Derbyshire Constabulary
Encyclopedia
Derbyshire Constabulary is the territorial police force
responsible for policing the county of Derbyshire
, England
. The force covers an area of over 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) with a population of just under one million.
('B' Division - covering High Peak and Derbyshire Dales District Council areas), Chesterfield
('C' Division - Chesterfield, NE Derbyshire, Amber Valley and Bolsover and the villages of South Normanton and Pinxton which lie within the boundaries of Bolsover
District Council), and Derby
('D' Division - policing the city of Derby and the districts of Erewash, Long Eaton and South Derbyshire). The Force Headquarters, near Ripley and close to the A38 road
, is Butterley Hall
, former residence of Benjamin Outram
and once owned by the Butterley Company
. The Old Hall and later additional buildings in the large grounds house much of the force's central administrative services. The old "A" Divisions HQ at Wyatts Way Ripley (adjacent to force Headquarters) is now the home of Operational Support Division which encompasses the Road Policing Unit (with bases at Cotton Lane in Derby, Beetwell Street in Chesterfield and Chapel-en-le-Frith
), Air Support (North Midlands Helicopter Support Unit
(NMHSU)), a partnership with Nottinghamshire Police
), ARU (Armed Response Unit), Dog Section, Uniform Task Force and Road Policing Support (Collision Investigators). The Constabulary is led by the Chief Constable assisted by a Deputy and two Assistant Chief Constables. Each division is headed by a Chief Superintendent - the Divisional Commander - and each division is divided into Sections, which are led by an Inspector. The force has an authorised establishment of 2,065 police officers, 475 special constable
s and 104 Police Community Support Officer
s (PCSOs) The Chief Officers of the force work in partnership with the 17 publicly-elected representatives on the Derbyshire Police Authority, which shares responsibility for budgets and policy, and is intended to ensure that the public of Derbyshire have a voice in the policing of their county.
and its surrounds. Winter weather on the unforgiving high ground around Glossop
and Kinder Scout
can also cause problems for traffic and residents.
, South Yorkshire Police
, Nottinghamshire Police
. These neighbouring areas all contain larger urban centres than Derbyshire and as a result criminals from these areas often travel to Derbyshire to commit crime. A recent Home Office report indicated that Derbyshire had the lowest crime levels in the East Midlands region, and the force states that crime rates have fallen in Derbyshire by 15% in the last year.
on 20 March 2006 to integrate groups of police forces in England and Wales into 'strategic' forces, which he saw as being more 'fit for purpose' in terms of combating terrorism and organised crime. Under these proposals Derbyshire would have merged with nearby forces to create an 'East Midlands Police'. However, these proposals were unpopular with much of the community and the police, and for the moment have been deferred, leaving the East Midlands forces to continue independently.
In 2010 following the coalition government's drive to reduce spending regional collaboration has been brought back to the table for serious and in depth discussion on how to provide the same or more for less. This may well be the forerunner of a regional force.
Territorial police force
The phrase Territorial Police Force varies in precise meaning according to the country to which it is related, generally distinguishing a force whose area of responsibility is defined by sub-national boundaries from others which deal with the entire country or a restricted range of...
responsible for policing the county of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The force covers an area of over 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) with a population of just under one million.
Organisation and structure
To police the county the force is divided into three territorial divisions, based respectively in the towns of BuxtonBuxton
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
('B' Division - covering High Peak and Derbyshire Dales District Council areas), Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
('C' Division - Chesterfield, NE Derbyshire, Amber Valley and Bolsover and the villages of South Normanton and Pinxton which lie within the boundaries of Bolsover
Bolsover
Bolsover is a town near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. It is 145 miles from London, 18 miles from Sheffield, 26 miles from Nottingham and 54 miles from Manchester. It is the main town in the Bolsover district.The civil parish for the town is called...
District Council), and Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
('D' Division - policing the city of Derby and the districts of Erewash, Long Eaton and South Derbyshire). The Force Headquarters, near Ripley and close to the A38 road
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
, is Butterley Hall
Butterley Hall
Butterley Hall is an 18th century country house near Ripley, Derbyshire which now serves as the headquarters of the Derbyshire Constabulary. It is a Grade II listed building...
, former residence of Benjamin Outram
Benjamin Outram
Benjamin Outram was an English civil engineer, surveyor and industrialist. He was a pioneer in the building of canals and tramways.-Personal life:...
and once owned by the Butterley Company
Butterley Company
Butterley Engineering was an engineering company based in Ripley, Derbyshire. The company was formed from the Butterley Company which began as Benjamin Outram and Company in 1790 and existed until 2009.-Origins:...
. The Old Hall and later additional buildings in the large grounds house much of the force's central administrative services. The old "A" Divisions HQ at Wyatts Way Ripley (adjacent to force Headquarters) is now the home of Operational Support Division which encompasses the Road Policing Unit (with bases at Cotton Lane in Derby, Beetwell Street in Chesterfield and Chapel-en-le-Frith
Chapel-en-le-Frith
Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...
), Air Support (North Midlands Helicopter Support Unit
North Midlands Helicopter Support Unit
The North Midlands Helicopter Support Unit is a joint consortium established in 1998 to provide police aviation for Derbyshire Constabulary and Nottinghamshire Police. It is managed by John Jameson and operates a Eurocopter EC135 from Derbyshire Constabulary's headquarters in Ripley,...
(NMHSU)), a partnership with Nottinghamshire 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 of England. The area has a population of just over 1 million....
), ARU (Armed Response Unit), Dog Section, Uniform Task Force and Road Policing Support (Collision Investigators). The Constabulary is led by the Chief Constable assisted by a Deputy and two Assistant Chief Constables. Each division is headed by a Chief Superintendent - the Divisional Commander - and each division is divided into Sections, which are led by an Inspector. The force has an authorised establishment of 2,065 police officers, 475 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...
s and 104 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 (PCSOs) The Chief Officers of the force work in partnership with the 17 publicly-elected representatives on the Derbyshire Police Authority, which shares responsibility for budgets and policy, and is intended to ensure that the public of Derbyshire have a voice in the policing of their county.
Geography and demographics
Derbyshire Constabulary polices an area which ranges from remote rural locations to busy city-centre and suburban environments. The more urbanised east and south of the county, including the market town of Chesterfield and the city of Derby, generally require more officers to respond to the needs of the large resident population, while the more rural north and west require the smaller number of officers to be more mobile. Calls for service in the rural areas usually increase during summer as the population is boosted by approximately twenty million visitors each year to the Peak DistrictPeak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
and its surrounds. Winter weather on the unforgiving high ground around Glossop
Glossop
Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...
and Kinder Scout
Kinder Scout
Kinder Scout is a moorland plateau in the Dark Peak of the Derbyshire Peak District in England. Part of the moor, at 636 m above sea level, is the highest point in the Peak District, the highest point in Derbyshire, and the highest point in the East Midlands. It is accessible from the villages of...
can also cause problems for traffic and residents.
Crime and other demands
Derbyshire's different environments also lead to different pressures on the police and different concerns for the public. Anti-social behaviour and drug abuse are more prevalent in town and city areas, whereas the rural districts are often prone more to traveling crime. In general, Derbyshire has a lower crime rate in comparison to its neighbouring force areas of Greater Manchester PoliceGreater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police is the police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England...
, South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England.The police force covers an area of approximately 1,554 square kilometres which is made up of the county's three boroughs , along with the City of Sheffield. The resident population is 1.2...
, Nottinghamshire 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 of England. The area has a population of just over 1 million....
. These neighbouring areas all contain larger urban centres than Derbyshire and as a result criminals from these areas often travel to Derbyshire to commit crime. A recent Home Office report indicated that Derbyshire had the lowest crime levels in the East Midlands region, and the force states that crime rates have fallen in Derbyshire by 15% in the last year.
Regionalisation
Proposals were made by the Home SecretaryHome Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
on 20 March 2006 to integrate groups of police forces in England and Wales into 'strategic' forces, which he saw as being more 'fit for purpose' in terms of combating terrorism and organised crime. Under these proposals Derbyshire would have merged with nearby forces to create an 'East Midlands Police'. However, these proposals were unpopular with much of the community and the police, and for the moment have been deferred, leaving the East Midlands forces to continue independently.
In 2010 following the coalition government's drive to reduce spending regional collaboration has been brought back to the table for serious and in depth discussion on how to provide the same or more for less. This may well be the forerunner of a regional force.
History
In 1965, the force had an establishment of 852 and an actual strength of 775.See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom
- Law enforcement in the United Kingdom
- North Midlands Helicopter Support UnitNorth Midlands Helicopter Support UnitThe North Midlands Helicopter Support Unit is a joint consortium established in 1998 to provide police aviation for Derbyshire Constabulary and Nottinghamshire Police. It is managed by John Jameson and operates a Eurocopter EC135 from Derbyshire Constabulary's headquarters in Ripley,...