Collar number
Encyclopedia
A collar number, also known as a shoulder number, Force Identification Number (FIN) or occasionally as Force Number (although this can also refer to ID number of a force itself), identifies uniformed
officers, Police Community Support Officer
s (PCSO), and some police staff in UK police forces. Although now displayed on epaulette
s (i.e. on the shoulder), it is still commonly referred to as a collar number.
In most forces it is simply a one- to five-digit number, but in larger forces a letter code (also known as a Division Call Sign) may be added to indicate the officer's base area or unit.
For the letters shown on riot helmets and the roofs of police vehicles, see Home Office radio
callsigns.
This changed in February 2009 when the City of London Police was divided into directorates rather than along the traditional divisional lines. The new shoulder number for all police officers was suffixed by 'CP' and the former department designations A-F ceased to exist for uniform purposes. Territorial Policing response officers now work out of Bishopsgate police station, some support services such as the Dogs and Mounted Unit are based at the Headquarters in Wood Street and community officers, PCSOs and various administrative services work from Snow Hill police station.
Divisional area codes are still used to identify the areas themselves, together with the police station and vehicles (if any) nominally covering them, but not officers. So for example QY88 would be a panda car
notionally assigned to Kingsbury, though it would actually be based at QD (i.e. Wembley, the nearest operational police station) and be crewed by officers whose collar numbers all contain the letters 'QK' (since they are counted as Brent officers regardless of which station they may happen to be based at).
A one or two digit number denotes a Sergeant
, a three digit number denotes a Constable
, a four digit number beginning with 5 denotes a Special Constable
and a four digit number beginning with 7 denotes a PCSO
. Confusingly, MPS epaulettes display the letters over the digits, i.e. 81FH (a Sergeant based at Hammersmith
) would show FH over 81 on his/her shoulder, which reads more like FH81 (the call sign
of a panda car
based there). Ranks above Sergeant do not have collar numbers - officers are identified by name (e.g. Inspector Smith, who may once have been just PC 123KG).
An exception to the above is the City of Westminster borough. Westminster has over 1500 officers therefore a three digit number system is too small. Until late 2009 constables and sergeants had four digit shoulder numbers beginning 1, 2, 3 or 4 (with the leading number signifying which part of the borough you were attached to - 1 Westminster North, 2 Westminster Central, 3 Westminster South or 4 Westminster HQ). With the amalgamation of Westminster Central and South in late 2009 the decision was taken to amalgamate all the shoulder numbers into one numbering system. All new officers joining the borough will be given the first available number and cross division moves will no longer result in the need for a new shoulder number.
Specialist MPS units do not necessarily follow any of the above numbering rules, with both Constables and Sergeants having anything from one to four digits.
All Metropolitan Police officers in uniform below the rank of Inspector are required to have their collar numbers on display at all times. It is increasingly common for higher ranks to display their warrant numbers on their epaulettes in addition to their rank.
† Some authoritative sources (e.g. Police Almanac) are self-contradictory and incomplete
Not all of these stations are currently operational
Uniforms and equipment of the British police
Police uniforms and equipment in the United Kingdom have varied considerably from the inception of what was to become the earliest recognisable mainstream police force in the country with the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829...
officers, Police Community Support Officer
Police community support officer
A police community support officer , or community support officer is a uniformed non-warranted officer employed by a territorial police force or the British Transport Police in England and Wales. Police community support officers were introduced in September 2002 by the Police Reform Act 2002...
s (PCSO), and some police staff in UK police forces. Although now displayed on epaulette
Epaulette
Epaulette is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations.Epaulettes are fastened to the shoulder by a shoulder strap or "passant", a small strap parallel to the shoulder seam, and the button near the collar, or by laces on the...
s (i.e. on the shoulder), it is still commonly referred to as a collar number.
In most forces it is simply a one- to five-digit number, but in larger forces a letter code (also known as a Division Call Sign) may be added to indicate the officer's base area or unit.
For the letters shown on riot helmets and the roofs of police vehicles, see Home Office radio
Home Office radio
Home Office radio was the VHF and UHF radio service provided by the British Government to its Prison Service, Emergency Service and Home Defence agencies from around 1939...
callsigns.
City of London
- A number followed by a single letter to indicate the division.
| Suffix code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Anti-Terrorism & Public Order (Dogs, Mounted, Traffic) (formerly Moor Lane) |
| B | Snow Hill |
| C | Bishopsgate |
| D | Specialist Crime Operations (formerly Cloak Lane) |
| E | Professional Development Unit |
| F | Economic Crime Department |
This changed in February 2009 when the City of London Police was divided into directorates rather than along the traditional divisional lines. The new shoulder number for all police officers was suffixed by 'CP' and the former department designations A-F ceased to exist for uniform purposes. Territorial Policing response officers now work out of Bishopsgate police station, some support services such as the Dogs and Mounted Unit are based at the Headquarters in Wood Street and community officers, PCSOs and various administrative services work from Snow Hill police station.
Metropolitan Police Service
A number, followed by one or two letters indicating the station/sector, borough, or unit. Current practice favours use of borough codes rather than station codes (with the borough code generally taken from one of the borough's stations - see below - which can cause confusion).Divisional area codes are still used to identify the areas themselves, together with the police station and vehicles (if any) nominally covering them, but not officers. So for example QY88 would be a panda car
Panda car
The phrase panda car refers to a small or medium-sized police car operated by British police forces. They are used for ordinary patrol work, with larger and more powerful vehicles being used for emergency response, Road Policing Unit duties and as Armed Response Vehicles-History of the term:Panda...
notionally assigned to Kingsbury, though it would actually be based at QD (i.e. Wembley, the nearest operational police station) and be crewed by officers whose collar numbers all contain the letters 'QK' (since they are counted as Brent officers regardless of which station they may happen to be based at).
A one or two digit number denotes a Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
, a three digit number denotes a Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
, a four digit number beginning with 5 denotes a Special Constable
Special constable
A Special Constable is a law enforcement officer who is not a regular member of a police force. Some like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police carry the same law enforcement powers as regular members, but are employed in specific roles, such as explosive disposal technicians, court security, campus...
and a four digit number beginning with 7 denotes a PCSO
Police community support officer
A police community support officer , or community support officer is a uniformed non-warranted officer employed by a territorial police force or the British Transport Police in England and Wales. Police community support officers were introduced in September 2002 by the Police Reform Act 2002...
. Confusingly, MPS epaulettes display the letters over the digits, i.e. 81FH (a Sergeant based at Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
) would show FH over 81 on his/her shoulder, which reads more like FH81 (the call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
of a panda car
Panda car
The phrase panda car refers to a small or medium-sized police car operated by British police forces. They are used for ordinary patrol work, with larger and more powerful vehicles being used for emergency response, Road Policing Unit duties and as Armed Response Vehicles-History of the term:Panda...
based there). Ranks above Sergeant do not have collar numbers - officers are identified by name (e.g. Inspector Smith, who may once have been just PC 123KG).
An exception to the above is the City of Westminster borough. Westminster has over 1500 officers therefore a three digit number system is too small. Until late 2009 constables and sergeants had four digit shoulder numbers beginning 1, 2, 3 or 4 (with the leading number signifying which part of the borough you were attached to - 1 Westminster North, 2 Westminster Central, 3 Westminster South or 4 Westminster HQ). With the amalgamation of Westminster Central and South in late 2009 the decision was taken to amalgamate all the shoulder numbers into one numbering system. All new officers joining the borough will be given the first available number and cross division moves will no longer result in the need for a new shoulder number.
Specialist MPS units do not necessarily follow any of the above numbering rules, with both Constables and Sergeants having anything from one to four digits.
All Metropolitan Police officers in uniform below the rank of Inspector are required to have their collar numbers on display at all times. It is increasingly common for higher ranks to display their warrant numbers on their epaulettes in addition to their rank.
| Code | Specialist unit |
|---|---|
| CC | Central Communications Command (CO10) Central Communications Command The Central Communications Command is the largest Operational Command Unit OCU of London's Metropolitan Police Service. It sits within Territorial Policing, the business group within the Met that is responsible for Borough Policing and public contact... |
| CO | Central Operations Central Operations Central Operations is a major directorate of the London Metropolitan Police Service that provides operational support to the rest of the service... (formerly Commissioner's Office) |
| D | Diplomatic Protection Group |
| ID | Heathrow Airport (now Aviation Security (CO18)) |
| TP | Operational Support Unit (MSC pan-london public order unit) |
| P | Parliament Palace of Westminster Division The Palace of Westminster Division is a branch of the Specialist Operations Directorate, within London's Metropolitan Police Service. SO17 is responsible for security at the Palace of Westminster, along with surrounding buildings which house administrative functions... (CO7) |
| R | Royalty Protection Group |
| RO | Royal Parks |
| MXC | Specialist Crime Directorate Specialist Crime Directorate The Specialist Crime Directorate is one of the main branches of the London Metropolitan Police Service. It deals with a wide range of criminality from murder to organised crime. Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick is currently the head of the directorate... |
| SO | Specialist Operations Specialist Operations Specialist Operations is a directorate of the Metropolitan Police. At its peak, SO was a group of twenty specialist units, which were formed to give the Metropolitan Police a specialist policing capability. The SO designation was implemented in 1986 as part of Sir Kenneth Newman's restructuring of... |
| ST | Safer Transport unit |
| L | Learning Directorate (training) |
| TD | Traffic Operational Command Unit Traffic Operational Command Unit The Traffic Operational Command Unit is a Central Operations branch of the London Metropolitan Police Service. The unit is responsible for policing of the roads, such as the London road network. It has been in existence since 1930, when motor traffic patrols were set up at police stations... - CO15 |
| TL | Transport Operational Command Unit Transport Operational Command Unit The Safer Transport Command is a unit of the London Metropolitan Police Service that polices buses, bus routes, taxis and minicabs. It does not police national railways in London, London Underground, Docklands Light Railway or Tramlink, which fall under the remit of the British Transport Police... - CO17 |
| U | Territorial Support Group Territorial Support Group The Territorial Support Group is a Central Operations unit of London's Metropolitan Police Service consisting of 720 officers, that specialises in public order containment among other specialist policing. The TSG is a uniformed unit of the MPS that replaced the controversial Special Patrol Group... (also known as 'Uniform' units after the spelling alphabet codeword for 'U'. ) |
| UD | Marine Support Unit |
| Borough | Sectors |
|---|---|
| KG Barking & Dagenham | KB Barking, KG Dagenham, KK Marks Gate |
| SX Barnet | SA Barnet, SX Colindale, SF Finchley, SG Golders Green, ST Whetstone |
| RY Bexley | RB Belvedere, RY Bexleyheath, RS Sidcup |
| QK Brent | QC Chalkhill, QH Harlesden, QK Kilburn, QD Wembley, QL Willesden Green, QY Kingsbury |
| PY Bromley | PB Beckenham, PH Biggin Hill, PC Chislehurst, PY Bromley, PN Orpington, PG Penge, PW West Wickham |
| EK Camden | ED Albany Street, EH Hampstead, EO Holborn, EK Kentish Town, EW West Hampstead |
| ZD Croydon | ZD Croydon, ZK Kenley, ZA New Addington, ZY Norbury, ZN South Norwood, ZP Purley (Since 2011) |
| XB Ealing | XA Acton, XD Ealing, XG Greenford, XI Hanwell, XP Northolt, XW Norwood Green, XS Southall |
| YE Enfield | YE Edmonton, YF Enfield, YP Ponders End, YS Southgate, YW Winchmore Hill, YC Cheshunt (now in Hertfordshire Constabulary) |
| RG Greenwich | RM Eltham, RG Greenwich, RA Plumstead, RT Thamesmead, RK Westcombe Park, RW Woolwich |
| GD Hackney | GH Hackney, GD Shoreditch, GN Stoke Newington |
| FH Hammersmith & Fulham | FF Fulham, FH Hammersmith, FS Shepherds Bush |
| YR Haringey | YR Hornsey, YM Muswell Hill, YA St Ann's, YT Tottenham, YD Wood Green |
| QA Harrow | QE Edgware, QA Harrow, QP Pinner, QW Wealdstone, QS West Street |
| KD Havering | KL Collier Row, KA Harold Hill, KC Hornchurch, KM Rainham, KD Romford, KU Upminster |
| XH Hillingdon | XF Harefield, XY Hayes, XH Hillingdon, XN Northwood, XR Ruislip, XE West Drayton |
| TX Hounslow | TB Brentford, TC Chiswick, TF Feltham, TX Hounslow |
| NI Islington | NH Holloway, NI Islington |
| BS Kensington & Chelsea | BC Chelsea, BD Kensington, BH Notting Hill |
| VK Kingston-Upon-Thames | VK Kingston, VN New Malden, VE/VS† Surbiton |
| LX Lambeth | LD Brixton, LC Cavendish, LN/LM† Clapham, LG Gipsy Hill, LK Kennington, LS Streatham |
| PL Lewisham | PK Brockley, PD Catford, PP Deptford, PL Lewisham, PS Sydenham |
| VW Merton | VM Mitcham, VR Morden, VW Wimbledon |
| KF Newham | KE East Ham, KF Forest Gate, KN North Woolwich, KW/KO† Plaistow, KS Stratford |
| JI Redbridge | JB Barkingside, JI Ilford, JN Wanstead, JF Woodford |
| TW Richmond Upon Thames | TR Richmond, TT Teddington, TW Twickenham |
| MD Southwark | MC Camberwell, ME East Dulwich, MM Peckham, MR Rotherhithe, MD Southwark, MS Walworth |
| ZT Sutton | ZT Sutton, ZW Wallington, ZR Worcester Park |
| HT Tower Hamlets | HW Bow, HT Bethnal Green / Whitechapel, HR Brick Lane, HI Isle of Dogs, HH Limehouse, HP Poplar |
| JC Waltham Forest | JC Chingford, JL Leyton, JS Leytonstone, JW Walthamstow, JK Walthamstow Market, JA Waltham Abbey (now in Essex) |
| WW Wandsworth | WA Battersea, WL Lavender Hill, WD Tooting, WW/WH Wandsworth (also includes the Putney Sector Office which replaced the previous Putney station which had the code WP †) |
| CW Westminster | AB Belgravia, CX Charing Cross, DM Marylebone, DP Paddington, DR Harrow Road, DS St John's Wood, CD West End Central |
† Some authoritative sources (e.g. Police Almanac) are self-contradictory and incomplete
Not all of these stations are currently operational