Devon County Constabulary was the Home Office

Home Office

The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...

 police

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

 force for the county of Devon

Devon

Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...

, 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...

, until 1966.

The force was formed in 1856. It absorbed Tavistock Borough Police in 1856, Wolborough Borough Police in 1859, Okehampton Borough Police in 1860, Bradninch Borough Police in 1865, Torquay Borough Police in 1870, South Molton Borough Police in 1877, Torrington Borough Police in 1886 (it had already been absorbed in 1870, but was reformed in 1878), Totnes Borough Police in 1884, Bideford Borough Police in 1889, Barnstaple Borough Police in 1921, and Tiverton Borough Police in 1942. In 1965, it had an establishment of 1,017 officers and an actual strength of 866.

In 1966 it amalgamated with Exeter City Police to form Devon and Exeter Police. On 1 April 1967 this force amalgamated with Cornwall County Constabulary

Cornwall County Constabulary

Cornwall County Constabulary was the Home Office police force for the county of Cornwall, England, until 1967.The force was formed in 1857. It absorbed Bodmin Borough Police in 1865, Liskeard Borough Police in 1877, Launceston Borough Police in 1883, Falmouth Borough Police and Helston Borough...

 and Plymouth City Police to form Devon and Cornwall Constabulary

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary

Devon and Cornwall Police, formerly Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Devon and Cornwall in England and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly....

.