27 April 2012 The force area ...
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Hertfordshire Constabulary Hertfordshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Hertfordshire in England. Its headquarters is in Welwyn Garden City. The current chief constable is Charlie Hall. As of March 2019, the force consis ...
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Humberside Police Humberside Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing The East Riding of Yorkshire including Hull and northern parts of Lincolnshire including Grimsby and Scunthorpe. The chief constable since 2017 is Lee Freeman. Histo ...
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Kent Police Kent Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the and approximately 1.8 million inhabitants of Kent, a county in the south east of England. History On 14 January 1857, a 222-strong 'Kent County Constabulary' was formed ...
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Lancashire Constabulary Lancashire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Lancashire in North West England. The force's headquarters are at Hutton, near the city of Preston. , the force has 3,088 police offic ...
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Leicestershire Police Leicestershire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Leicestershire and Rutland in England. Its headquarters are at Enderby, Leicestershire. History Leicestershire Police was formed in 1839. In 1951 it amalgamated w ...
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Lincolnshire Police Lincolnshire Police is the territorial police force covering the non-metropolitan county of Lincolnshire in the East Midlands of England. Despite the name, the force's area does not include North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire, which ...
# Merseyside Police # Metropolitan Police Service #
Norfolk Constabulary Norfolk Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing Norfolk in East Anglia, England. The force serves a population of 908,000 in a mostly rural area of , including 90 miles of coastline and 16 rivers, including the ...
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Northamptonshire Police Northamptonshire Police (colloquially known as Northants Police) is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Northamptonshire in the East Midlands of England, in the United Kingdom. The Northampton Police area incl ...
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Northumbria Police Northumbria Police is a territorial police force in England. It is responsible for policing the metropolitan boroughs of Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and the City of Sunderland, as well as the ceremonial cou ...
# North Yorkshire Police #
Nottinghamshire Police Nottinghamshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the shire county of Nottinghamshire and the unitary authority of Nottingham in the East Midlands area of England. The area has a population of just over 1 million ...
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South Yorkshire Police South Yorkshire Police (SYP) is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England. The force is led by Chief Constable Lauren Poultney. Oversight is conducted by Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Billings. ...
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Staffordshire Police Staffordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands of England. It is made up of eleven Local Policing Teams, whose boundaries are matched to the nine local author ...
Staffordshire, West Mercia and West Midlands participate in a partnership called the
Central Motorway Police Group The Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) is a co-operative operation between two police forces in the West Midlands of England. Officers from the two forces involved – Staffordshire Police, and West Midlands Police – provide a dedicated p ...
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Suffolk Constabulary Suffolk Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing Suffolk in East Anglia, England. The force serves a population of 761,000 in a mostly rural area of 1,466 square miles (3,796 km2), including 49 miles of coastline a ...
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Surrey Police Surrey Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Surrey in South East England. The force is currently led by Chief Constable Gavin Stephens. Previously the force was led by Nick Ephgrave who left the force ...
# Sussex Police #
Thames Valley Police Thames Valley Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the Thames Valley, covering the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. It the largest non-metropolitan police force in England and Wales, coverin ...
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Warwickshire Police Warwickshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Warwickshire in England. It is the second smallest territorial police force in England and Wales after the City of London Police, with only 823 (full-time equivalents ...
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West Mercia Police West Mercia Police (), formerly the West Mercia Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire (including Telford and Wrekin) and Worcestershire in England. The force area cover ...
# West Midlands Police #
West Yorkshire Police West Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the fourth largest territorial police force in England and Wales by number of officers. History West ...
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Wiltshire Police Wiltshire Police, formerly known as Wiltshire Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Wiltshire (including the Borough of Swindon) in South West England. The force serves 722,000 people over an area ...
, the police forces in England have: * 124,492
police officer A police officer (also called a policeman and, less commonly, a policewoman) is a warranted law employee of a police force. In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the ...
s * 8,634 special constables * 8,659
police community support officer A police community support officer (PCSO; cy, swyddog cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu, SCCH), or as written in legislation community support officer (CSO; cy, swyddog cymorth cymunedol, SCC) is a uniformed member of police staff in England and Wal ...
s (PCSO) * 7,504 police support volunteers (PSV) * 76,466 staff


Wales

# Dyfed-Powys Police (''Heddlu Dyfed Powys'') # Gwent Police (''Heddlu Gwent'') # North Wales Police (''Heddlu Gogledd Cymru'') # South Wales Police (''Heddlu De Cymru'') , the police forces in Wales have: * 7,274
police officer A police officer (also called a policeman and, less commonly, a policewoman) is a warranted law employee of a police force. In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the ...
s * 492 special constables * 834
police community support officer A police community support officer (PCSO; cy, swyddog cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu, SCCH), or as written in legislation community support officer (CSO; cy, swyddog cymorth cymunedol, SCC) is a uniformed member of police staff in England and Wal ...
s (PCSO) * 387 police support volunteers (PSV) * 4,774 staff


Collaborative units

*South East Counter Terrorism Unit *Thames Valley & Hampshire Joint Operations Unit *Surrey Police & Sussex Police Tactical Firearms, Operations Command and Roads Policing Unit *South West Counter Terrorism Unit *Dorset Police and Devon & Cornwall Police Strategic Alliance Unit *East Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit *Norfolk & Suffolk Roads Policing Unit *Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit *Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit *East Midlands Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit * West Midlands Police Counter Terrorism Unit *Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police Specialist Operations Unit *North West Counter Terrorism Unit *Cheshire Police & North Wales Police Alliance Armed Policing Unit *North East Counter Terrorism Unit * Durham and Cleveland Specialist Operations Unit *Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit *Gwent Police & South Wales Police Joint Armed Response Unit


Scotland

Most police powers and functions have been inherited by the Scottish Government and
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of the capital ...
from the Scottish Office. Areas for which legislative responsibility remains with the UK Government include national security, terrorism, firearms and drugs. The
Police (Scotland) Act 1967 The Police (Scotland) Act 1967 (c. 77) is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament which until 2013 had provided a framework for territorial police forces in Scotland to operate within. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, passed by the ...
, as amended, was the basis for the organisation and jurisdiction of the eight former territorial forces in Scotland that were formed in 1975. These forces covered one or more of the areas of the local government regions established in the 1975 local government reorganisation (and since abolished), with minor adjustments to align with the post-1996
council area {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) A council area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Act. ...
borders. These forces provided most of the police services to the public of Scotland, although Scottish police officers also have limited jurisdiction throughout the rest of the United Kingdom as required (See above comments under English and Welsh forces). In 2011, the Scottish Government announced that it planned to amalgamate the eight territorial forces in Scotland, along with the
Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) was a special police force of Scotland responsible for disrupting and dismantling serious organised crime groups. The Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA) was established on 1 April 2001 ...
, into a single agency. The
Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament. This legislation merged the eight separate police forces and fire and rescue services in Scotland, plus several central agencies, into single agencies coveri ...
, an Act of the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of the capital ...
, codified this amalgamation and brought about the new
Police Service of Scotland Police Scotland ( gd, Poileas Alba), officially the Police Service of Scotland (), is the national police force of Scotland. It was formed in 2013, through the merging of eight regional police forces in Scotland, as well as the specialist service ...
(to be known as "Police Scotland"). The new force was established on 1 April 2013. In 2017, plans were being debated in the Scottish Parliament to merge railway policing with Police Scotland. As of December 2019, police numbers in Scotland were: *Police officers: 17,259 * Special constables: 531 *Other staff: 6,168 Community Support Officers, commonly referred to as "Police Community Support Officers", were established by Section 38(2) of the Police Reform Act 2002, which applies only to England and Wales. There are therefore no Community Support Officers in Scotland.


Northern Ireland

County and borough based police forces were not formed in Ireland as they were in Great Britain, with instead a single
Royal Irish Constabulary The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, ga, Constáblacht Ríoga na hÉireann; simply called the Irish Constabulary 1836–67) was the police force in Ireland from 1822 until 1922, when all of the country was part of the United Kingdom. A separate ...
covering most of Ireland (the exceptions being the
Dublin Metropolitan Police The Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) was the police force of Dublin, Ireland, from 1836 to 1925, when it was amalgamated into the new Garda Síochána. History 19th century The Dublin city police had been subject to major reforms in 1786 and ...
, which was responsible for policing in Dublin, and the
Londonderry Borough Police The Londonderry Borough Police was the police force in the city of Derry, County Londonderry, Ireland, from 1848 to 1870, nicknamed the Horney Dicks after the bones used in their helmets. They replaced the earlier town watch and were in turn re ...
and Belfast Town Police, both replaced by the RIC in the late Victorian period). The
Royal Ulster Constabulary The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. It was founded on 1 June 1922 as a successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Richard Doherty, ''The Thin Green Line – The History of the Roya ...
was formed in 1922 after the establishment of the
Irish Free State The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between the ...
, and served until the reforms of the police under the terms established initially by the
Good Friday Agreement The Good Friday Agreement (GFA), or Belfast Agreement ( ga, Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or ; Ulster-Scots: or ), is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April 1998 that ended most of the violence of The Troubles, a political conflict in N ...
of 1998 undertaken by the Patten Commission, which led to dissolution of the RUC in 2001. The
Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (c 32) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The act renamed the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). It also created the Northern Ireland Policing ...
sets out the basis for the organisation and function of the police force in the province. Until 2010, police powers were not transferred to the devolved
Northern Ireland Executive The Northern Ireland Executive is the devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branch of the legislature – the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is answerable to the assembly and was initially established according to the term ...
, unlike Scotland, instead remaining with the
Northern Ireland Office The Northern Ireland Office (NIO; ga, Oifig Thuaisceart Éireann, Ulster-Scots: ''Norlin Airlann Oaffis'') is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for ...
. However, in January 2010 agreement was reached between the two largest parties in the Assembly, the DUP and Sinn Féin, over a course that would see them assume responsibility for policing and justice from April. As of April 2007 police numbers in Northern Ireland were:APA Police Service Strength Map Update
, Association of Police Authorities, 28 August 2010.
*Police officers: 7,216 *Full-time reserve police officers: 335 *Part-time police officers: 684 *Other staff: 2,265 Police in Northern Ireland do not employ Police Community Support Officers


National Collaborative Units


Bodies hosted by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC)

*
National Wildlife Crime Unit The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) is a British national police unit that gathers intelligence on wildlife crime and provides analytical and investigative support to law enforcement agencies. History The idea was first piloted in 2002 and ...
– A police unit run by the NPCC that gathers intelligence on wildlife crime and provides analytical and investigative support to law enforcement agencies across the United Kingdom. *
National Counter Terrorism Security Office The National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) is a police unit. It is funded by, and reports to, the Home Office, which advises the British government on its counter-terrorism strategy. The National Counter Terrorism Security Office su ...
– A police unit run by the NPCC, which advises the British government on its counter terrorism strategy. *
National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), formerly known as the Association of Chief Police Officers Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) is a British police unit. Originally set up and run by the Association of Chief Police ...
– A police unit run by the NPCC, tasked with combating organised vehicle crime and the use of vehicles in crime.


Bodies hosted by territorial police forces

* National Domestic Extremism and Disorder Intelligence Unit – A police unit that is part of the Metropolitan Police Service Specialist Operations Directorate, tasked with coordinating police response to domestic extremism across the United Kingdom. *
Protection Command The Protection Command is one of the commands within the Specialist Operations directorate of London's Metropolitan Police Service. The command specialises in protective security and has two branches: Royalty and Specialist Protection (RaSP), pr ...
– A police unit that is part of the Metropolitan Police Service Specialist Operations Directorate, responsible for providing protective security to the government/diplomatic community and the Royal Family within the United Kingdom. *
National Fraud Intelligence Bureau The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau is a police unit in the United Kingdom responsible for gathering and analysing intelligence relating to fraud and financially motivated cyber crime. The NFIB was created as part of the recommendations of the ...
– A police unit hosted by the
City of London Police The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, including the Middle and Inner Temples. The force responsible for law enforcement within the remainder of the London region, ...
, tasked with combating economic crime throughout the United Kingdom. *
National Ballistics Intelligence Service The National Ballistics Intelligence Service, or NABIS, is a British intelligence service dedicated to managing and providing detailed information regarding firearm-related criminality. The service aims to use its database to store ballistics i ...
(Great Britain) – A police unit hosted by West Midlands Police, tasked with gathering and disseminating fast time intelligence on the criminal use of firearms across Great Britain. * National Police Air Service (England and Wales) – A police aviation service hosted by
West Yorkshire Police West Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the fourth largest territorial police force in England and Wales by number of officers. History West ...
, that provides centralised air support to all police forces in England and Wales.


Special police forces

The following three government agencies are defined in legislation as "
special police force Special police usually describes a police force or unit within a police force whose duties and responsibilities are significantly different from other forces in the same country or from other police in the same force, although there is no consiste ...
s". As these forces are responsible to specific areas of infrastructure, they do not answer to the Home Office, but instead to the government department responsible for the area they police. All three forces do voluntarily submit themselves to
HMIC His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), formerly Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), has statutory responsibility for the inspection of the police forces of England and Wales, and since ...
inspection: *
Ministry of Defence Police The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is a civilian special police force which is part of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. The MDP's primary responsibilities are to provide armed security and counter terrorism services to designated hig ...
– A police force tasked with providing armed security, uniformed policing, and investigative services to Ministry of Defence installations throughout the United Kingdom. *
Civil Nuclear Constabulary The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) ( Welsh: ''Heddlu Sifil Niwclear'') is a special police force responsible for providing law enforcement and security at any relevant nuclear site and for security of nuclear materials in transit within the Uni ...
– A police force responsible for providing law enforcement and security at or within 5 km of any relevant nuclear site and for nuclear materials in transit within the United Kingdom. *
British Transport Police , nativename = , abbreviation = BTP , patch = , patchcaption = , logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg , logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police , badge = , badgecaption = , f ...
(Great Britain) – A police force responsible for providing law enforcement at certain railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain. The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 gave the
British Transport Police , nativename = , abbreviation = BTP , patch = , patchcaption = , logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg , logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police , badge = , badgecaption = , f ...
and
Ministry of Defence Police The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is a civilian special police force which is part of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. The MDP's primary responsibilities are to provide armed security and counter terrorism services to designated hig ...
a limited, conditional authority to act outside of their primary jurisdiction, if the situation requires urgent police action and the local force are not readily available, ''or'' if they believe that there is risk to life or limb, ''or'' where they are assisting the local force.


Non-police force law enforcement

;


Uniformed and/or investigative

* National Crime Agency (NCA) – An agency that leads UK-wide activities to combat high-level crime such as organised crime. In addition, the NCA acts as the UK point of contact for foreign law enforcement agencies. It replaced the
Serious Organised Crime Agency The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) was a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom which existed from 1 April 2006 until 7 October 2013. SOCA was a national law enforcement agency with Home Office sponsorsh ...
in 2013. *
Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) is the foremost intelligence and investigative agency for labour exploitation in the UK. Its role is to work in partnership with police and other law enforcement agencies such as the National Crime ...
(GLAA) – a Home Office investigative agency for labour exploitation, also working with other agencies on organised crime. GLAA officers have powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 akin to those of in police contables in relation to their narrow remit. *
His Majesty's Revenue and Customs , patch = , patchcaption = , logo = HM Revenue & Customs.svg , logocaption = , badge = , badgecaption = , flag = , flagcaption = , image_size = , co ...
(HMRC) – employs customs officers with law enforcement powers to carry out uniformed (e.g. combatting misuse of red diesel) and investigative work (in the Criminal Investigation Branch). They exercise the powers granted under the Customs Management Acts and the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, including arrest, search and detention of people and goods. *
Border Force Border Force (BF) is a law-enforcement command within the Home Office, responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports in the United Kingdom. The force was part of the now defunct UK Border Agency from its estab ...
(BF) – a law enforcement command within the Home Office, responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports. Border Force officers are dual-warranted as immigration and customs officers. They have powers of arrest and detention under the
Immigration Act 1971 The Immigration Act 1971c 77 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning immigration and nearly entirely remaking the field of British immigration law. The Act, as with the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, and that of 1968, re ...
and Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009. Designated immigration officers have additional powers from the UK Borders Act 2007, allowing them to arrest a person suspected of non-border offences and detain for a certain period until a police constable can take custody of the person. * Immigration Enforcement (IE) – a law enforcement command within the Home Office, responsible for preventing abuse, tracking immigration offenders and increasing compliance with immigration law across the UK. * Environment Agency, in England, and Natural Resources Wales, in Wales, Fisheries Enforcement Officers have the powers of a
constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
in relation to the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. Officers in Scotland are appointed by the District Salmon Fishery Boards, to enforce the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003. FEOs protect fish and combat related crime (e.g. poaching). * His Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) is responsible for managing most prisons in England and Wales. Its Prison Officers, whilst acting as such, have ''"all the powers, authority, protection and privileges of a
constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
"''. Prisons in Northern Ireland and Scotland are managed by the Northern Ireland Prison Service and
Scottish Prison Service The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government tasked with managing prisons and Young Offender Institutions. The Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, currently Teresa Medhurst, is responsible f ...
, respectively.


Bodies with limited executive powers

*
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport (DfT). It carries out driving tests, approves people to be driving instructors and MOT testers, carries out tests to make sure lorries a ...
(Great Britain) *
Driver and Vehicle Agency The Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) ( ga, An Ghníomhaireacht Tiománaithe agus Feithiclí) is a government agency of the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The agency is responsible for conducting vehicle testing, driver testi ...
(Northern Ireland) *The Independent Office for Police Conduct (England and Wales) investigates complaints against police officers and staff of the police forces in England and Wales, and staff of HM Revenue and Customs, the National Crime Agency in England and Wales, the
Border Force Border Force (BF) is a law-enforcement command within the Home Office, responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports in the United Kingdom. The force was part of the now defunct UK Border Agency from its estab ...
and officers from the
Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) is the foremost intelligence and investigative agency for labour exploitation in the UK. Its role is to work in partnership with police and other law enforcement agencies such as the National Crime ...
. Certain investigators of the IOPC, for the purposes of the carrying out of an investigation and all purposes connected with it, have all the powers and privileges of constables throughout England and Wales and the territorial waters.


Bodies with solely investigatory powers

The use of investigatory powers is controlled by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Up to 792 public authorities have powers that are restricted by RIPA. *
Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism Homeland Security Group is an executive directorate of the UK government Home Office, created in 2007, responsible for leading the work on counter-terrorism in the UK, working closely with the police and security services. The office reports to t ...
* Security Service * Serious Fraud Office (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)


Miscellaneous police forces

These police forces generally come under the control of a local authority, public trusts or even private companies; examples include some ports police and the
Mersey Tunnels Police The Mersey Tunnels Police is a small, specialised, non-Home Office police force that provides policing services for the Mersey Tunnels in Merseyside, England. The force, which comprises fifty one officers from Constable to Chief Police Offic ...
. They could have been established by individual
Acts of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of parliament be ...
or under common law powers. Jurisdiction is generally limited to the relevant area of private property alone and in some cases (e.g. docks and harbours) the surrounding area. This, together with the small size of the police forces, means they are often reliant on the territorial force for the area under whose jurisdiction they fall to assist with any serious matter. The statutory responsibility for law and order sits with the territorial police forces even if there is a specialist police force in the locality. These police forces do not have independent Police Authorities and their founding statutes (if any) do not generally prescribe their structure and formation.


Ports police

There are two types of
port police Transit police (also known as transport police, railway police, railroad police and several other terms) are specialized police agencies employed either by a common carrier (a transit district, railway, railroad, bus line, or any other mass tran ...
in the United Kingdom — most are sworn in under the 1847 Act, but a few have Acts specific to their port. ;Ports police operating under the Harbours, Docks, and Piers Clauses Act 1847 For every port/harbour, an individual Act of Parliament (or, more recently, a Harbour (Revision) Order) can incorporate parts of the
Harbours, Docks, and Piers Clauses Act 1847 The Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which governs harbours, docks and piers. Port police The act allows two justices of the peace to swear in port police officers as "special constables" ...
(HDPCA) and apply them to that specific port/harbour. Officers of port police forces are sworn in as " special constables" under section 79 of the 1847 Act, as incorporated by the individual local Act. As a result, officers have the full powers of a constable on any land owned by the harbour, dock, or port and at any place within one mile of any owned land. The
Marine Navigation Act 2013 The Marine Navigation Act 2013 (introduced into Parliament as the ''Marine Navigation (No.2) Bill'') is an Act of Parliament that amends various existing legislation, in particular relating to pilotage and the powers of harbour authorities, po ...
has potentially enabled ports contables in England & Wales to act as constables beyond this one mile limit, in relation to policing purposes connected with the port only, in a
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 pol ...
where consent has been obtained from the relevant Chief Constable. This act does not however give general police powers to ports constables beyond their core jurisdiction as set out in the 1847 act, merely in relation to policing purposes connected to the port as set out in the Act. As of 2014, 3 ports police forces (Dover, Teesport and Bristol) have sought and received consent from the local Chief Constable, with a fourth (Liverpool) in the process of applying for it. This has enabled these 3 ports forces to act as constables, in relation to policing purposes connected to the port, throughout the police area in which they are geographically located. There are 224 constables sworn in under the 1847 Act. Serious or major incidents or crime generally become the responsibility of the local territorial police force. *
Belfast Harbour Police The Belfast Harbour Police is a small, specialised ports police force, with responsibility for the Port of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1847, making it the oldest continuously-operating law enforcement agency on the island of Ire ...
Belfast Harbour Belfast Harbour is a major maritime hub in Belfast, Northern Ireland, handling 67% of Northern Ireland's seaborne trade and about 25% of the maritime trade of the entire island of Ireland. It is a vital gateway for raw materials, exports and c ...
,
Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...
: HDPCA incorporated by section 5 of the Belfast Harbour Act 1847. *
Port of Bristol Police The Port of Bristol Police (PoBP) is a ports police force with responsibility to protect the port complexes and community situated at the mouth of the River Avon on the border between Bristol and Somerset. Officers are attested under powers i ...
Port of Bristol The Port of Bristol comprises the commercial docks situated in and near the city of Bristol in England. They are now operated by the Bristol Port Company, which owns both Avonmouth and Royal Portbury Docks. Until 1991 the Port of Bristol Authori ...
, which includes
Avonmouth Docks The Avonmouth Docks are part of the Port of Bristol, in England. They are situated on the northern side of the mouth of the River Avon, opposite the Royal Portbury Dock on the southern side, where the river joins the Severn estuary, within Av ...
and
Royal Portbury Dock The Royal Portbury Dock is part of the Port of Bristol, in England. It is situated near the village of Portbury on the southern side of the mouth of the Avon, where the river joins the Severn estuary — the Avonmouth Docks are on th ...
* Port of Felixstowe Police
Port of Felixstowe The Port of Felixstowe, in Felixstowe, Suffolk, is the United Kingdom's busiest container port, dealing with 48% of Britain's containerised trade. In 2017, it was ranked as 43rd busiest container port in the world and 8th in Europe, with a ha ...
, Suffolk: HDPCA incorporated by section 3(1)(e) of the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Act 1956. * Port of Portland PolicePortland Harbour, Isle of Portland: HDPCA incorporated b
section 3
of the Portland Harbour Revision Order 1997. * Falmouth Docks Police
Falmouth Docks Falmouth Docks are a deep-water docks of the town of Falmouth in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The docks are the southern shore of the Fal Estuary which is the third largest natural harbour in the world and the deepest in Europe. They e ...
, Falmouth, Cornwall: HDPCA incorporated by section 3 of the Falmouth Docks Act 1959. *
Port of Dover Police The Port of Dover Police (PoDP) is a non- Home Office ports police force which provides a 24-hour policing service to the Port of Dover, Kent, England. Organisation & Role The PoDP is established, funded and maintained by the owners of the P ...
Port of Dover, Dover: HDPCA incorporated by section 3 of th
Dover Harbour Consolidation Act 1954
and incorporation amended b
part 4
of the Dover Harbour Revision Order 2006. Given the large amount of property owned by the port, their jurisdiction effectively extends to all of Dover and now throughout Kent (in relation to port policing matters only) in order to be able to take arrested persons to custody suites. ;Other ports police * Port of Liverpool PolicePort of Liverpool, Liverpool: current authority derives from article 3 of th
Mersey Docks and Harbour (Police) Order 1975
Port of Liverpool police officers are Crown police officers and not special constables. *
Port of Tilbury Police The Port of Tilbury Police is a non- Home Office ports police force responsible for the Port of Tilbury, and Tilbury 2 owned by the Port of Tilbury London Ltd, a subsidiary of Forth Ports plc. The force consists of a Chief of Police, Police Ins ...
(formerly the Port of London Authority Police) —
Port of Tilbury The Port of Tilbury is a port on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It is the principal port for London, as well as being the main United Kingdom port for handling the importation of paper. There are extensive facilities for contai ...
,
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Gr ...
: current authority derives fro
section 154
of the
Port of London Act 1968 A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...
* Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority Harbour Police — Tees and Hartlepool: current authority derives from section 103 of th
Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority Act 1966
* A large, new port on the Thames Estuary (and within the Port of London area) called "
London Gateway DP World London Gateway is a port within the wider Port of London, United Kingdom. Opened in November 2013, the site is a fully integrated logistics facility, comprising a semi-automated deep-sea container terminal on the same site as the U ...
", the owners have the authority to create their own police force for the port. The legislation also incorporates S.79 of the 1847 Act.


Parks police


Parks not controlled by local authorities

These small constabularies are responsible for policing specific land and parks. Officers of these forces have the powers of a constable within their limited jurisdiction. They are not ''constables'' as dealt with in the general Police Acts. *
Epping Forest Keepers The Epping Forest Keepers are an ancient and historic body of people who are employed by the City of London, who in return are responsible, on behalf of the Conservators, for the management and care of Epping Forest, which covers approximately ten ...
*:Current powers derive from regulations made under
Epping Forest Act 1878 During the middle of the nineteenth century, a number of initiatives were started to protect the rights of the public to use open spaces and for the areas to be conserved for their specific environmental features. Some notable people of the time ...
*
Kew Constabulary The Kew Constabulary (formerly the Royal Botanic Gardens Constabulary) is a small, specialised constabulary responsible for policing the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Richmond-upon-Thames, England. The constabulary consists of a sworn securi ...
(formerly Royal Botanic Gardens Constabulary) *:Constables of this force have full police powers whilst on land belonging to the Royal Botanical Gardens as per the Parks Regulation Act 1872 as amended by section 3 (a) of the Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1974. The Parks Regulation Act 1872 provides for the attestation of ''parks constables''.


Parks controlled by local authorities

Over history, a number of local authorities outside London have maintained their own parks police forces, the most notable being Liverpool ( Liverpool Parks Police) and Birmingham ( Birmingham Parks Police). No local authority parks police forces currently exist outside London, although the legal powers for them to do so (granted by various local Acts of Parliament) survive in a limited number of cases. There are some remnant organisations of the old Parks Constabularies/Parks Police, such as the Birmingham Parks Ranger Patrol. In London, these constabularies are responsible for enforcing byelaws within the parks and open spaces of their respective local authorities. Members of the constabularies are sworn as
constables A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
under article 18 of the Greater London Parks and Open Spaces Order 1967. Members of the constabularies are constables only in relation to the enforcement of the parks byelaws (which, by definition, apply only in the parks). * Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police * Hampstead Heath Constabulary (HHC), also appointed under section 16 of the Corporation of London (Open Spaces) Act 1878 with the full powers and privileges of police constables within their limited jurisdiction. *
Havering Parks Constabulary The Havering Parks Constabulary is a body of constables responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Havering. Organisation and Duties Constables The Constabulary is part of Havering Parks Protection Service, and wo ...
* Wandsworth Parks and Events Police Some of these constables have (or have had) a shared role as security staff for their own local authority's buildings and housing estates with appropriate changes of badges and/or uniform being made when changing to/from park duties.


Cathedral constables

Cathedrals that have their own Constabularies consisting of attested constables that keep the peace at each Cathedral. *
York Minster Police York Minster Police is a small, specialised cathedral constabulary responsible for security in York Minster and its precincts in York, United Kingdom. History The Liberty of St Peter and Peter Prison was formed in 1106, and appointed its own ...
*
Chester Cathedral Constables Chester Cathedral Constables are a small team of constables who maintain order and security in and around Chester Cathedral. History In December 2011, Chester Cathedral appointed a head constable to lead a new team of volunteer constables to m ...
*
Canterbury Cathedral Close Constables The Canterbury Cathedral Close Constables are a cathedral constabulary employed by Canterbury Cathedral to maintain order and security in and around the cathedral. They have the same police powers as regular police in the United Kingdom, incl ...
*
Liverpool Cathedral Constables Liverpool Cathedral Constables are a cathedral constabulary responsible for providing security for Liverpool Cathedral. History Its officers follow a long-held tradition of cathedral constables dating back to the thirteenth century. At one time ...


Market police

Traditionally, markets would employ constables to look after markets. Most no longer exist, or exist in a form without attested constables (see below). * The
City of London market constabularies The City of London market constabularies are three small constabularies responsible for security at Billingsgate, New Spitalfields and Smithfield markets run by the City of London Corporation. Powers and duties Market constables now perform a m ...
are three small constabularies responsible for security at Billingsgate, New Spitalfields and Smithfield markets run by the City of London Corporation. However, unlike most other miscellaneous police organisations, the members are no longer attested as constables.


Other

*
Belfast International Airport Constabulary The Belfast International Airport Constabulary (BIAC) is a small, specialised police force responsible for providing policing to the Belfast International Airport in Aldergrove, Northern Ireland. Officers employed by the force as empowered to ac ...
– attested under article 19(3) of the Airports (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 as constables for the airport, which employs them. *
Cambridge University Constabulary The Cambridge University Constabulary is a body of constables that patrol the precincts of the University of Cambridge. There are approximately 20 to 30 constables in the constabulary. The university constables are commonly known as 'bulldogs'. ...
– attested under the
Universities Act 1825 The Universities Act 1825 (Ch 97 6 Geo 4, long name ''An Act for the better Preservation of the Peace and good Order in the Universities of England'') is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which provides for officers of police constabl ...
as constables within the university precincts and up to four miles from them. *
Mersey Tunnels Police The Mersey Tunnels Police is a small, specialised, non-Home Office police force that provides policing services for the Mersey Tunnels in Merseyside, England. The force, which comprises fifty one officers from Constable to Chief Police Offic ...
– attested under section 105 of the County of Merseyside Act 1980 as constables within a jurisdiction of the tunnels and all approach roads.


Military and service police


Service (Military) Police

Each branch of the military has its own ''service police'', though the powers of a service policeman are identical and reciprocal across all three services. The service police is made up of the: * Royal Navy Police ** Royal Marines Police * Royal Military Police * Royal Air Force Police In the UK, the service police exercise jurisdiction over those serving in the military in any capacity and those civilians subject to service discipline as defined by the Armed Forces Act 2006. They are not 'constables' and do not have any policing powers in relation to the general public in normal circumstances. In
British Forces Germany British Forces Germany (''BFG'') was the generic name for the three services of the British Armed Forces, made up of service personnel, UK Civil Servants, and dependents (family members), based in Germany. It was established following the Secon ...
, under the Status Of Forces Act, military police have jurisdiction over British Forces personnel, their families, MOD contractors, and
NAAFI The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI ) is a company created by the British government on 9 December 1920 to run recreational establishments needed by the British Armed Forces, and to sell goods to servicemen and their families. It runs c ...
staff. Service Police are Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) trained and all investigations are PACE compliant. They make regular use of civilian police facilities often conducting joint investigations where necessary. The Service Police are able to investigate all crime within their jurisdiction, up to and including Murder, however within the UK, offences of murder and sudden deaths are passed to the local police force as per national jurisdiction agreements. Whilst operating in conflict zones, the military police will conduct the full range of policing including murder investigations as evidenced by the Sgt Blackman investigation.


Defence security organisations

Other agencies exist to provide security to MOD and military bases in the UK and abroad. *
Northern Ireland Security Guard Service The Northern Ireland Security Guard Service (NISGS) is a civilian organisation of the Ministry of Defence that provides armed security at military establishments in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1998 following the Good Friday Agreement an ...
(NISGS) – Civilian Security Officers belonging to the Northern Ireland Security Guard Service are attested as Special Constables. They are armed, as is customary in Northern Ireland for security forces. * Germany Guard Service (GGS) - MOD uniformed civilian security officers providing armed security and access control to
British Forces Germany British Forces Germany (''BFG'') was the generic name for the three services of the British Armed Forces, made up of service personnel, UK Civil Servants, and dependents (family members), based in Germany. It was established following the Secon ...
units *
Military Provost Guard Service The Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS) is responsible for maintaining physical security at British Armed Forces locations throughout Great Britain. It is one of three constituent units of the Adjutant General's Corps Provost Branch (the other ...
(MPGS) - part of the Army
Adjutant General's Corps The Adjutant General's Corps is a corps in the British Army responsible for many of its general administrative services, named for the Adjutant-General to the Forces (now the Commander Home Command). As of 2002, the AGC had a staff of 7,000 peopl ...
, tasked with armed security at military establishments in mainland UK. *
Ministry of Defence Guard Service The Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) is part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation of the Ministry of Defence, it provides Defence establishments across the United Kingdom with guarding and patrol services and was established as a re ...
(MGS) - civilian unarmed security officers providing security and access control at MOD and some military establishments.


Bodies with limited enforcement powers

There are also non-police (of any type) organisations who have been given certain powers to enforce rules, regulations and laws. #Under the
community safety accreditation scheme Community safety accreditation schemes enable the chief constable of a police force in the United Kingdom (Except Scotland ) to grant a limited range of police powers to employees of non-police organisations bolstering community safety. Communi ...
(CSAS) and the similar railway safety accreditation scheme (RSAS), police forces in England and Wales have the power to grant limited powers to official persons (such as council wardens and private security staff), for example, the power to confiscate alcohol from under 18s. #Under the national railway byelaws, any 'authorised person' may ensure all persons on the railway are abiding by the byelaws. Generally, railway train operating companies (TOCs) leave this to dedicated enforcement officers. Sometimes these officers will have powers under the Railway safety accreditation scheme and as they are working for the railway, they also have powers under the railway byelaws. Under the
community safety accreditation scheme Community safety accreditation schemes enable the chief constable of a police force in the United Kingdom (Except Scotland ) to grant a limited range of police powers to employees of non-police organisations bolstering community safety. Communi ...
(CSAS), there are many different people involved, such as council staff, park rangers or private security staff that work for councils and local authorities and many different titles are used: ;Community based ;Railway based ''(Officers with powers under both national byelaws and RSAS)'' *Protection officer *Rail neighbourhood officer


Crown Dependencies


Isle of Man

* The
Isle of Man Constabulary The Isle of Man Constabulary ( gv, Meoiryn-Shee Ellan Vannin) is the national police service of the Isle of Man, an island of 85,000 inhabitants, situated approximately equidistant from Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England. Structures ...
(''Meoiryn-Shee Ellan Vannin'') is the police service of the Isle of Man. * The Isle of Man Prison and Probation Service runs the
Isle of Man Prison Isle of Man Prison is a mixed-use prison located in the Jurby parish of the Isle of Man. The prison is operated by the Isle of Man Prison Service (part of the Department of Home Affairs) and is the only functioning prison on the island. History ...
, the only prison on the island. * Isle of Man Customs and Excise Division is tasked with customs duties on the island. ;Defunct * The Isle of Man Airport Police policed the main
Isle of Man Airport Isle of Man Airport ( Manx: ''Purt Aer Vannin'', also known as Ronaldsway Airport) is the main civilian airport on the Isle of Man. It is located in the south of the island at Ronaldsway near Castletown, southwest of Douglas, the island's c ...
(in
Ronaldsway Ronaldsway () is a place in the parish of Malew in the south of the Isle of Man, between the village of Ballasalla and the town of Castletown. Features It is notable as the location of Isle of Man Airport and historically of RNAS Ronaldsway, t ...
), with officers who were "warranted constables" under the Isle of Man Airports and Civil Aviation Act. Disbanded September 2019.


Bailiwick of Jersey

* The States of Jersey Police ''(Police d'États de Jersey)'' is the police service of Jersey. It was established in its current form by the Police Force (Jersey) Law, 1974 and consists of around 240 officers. *
States of Jersey Customs and Immigration Service States of Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, formed from the amalgamation of the Customs & Excise Department (formerly known as the Bureau des Impôts) and the Immigration and Nationality Department holds one of the oldest government posts i ...
* Honorary Police – There is an
Honorary Police There is an Honorary Police (French: Police Honorifique) force in each of the twelve parishes of Jersey. Members of the Honorary Police are elected by the voters of the parish in which they serve, and are unpaid. Honorary Police officers have, ...
(
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
: ''Police Honorifique'') force in each parish in Jersey. Honorary Police officers have, for centuries, been elected by parishioners to assist the Connétable of the Parish to maintain law and order, and to this day the only person who may charge a person with an offence is the Centenier of the parish in which the offence allegedly took place. Officers are elected as
Centenier There is an Honorary Police (French: Police Honorifique) force in each of the twelve parishes of Jersey. Members of the Honorary Police are elected by the voters of the parish in which they serve, and are unpaid. Honorary Police officers have, ...
s,
Vingtenier There is an Honorary Police (French: Police Honorifique) force in each of the twelve parishes of Jersey. Members of the Honorary Police are elected by the voters of the parish in which they serve, and are unpaid. Honorary Police officers have, ...
s or Constable's Officers, each with various duties and responsibilities. * Jersey Prison Service, responsible for running the HM Prison La Moye.


Bailiwick of Guernsey

* The
States of Guernsey Police Service The Guernsey Police, is the police service for the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a jurisdictional sub-group of Crown Dependencies within the Channel Islands. The service's enforcement jurisdiction extends across the entire bailiwick and encompasses t ...
(''États de Guernesey Service de police'') is the local police force for the Crown dependency of Guernsey. In addition to providing police for the island of Guernsey itself, the Guernsey Police also provides detachments for the islands of
Alderney Alderney (; french: Aurigny ; Auregnais: ) is the northernmost of the inhabited Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The island's area is , making it the third-largest ...
, Herm and Sark. *
Guernsey Border Agency The Guernsey Border Agency is the law enforcement body charged with tackling cross border crime and administering the customs and immigration systems for the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The agency is headed by a Chief Officer - Patrick Rice (Head o ...
, responsible with policing cross border and financial crime, customs and immigration. * Guernsey Prison Service, responsible for running HMP Guernsey, the main prison on the island.


Overseas Territories

The
British Overseas Territories The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remnants of the former Bri ...
(BOTs) are generally speaking small nations, mostly islands, which are administered internally, but which the United Kingdom has responsibility for serious matters, such as defence. Consequently, law enforcement in these territories closely mirrors the UK, with some influence from other nations. Some of these agencies are very old and were setup centuries ago.


Civil Police

Almost all BOTs have a civil police force. Some forces may serve more than one island or territory. See below for details.


Table


List

*
Bermuda Police Service The Bermuda Police Service is the law enforcement agency of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is responsible for policing the entire archipelago, including incorporated municipalities, and the surrounding waters. It is part of, and ...
* Bermuda Airport Security Police *
Royal Anguilla Police Force The Royal Anguilla Police Force (RAPF), known as the Anguilla Police Force until 1990, is the national police force of the Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. History The Anguilla Police Force was formed on 28 January 1972, af ...
* Pitcairn Islands Police *
Royal Cayman Islands Police Service The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) is the standing police force of the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands. The police force was formed in 1907 and currently (2009) stands at 343 enlisted officers, tasked with tackling C ...
*
Royal Falkland Islands Police The Royal Falkland Islands Police (RFIP) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the Falkland Islands. The current Chief Police Officer is Superintendent Michael Luke. The Falkland Islands Police Force was granted t ...
*
Royal Montserrat Police Force The Royal Montserrat Police Service is the police service of the British Overseas Territory island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. The current Commissioner is Steve Foster, JP, BSc, CPA., a native and career police officer of Montserrat. His ...
*
Royal Virgin Islands Police Force The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force is the territorial police force of the British Virgin Islands. The United States Virgin Islands Police Department is responsible for policing the U.S. Virgin Islands. History The RVIP was formed in 1967. ...
*
Saint Helena Police Service The Royal Saint Helena Police Service, formerly the Saint Helena Police Service, is the local police force for the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, consisting of the South Atlantic islands of Saint He ...
*
Royal Gibraltar Police The Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) is, along with His Majesty's Customs (Gibraltar), the principal civilian law enforcement agency in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It is the oldest police force in the Commonwealth of Nations outsid ...
* Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force


Ministry of Defence overseas police

*
Sovereign Base Areas Police The Sovereign Base Areas Police is the local civilian police force for the British controlled Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus. Duties Established in August 1960, the force has responsibility for all 15,000 residen ...
(Cyprus) - polices the SBA areas in Cyprus *
Gibraltar Defence Police The Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP) is a civil police force which provides a policing and security service for the Ministry of Defence in Gibraltar. Prior to 17 December 2009 it was known as the Gibraltar Services Police (GSP).
- policies all Defence areas and people in
Gibraltar ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song = "Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gibra ...


Overseas service (military) police

* British Indian Ocean Territory Police - military police that act as the police for BIOT * Cyprus Joint Police Unit - tri-service military police *Falkland Islands Joint Service Police Security Unit - tri-service military police (JSPSU) *Gibraltar Joint Provost and Security Unit - tri-service military police (JPSU)


Prison service and corrections

*His Majesty's Prison Service Turks and Caicos * Bermuda Department of Corrections *His Majesty's Prison Gibraltar *His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, Falkland Islands *His Majesty's Virgin Islands Prison Service (HMVIP) *His Majesty's Cayman Islands Prison Service *His Majesty's Prison Anguilla *His Majesty's Prison Montserrat


Customs, immigration and border

*
His Majesty's Customs (Gibraltar) His Majesty's Customs (Gibraltar) are the primary customs and import authority in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is a uniformed, enforcement body, controlled by the Ministry of Finance, Government of Gibraltar. The customs offic ...
*
Border and Coastguard Agency (Gibraltar) The Borders and Coastguard Agency is the combined border guard and coast guard of Gibraltar. It was established as a statutory agency by an Act of the Gibraltar Parliament and has been operating since 1 November 2011. Customs duties are handle ...
* Turks & Caicos Customs Department * Turks and Caicos Immigration Department * His Majesty's Customs, British Virgin Islands * His Majesty's Customs and Excise (St Helena) * His Majesty's Customs Bermuda * Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control (CBC) ''N.B. "His Majesty's" is often shortened to HM''.


Overseas law enforcement in the UK

There are certain instances where police forces of other nations operate in a limited degree in the United Kingdom: *''
Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gove ...
'' – Under an agreement between the
British Government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_es ...
and the
Irish Government The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The gover ...
and under the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
Convention on the Law of the Sea The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea Treaty, is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. , 167 c ...
, the Garda Síochána and the
Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII), ''An Institiúid Éireannach um Chosaint Raideolaíoch'', was an independent public body in Ireland under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Th ...
are allowed to inspect the
Sellafield Sellafield is a large multi-function nuclear site close to Seascale on the coast of Cumbria, England. As of August 2022, primary activities are nuclear waste processing and storage and nuclear decommissioning. Former activities included nu ...
nuclear facility in Cumbria. *'' Police aux Frontières'' – As part of the
Channel Tunnel The Channel Tunnel (french: Tunnel sous la Manche), also known as the Chunnel, is a railway tunnel that connects Folkestone (Kent, England, UK) with Coquelles ( Hauts-de-France, France) beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. ...
agreement between the British and French governments, the Police aux Frontières maintains a presence at St. Pancras International,
Ebbsfleet International Ebbsfleet International railway station is in Ebbsfleet Valley, Kent, east of London, England, near Dartford and the Bluewater shopping centre to the west and Gravesend to the east. The station, part of the Thames Gateway urban regeneration p ...
and
Ashford International Ashford International railway station is a National Rail station in Ashford, Kent, England. It connects several railway lines, including High Speed 1 and the South Eastern Main Line. Services are operated by Southeastern and Southern. The st ...
railway stations and on Eurostar trains. The British Transport Police have a reciprocal arrangement at the Gare du Nord in Paris. The Police aux Frontieres also maintain a presence at passport control at the
Eurotunnel Getlink, formerly Groupe Eurotunnel, is a European public company based in Paris that manages and operates the infrastructure of the Channel Tunnel between England and France, operates the Eurotunnel Shuttle train service, and earns revenue ...
terminal in Folkestone and at Dover port, whilst Kent Police maintains a presence at Coquelles on the French side of the tunnel. Similar arrangements allow the
Border Force Border Force (BF) is a law-enforcement command within the Home Office, responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports in the United Kingdom. The force was part of the now defunct UK Border Agency from its estab ...
to operate juxtaposed controls in France and Belgium. *
Military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear re ...
of visiting forces while present within the terms of the
Visiting Forces Act 1952 The Visiting Forces Act 1952 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Section 3provides immunity against prosecution for certain offences in the courts of United Kingdom by members of visiting forces and, by virtue of the 1964 Act, inte ...
.


See also

*
Battenburg markings Battenburg markings or Battenberg markings are a pattern of high-visibility markings developed in the United Kingdom in the 1990s and currently seen on many types of emergency service vehicles in the UK, Crown dependencies, British Overseas Ter ...
*
Sillitoe tartan Sillitoe tartan is the nickname given to the distinctive black and white chequered pattern, correctly known as ''dicing'', which was originally associated with the police in Scotland. It later gained widespread use in the rest of the United Kin ...
* Jam sandwich (slang) *
List of defunct law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom Due to various Parliamentary Acts the numbers of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom has varied drastically since the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 set up the first modern police force in London. There are currently over 60 law enf ...
* List of law enforcement agencies in England and Wales * List of law enforcement agencies in Northern Ireland *
List of law enforcement agencies in Scotland {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2022 This is a list of law enforcement agencies in Scotland. ;Police *Police Scotland *British Transport Police *Ministry of Defence Police *Civil Nuclear Constabulary ;Bodies with police powers * National Crime Agen ...
* List of United Kingdom uniformed services *
Law enforcement in the United Kingdom Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Most law enforcement is carried out by police officers serving in regional pol ...
* Table of police forces in the United Kingdom *
Collar number A collar number, also known as a shoulder number, force identification number (FIN) or occasionally as force number (although this can also refer to the ID number of a force itself), identifies police officers, police community support officers ...
* Warrant card *
Royal Hong Kong Police Force The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) is the primary law enforcement, investigative agency, and largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. The Royal Hong Kong Police Force (RHKPF) reverted to its former name after the ...


Notes


References


Further reading

* Helen Gough, ''Police and Constabulary Almanac (Police & Constabulary Almanac)'', Shaw & Sons (21 February 2007), 500 pages, ,

{{police Law enforcement agencies of the United Kingdom Police forces of British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories