Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Encyclopedia
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
.
. The total population of the force area is approximately 1.5 million. The force also has to cope with an influx of around 11 million visitors to its area during the average year.
The force was formed on 1 April 1967 by the amalgamation of the Devon and Exeter Police, Cornwall County Constabulary
and Plymouth City Police, these three constabularies were an amalgamation of 23 city and borough police forces that were absorbed between 1856 and 1947.
s), each commanded by a Chief Superintendent
. Each BCU is divided into large Geographic Areas, which are further sub-divided into Sectors, each with one or more police station
s. This organisation is slightly different in Plymouth, which is divided directly into Sectors operating out of Plymouth's four police stations, and North and East Devon's Exeter Geographic Area, both of whose Sectors operate out of a single police station. Each Geographic Area is headed by a Superintendent
and each Sector by an Inspector
.
has several specialist teams, namely:
Devon and Cornwall Police patrol 20 miles of the M5
which has 6 junctions, as well as many other 'A' roads including the A30, A377, A38, A303, A386, A388, A39, A395, A394 and A376. The unit is split up into seven road policing sectors.
and marine operations
. It consists of one inspector, one sergeant and seven constables, all trained divers, and operates a rigid-hulled inflatable boat
capable of 45 knots.
s. The force mainly use German Shepherds, but also have other types of dogs. The dogs are trained in a variety of roles including drugs dogs, explosives dogs and firearms support dogs. Devon and Cornwall Police are the first police force to train dogs to search for missing persons
.
The unit, which is headed up by an Inspector, is based at headquarters in Middlemoor, in Exeter
.
that provides support quickly and in remote and dangerous places. Devon and Cornwall Police were the first police force in the country to employ the use of a helicopter full time when the unit was founded in 1979.
The unit used to use a single MBB/Kawasaki BK 117. They now operate a Eurocopter EC145
, a popular brand for UK police forces, which came into service in April 2010. The unit can scramble in two minutes and can reach most areas of the force within 15 minutes.
(CID), which also has detective
s attached to the larger police stations. It is headed by the Force Crime Manager, a Detective Chief Superintendent.
, kidnap, fraud
and paedophilia
and with crimes that cross boundaries between CID areas and require co-ordination. It contains three Detective Superintendents
, all of whom are Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs).
and major undercover
operations. It is headed by a Detective Superintendent assisted by two Detective Chief Inspectors.
s based at police stations and provides other technical services to the force. The unit has its own forensic pathologist
, the only police-employed pathologist in Britain.
in the ball style with a Brunswick star
that reads 'Devon and Cornwall Police' for foot patrol, a peaked cap for when on mobile patrol in vehicles, and a white peaked cap for traffic officer
s. Female officers wear a bowler hat, or a white bowler hat for traffic officer
s. Devon and Cornwall are only 1 in 4 forces to use the ball style for custodian helmets.
s, just the rank
and collar number
.
Formal dress comprises an open-necked tunic, with white shirt/blouse and tie/cravat. Constable
s and Sergeant
s wear custodian helmet
's and collar numbers on their epaulette
s, all higher ranked officers wear peaked caps, name badges and their rank on their epaulettes. The No.1 uniform is accompanied by black boots or shoes and occasionally black gloves, or brown gloves for the rank of Inspector and above.
digital radios, PDAs, Hiatt
rigid handcuffs, CS incapacitant gas, the ASP
21" collapsible baton, leg restraints, a resuscitation mask and a basic first aid kit. PCSO's do not carry ASPs, handcuffs, leg restraints or PAVA.
Police vehicles contain a variety of equipment, which can include Arnold batons, traffic cone
s, road signs, breathalyzer
s, stingers
, speed guns and more.
. Devon and Cornwall mainly use the Ford Focus
as a patrol car.
Devon and Cornwall Police stopped using the 'jam sandwich' police car markings between 2000 and 2005 when battenberg markings were invented.
There were drops in the rates of criminal damage (-19%), theft (-12%), robbery (11%), burglary (-13%), vehicle crime (-19%) and violence (-5%), however the only crimes that rose were sexual offences (+15%) and drug crimes (+6%), this was accounted for by an increased awareness campaign and more victimes coming forward for sexual offences, and more effective targeting of drug offences.
graded Devon and Cornwall Police as 'fair' for confidence and satisfaction, and 'good' on local crime and policing and protection from serious harm.
In detail they were graded as 'excellent' for reducing crime, suppressing gun crime and suppressing knife crime. They were rated 'low/medium' for all sections of 'value for money' including cost of policing, cost per household, number of officers and PCSO's and proportion of policing cost met from council tax.
s, 505 Special Constables
and 2184 are civilian staff.
Devon and Cornwall Police currently is not recruiting Constables, PCSOs, Special Constables, transferred officers, civilian staff or control room operators due to budget cuts. They are only hiring for roles that need to be filled.
Devon and Cornwall Police do not have a Police Support Volunteer
scheme.
Training for new recruits in Devon and Cornwall is held at the Headquarters in Middlemoor. For Constables it consists of eight months' training and a two-year probationary period. For PCSOs it consists of 18 weeks' training and a 15-weeks probationary period. For Special Constables it consists of 3 months of training during weeknights and weekends, and a two-year probationary period or less, dependent on the number of tours of duty.
Recruits receive their warrant card and uniform in the first two months of training. Once the training period is over, the new officers are posted in a local division.
is made up of nineteen members: 10 councillors, 3 justices of the peace, and 6 independent members. The councillors are nominated by a committee consisting of members from the Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and Isles of Scilly councils.
If the Government
is successful in introducing Police Commissioners
to govern police forces, then the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority will be scrapped.
announced plans to reduce the number of police forces in the UK from 42 to 24 in an attempt to save money. The plans were abandoned later that year due to lack of funding for the mergers, however the idea has resurfaced many times.
The proposed idea would see Wiltshire Police merge with Gloucestershire Constabulary
, Devon and Cornwall Police, Avon and Somerset Constabulary
and Dorset Police
to form a 'super police force'.
The plans have been publicly criticised by all the involved forces, stating that it would lead to poor quality service and a reduction in local policing.
and other events, as well at police occasions such as officer graduations.
The band is made up of officers and employees of Devon and Cornwall Police, as well as some members who are not related to the police. The band is not funded or related to the police force but do have permission to use their name and uniform.
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 counties
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
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...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
in 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...
and the unitary authorities of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Torbay
Torbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
and the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
.
Overview
This is the largest police force area in England by geographical area covered, and the fifth largest in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The total population of the force area is approximately 1.5 million. The force also has to cope with an influx of around 11 million visitors to its area during the average year.
The force was formed on 1 April 1967 by the amalgamation of the Devon and Exeter Police, 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, these three constabularies were an amalgamation of 23 city and borough police forces that were absorbed between 1856 and 1947.
Organisation
The force is divided into three BCUs (Basic Command UnitBasic Command Unit
A Basic Command Unit is the largest unit into which territorial British Police forces are divided. This may actually be called a BCU or may have another designation, such as Division or Area. There are 228 BCUs in England and Wales.Most forces are divided into at least three BCUs and some have...
s), each commanded by a Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
. Each BCU is divided into large Geographic Areas, which are further sub-divided into Sectors, each with one or more police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
s. This organisation is slightly different in Plymouth, which is divided directly into Sectors operating out of Plymouth's four police stations, and North and East Devon's Exeter Geographic Area, both of whose Sectors operate out of a single police station. Each Geographic Area is headed by a Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
and each Sector by an Inspector
Inspector
Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
.
East Cornwall Geographic Area
- BodminBodminBodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
& WadebridgeWadebridgeWadebridge is a civil parish and town in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town straddles the River Camel five miles upstream from Padstow....
Sector - Launceston, BudeBudeBude is a small seaside resort town in North Cornwall, England, at the mouth of the River Neet . It lies just south of Flexbury, north of Widemouth Bay and west of Stratton and is located along the A3073 road off the A39. Bude is twinned with Ergué-Gabéric in Brittany, France...
& CamelfordCamelfordCamelford is a town and civil parish in north Cornwall, United Kingdom, situated in the River Camel valley northwest of Bodmin Moor. The town is approximately ten miles north of Bodmin and is governed by Camelford Town Council....
Sector - LiskeardLiskeardLiskeard is an ancient stannary and market town and civil parish in south east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Liskeard is situated approximately 20 miles west of Plymouth, west of the River Tamar and the border with Devon, and 12 miles east of Bodmin...
& LooeLooeLooe is a small coastal town, fishing port and civil parish in the former Caradon district of south-east Cornwall, England, with a population of 5,280 . Looe is divided in two by the River Looe, East Looe and West Looe being connected by a bridge...
Sector - TorpointTorpointTorpoint is a civil parish and town on the Rame Peninsula in southeast Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated opposite the city of Plymouth across the Hamoaze which is the tidal estuary of the River Tamar....
, SaltashSaltashSaltash is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a population of 14,964. It lies in the south east of Cornwall, facing Plymouth over the River Tamar. It was in the Caradon district until March 2009 and is known as "the gateway to Cornwall". Saltash means ash tree by...
& Callington Sector
Mid-Cornwall Geographic Area
- TruroTruroTruro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
Sector (also PerranporthPerranporthPerranporth is a small seaside resort on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is southwest of Newquay and northwest of Truro. Perranporth and its long beach face the Atlantic Ocean....
and TregonyTregonyTregony is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It lies on the River Fal. In the village there is a post office, shop, and two churches. Tregony has bus links to the nearest town, which is Truro. The village is made up from two parishes namely, Tregony and Cuby...
) - FalmouthFalmouth, CornwallFalmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
Sector (also PenrynPenryn, CornwallPenryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
) - NewquayNewquayNewquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
Sector (also St Columb MajorSt Columb MajorSt Columb Major is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Often referred to locally as St Columb, it is situated approximately seven miles southwest of Wadebridge and six miles east of Newquay...
) - St AustellSt AustellSt Austell is a civil parish and a major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the south coast approximately ten miles south of Bodmin and 30 miles west of the border with Devon at Saltash...
Sector (also St BlazeySt BlazeySt Blazey is a small town in Cornwall, United Kingdom.St Blaise is the civil parish in which St Blazey is situated; the name St Blaise is also used by the town council.St Blazey is situated east of St Austell...
)
West Cornwall Geographic Area
- PenzancePenzancePenzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
Sector - CamborneCamborneCamborne is a town and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is at the western edge of a conurbation comprising Camborne, Pool and Redruth....
Sector (also RedruthRedruthRedruth is a town and civil parish traditionally in the Penwith Hundred in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has a population of 12,352. Redruth lies approximately at the junction of the A393 and A3047 roads, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road , and is approximately west of...
) - HelstonHelstonHelston is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula approximately 12 miles east of Penzance and nine miles southwest of Falmouth. Helston is the most southerly town in the UK and is around further south than...
Sector - St IvesSt Ives, CornwallSt Ives is a seaside town, civil parish and port in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town lies north of Penzance and west of Camborne on the coast of the Celtic Sea. In former times it was commercially dependent on fishing. The decline in fishing, however, caused a shift in commercial...
, HayleHayleHayle is a small town, civil parish and cargo port in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated at the mouth of the Hayle River and is approximately seven miles northeast of Penzance...
& Isles of ScillyIsles of ScillyThe Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
Sector
South Hams and West Devon Geographic Area
- IvybridgeIvybridgeIvybridge is a small town and civil parish in the South Hams, in Devon, England. It lies about east of Plymouth. It is at the southern extremity of Dartmoor, a National Park of England and Wales and lies along the A38 "Devon Expressway" road...
Sector - KingsbridgeKingsbridgeKingsbridge is a market town and popular tourist hub in the South Hams district of Devon, England, with a population of about 5,800. It is situated at the northern end of the Kingsbridge Estuary, which is a textbook example of a ria and extends to the sea six miles south of the town.-History:The...
& DartmouthDartmouth, DevonDartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
Sector - OkehamptonOkehamptonOkehampton is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated at the northern edge of Dartmoor, and has an estimated population of 7,155.-History:...
Sector - Tavistock Sector
- TotnesTotnesTotnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
Sector (also South BrentSouth BrentSouth Brent is a large village on the southern edge of Dartmoor, England, in the valley of the River Avon, population 2998 , 8 km north-east of Ivybridge, and next to the Devon Expressway which connects Exeter to the north-east and Plymouth to the west.-History:It was originally a woollen...
)
Teignbridge Geographic Area
- TeignmouthTeignmouthTeignmouth is a town and civil parish in Teignbridge in the English county of Devon, situated on the north bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign about 14 miles south of Exeter. It has a population of 14,413. In 1690, it was the last place in England to be invaded by a foreign power...
& DawlishDawlishDawlish is a town and civil parish in Teignbridge on the south coast of Devon in England, from the county town of Exeter. It has a population of 12,819...
Sector - ChudleighChudleighChudleigh is a small town in Devon, England located between the towns of Newton Abbot and Exeter.Chudleigh is very close to the edge of Dartmoor and bypassed by the A38 road in 1972. It began life as a small wool market town, though the nearby Castle Dyke is an Iron Age Hill Fort which demonstrates...
& AshburtonAshburton, DevonAshburton is a small town on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, adjacent to the A38 Devon Expressway.It was formerly important as a stannary town , and remains the largest town within the National Park, with a population of around 3,500...
Sector (also Bovey TraceyBovey TraceyBovey Tracey is a small town in Devon, England, on the edge of Dartmoor, its proximity to which gives rise to the "slogan" used on the town's boundary signs, "The Gateway to the Moor". The locals just call the town "Bovey" ....
and MoretonhampsteadMoretonhampsteadMoretonhampstead lies on the edge of Dartmoor and is notable for having the longest one-word name of any place in England. The parish church is dedicated to St. Andrew. George Oliver and John Pike Jones , 1828, Exeter: E. Woolmer. Moretonhampstead is twinned with Betton in France.-History:The...
) - Newton AbbotNewton AbbotNewton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
Sector
Mid and East Devon Geographic Area
- Rural East Devon Sector (AxminsterAxminsterAxminster is a market town and civil parish on the eastern border of Devon in England. The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmouth, and is in the East Devon local government district. It has a population of 5,626. The market is still...
, SeatonSeaton, DevonSeaton is a seaside town in East Devon on the south coast of England. It faces onto Lyme Bay, to the west of the mouth of the River Axe with red cliffs to one side and white cliffs on the other. Axmouth and Beer are nearby...
, SidmouthSidmouthSidmouth is a small town on the English Channel coast in Devon, South West England. The town lies at the mouth of the River Sid in the East Devon district, south east of Exeter. It has a population of about 15,000, of whom 40% are over 65....
, HonitonHonitonHoniton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
and Ottery St MaryOttery St MaryOttery St Mary, known as "Ottery" , is a town in the East Devon district of Devon, England, on the River Otter, about ten miles east of Exeter on the B3174. It is part of a large civil parish of the same name, which also covers the villages of West Hill, Metcombe, Fairmile, Alfington, Tipton St...
) - ExmouthExmouth, DevonExmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
& Budleigh SaltertonBudleigh SaltertonBudleigh Salterton is a small town on the south coast of Devon, England 15 miles south of Exeter. It is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designated East Devon AONB.- Features :... - Mid-DevonMid DevonMid Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Tiverton.The district was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Tiverton and Crediton urban district together with Tiverton Rural District, and Crediton Rural...
Sector (CullomptonCullomptonCullompton is a civil parish and town in Devon, England, locally known as Cully. It is miles north-north-east of Exeter and lies on the River Culm. In 2010 it had a population of 8,639 and is growing rapidly....
, CreditonCreditonCrediton is a town and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon in England. It stands on the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, about north west of Exeter. It has a population of 6,837...
and Tiverton)
Northern Devon Geographic Area
- BarnstapleBarnstapleBarnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
Sector - TorridgeTorridgeTorridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Bideford. Other towns and villages in the district include Holsworthy, Great Torrington, Hartland and Westward Ho!. The Island of Lundy is administratively part of the District...
Sector (BidefordBidefordBideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
, HolsworthyHolsworthy, DevonHolsworthy is a market town in the north west of Devon, England. It is situated near the county border with Cornwall, and is 9 miles from the coastal resort of Bude. It is on the intersection of the A388 and A3072 roads, and lies on the River Deer, a tributary of the Tamar...
and TorringtonTorrington-People:* Jeff Torrington, Scottish writer* George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, British naval officer and statesman-Places:In Australia:* Torrington, New South WalesIn Canada:* Torrington, AlbertaIn the United Kingdom:...
) - North Devon Sector (IlfracombeIlfracombeIlfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
, BrauntonBrauntonBraunton is situated west of Barnstaple, Devon, England and is claimed to be the largest village in England, with a population in 2001 of 7,510. It is home to the nearby Braunton Great Field and Braunton Burrows, a National Nature and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve....
, South MoltonSouth Molton"Molton" redirects here. Or see Molten or Moulton.South Molton is a small town in Devon, England. It is part of the North Devon local government district. The town is on the River Mole. According to the 2001 census the civil parish of South Molton had a population of 4,093.The town was one of...
and LyntonLyntonLynton is a small town in Devon, England. It lies on the northern edge of Exmoor and is located at the top of a gorge above Lynmouth, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway...
)
Plymouth Geographic Area
- Plymouth Central Sector (Charles Cross Police Station)
- Plymouth Devonport Sector (Marlborough Street Police Office)
- Plymouth East Sector (PlymptonPlymptonPlympton, or Plympton Maurice or Plympton St Maurice or Plympton St Mary or Plympton Erle, in south-western Devon, England is an ancient stannary town: an important trading centre in the past for locally mined tin, and a former seaport...
and PlymstockPlymstockPlymstock is a civil parish and commuter suburb of Plymouth in the English county of Devon.The earliest surviving documentary reference to the place is as Plemestocha in the Domesday Book and its name is derived from Old English meaning either "outlying farm with a plum-tree" or, if it is short for...
) - Plymouth North Sector (CrownhillCrownhillCrownhill is an area of northern Plymouth, in the English county of Devon.-Overview:It was originally known as Knackersknowle, meaning "the hill of the knacker's yard". In 1860 a fort was built on a high piece of land, just to the north west of the village, on the site of a building called Crown...
Police Station) - Plymouth South Sector (Charles Cross Police Station)
- Plymouth West Sector (Beacon Park Police Office)
Basic Command Unit structure
Each BCUBasic Command Unit
A Basic Command Unit is the largest unit into which territorial British Police forces are divided. This may actually be called a BCU or may have another designation, such as Division or Area. There are 228 BCUs in England and Wales.Most forces are divided into at least three BCUs and some have...
has several specialist teams, namely:
- Neighbourhood Policing TeamNeighbourhood Policing TeamNeighbourhood Policing Teams are a concept developed by the United Kingdom police. It involves small teams of police officers who are dedicated to policing a certain community or area. There are 3,600 NPTs throughout the United Kingdom...
(NPTs), each with local Beat Managers and PCSOsPolice community support officerA 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...
. The NPTs concentrate on preventing and detecting local crime and targeting offenders, building contacts in the local community, resolving problems by working with local organisations and individuals, and being visible and accessible. Devon and Cornwall has 193 NPTsNeighbourhood Policing TeamNeighbourhood Policing Teams are a concept developed by the United Kingdom police. It involves small teams of police officers who are dedicated to policing a certain community or area. There are 3,600 NPTs throughout the United Kingdom... - Targeted Patrol Teams responding to emergency calls.
- Traffic UnitsHighway patrolA highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties.Duties of highway patrols or traffic...
patrol the roads and target and pursue people committing traffic offences, this includes Traffic PCSO's. - Criminal Investigation Departments (CIDCriminal Investigation DepartmentThe Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
) detect serious crime- Forensic Services investigate crime scenes for forensic evidence that may correspond with many of the Home Office databases.
- Pro-active Policing Units target persistent criminals and focus on specific operations.
- Dog UnitsPolice dogA police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
are officers who patrol with dogs and respond to incidents where a police dog is required.
Headquarters-based teams
To support the BCUs, several centralised teams operate from the headquarters:- Criminal Investigation DepartmentCriminal Investigation DepartmentThe Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
- Major Incident PlanningEmergency managementEmergency management is the generic name of an interdisciplinary field dealing with the strategic organizational management processes used to protect critical assets of an organization from hazard risks that can cause events like disasters or catastrophes and to ensure the continuance of the...
- Major Investigation Team
- Armed Response GroupAuthorised Firearms OfficerAn Authorised Firearms Officer is a British police officer who has received training and authorisation to carry and use firearms. The designation is significant because within the United Kingdom, police officers do not routinely carry firearms...
- Counter Terrorism GroupCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
- Air Operations UnitWiltshire Air AmbulanceThe Wiltshire Air Ambulance or Wiltshire Police Helicopter, is an air ambulance and police helicopter which responds to seriously ill or injured casualties and police incidents across Wiltshire...
- Emergency Communications CentreEmergency Control CentreAn Emergency Control Centre or Emergency Communications Centre more commonly abbreviated to ECC is a concept used by emergency services in the UK describing a building or room where control room operators take calls from members of the public in need of assistance through the 999 emergency number...
- Force Contact Centre (SNEN)
- IntelligencePolice IntelligencePolice intelligence refers to an element of the British police. Staffed by police officers and support staff, its purpose is to track and predict crime with a view to curbing it...
- Corporate Communications
Operations
The Operations Department provides uniformed operational support to the force, and is responsible for traffic policing and tactical support.Roads Policing Unit
M5
-Roads:* M5 motorway, England* M5 South Western Motorway, Sydney, Australia* Metroad 5 , Brisbane, Australia, comprising the M5 Centenary Freeway and M5 Western Freeway* M5 motorway , Northern Ireland* M5 motorway...
which has 6 junctions, as well as many other 'A' roads including the A30, A377, A38, A303, A386, A388, A39, A395, A394 and A376. The unit is split up into seven road policing sectors.
Motorcycle Policing Unit
Devon and Cornwall Police has officers that patrol on police motorcycles. Motorcycle officers are exempt from wearing body armour as they have to wear motorcycle leathers.Tactical Aid Unit
The Tactical Aid Group (TAG) is predominantly responsible for public order, marine operations, searches and dealing with potentially violent offenders. It is divided into five sections, including two trained in firearms and one in marine operations.Marine Support Unit
The Marine Support Unit, known as D Section and based in Plymouth, is responsible for underwater searchPolice diving
Police diving is a branch of professional diving carried out by police services. Police divers are usually sworn police officers, and may either be employed full-time as divers or as general water police officers, or be volunteers who usually serve in other units but are called in if their diving...
and marine operations
Water police
Water police, also called harbour patrols, port police, marine/maritime police, nautical patrols, bay constables or river police, are police officers, usually a department of a larger police organisation, who patrol in water craft...
. It consists of one inspector, one sergeant and seven constables, all trained divers, and operates a rigid-hulled inflatable boat
Rigid-hulled inflatable boat
A rigid-hulled inflatable boat, or rigid-inflatable boat is a light-weight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy...
capable of 45 knots.
Dog Section
Devon and Cornwall Police have officers that patrol the streets and attend incidents with police dogPolice dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
s. The force mainly use German Shepherds, but also have other types of dogs. The dogs are trained in a variety of roles including drugs dogs, explosives dogs and firearms support dogs. Devon and Cornwall Police are the first police force to train dogs to search for missing persons
Missing Persons
Missing Persons is an American band who plays a blend of New Wave and Pop rock. The band was founded in 1980 in Los Angeles by guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, vocalist Dale Bozzio, and drummer Terry Bozzio. They went on to add bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild. Dale's quirky voice...
.
The unit, which is headed up by an Inspector, is based at headquarters in Middlemoor, in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
.
Armed Response Unit
Devon and Conrwall Police's Armed Response Unit is a 24/7 sub-department of the Operations department that responds to major and serious crimes were firearms are involved. The unit responds to incidents with firearms and taser guns, and are the only officers in the force that are routinely armed.Air Operations Unit
The Air Operations Unit is based at force headquarters and operates a helicopterPolice helicopter
A police aircraft is an airplane, helicopter, powered paraglider, or blimpused in police operations. They are commonly used for traffic control, ground support, search and rescue, high-speed car pursuits, observation, air patrol and riot control...
that provides support quickly and in remote and dangerous places. Devon and Cornwall Police were the first police force in the country to employ the use of a helicopter full time when the unit was founded in 1979.
The unit used to use a single MBB/Kawasaki BK 117. They now operate a Eurocopter EC145
Eurocopter EC145
|-See also:-External links:* * * * * *...
, a popular brand for UK police forces, which came into service in April 2010. The unit can scramble in two minutes and can reach most areas of the force within 15 minutes.
Force Crime Department
The Force Crime Department contains the central units of the force's Criminal Investigation DepartmentCriminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
(CID), which also has detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
s attached to the larger police stations. It is headed by the Force Crime Manager, a Detective Chief Superintendent.
Major Crime Branch
The Major Crime Branch deals with serious crimes such as murderMurder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, kidnap, fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
and paedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
and with crimes that cross boundaries between CID areas and require co-ordination. It contains three Detective Superintendents
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
, all of whom are Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs).
- The Major Incident Support Team (MIST) provides training and support for major incidents and operations both for the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and the States of Jersey PoliceStates of Jersey PoliceThe States of Jersey Police is the professional police service of Jersey. It was established in its current form by the Police Force Law, 1974 and consists of around 240 officers....
. - The four Major Crime Investigation Teams (MCITs) based at Newquay, Plymouth, South West Devon and Exeter investigate murders and other suspicious deaths and provide specialist investigative support to CID officers throughout the force.
- The Economic Crime Section is divided into five separate units:
- The Financial Investigation Unit mainly deals with the investigation of all confiscation cases under the Drug Trafficking Act 1994Drug Trafficking Act 1994The Drug Trafficking Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It largely replaced the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986....
, Criminal Justice Act 2003Criminal Justice Act 2003The Criminal Justice Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a wide ranging measure introduced to modernise many areas of the criminal justice system in England and Wales and, to a lesser extent, in Scotland and Northern Ireland....
and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002Proceeds of Crime Act 2002The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which provides for the confiscation or civil recovery of the proceeds from crime and contains the principal money laundering legislation in the UK.-Background:...
. They deal with seizures of over £10,000 and investigate drug trafficking and money laundering offences. - The Fraud Squad deals with major fraud cases and allegations of corruptionPolitical corruptionPolitical corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
by public officials and bodies. - The Hi-Tech Crime Unit is responsible for the forensic examination of computerComputerA computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
equipment to gather evidence for prosecution in a variety of cases. - The Paedophile Unit investigates allegations of child sexual abuseSexual abuseSexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
. - The Cheque and Credit Card Fraud Squad investigates the theft and misuse of chequeChequeA cheque is a document/instrument See the negotiable cow—itself a fictional story—for discussions of cheques written on unusual surfaces. that orders a payment of money from a bank account...
s, credit cardCredit cardA credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
s and debit cardDebit cardA debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
s.
- The Financial Investigation Unit mainly deals with the investigation of all confiscation cases under the Drug Trafficking Act 1994
Covert Operations Unit
The Covert Operations Unit handles surveillanceSurveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
and major undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
operations. It is headed by a Detective Superintendent assisted by two Detective Chief Inspectors.
- The Technical Support Unit provides expertise on video, audioSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
, alarms, tracking and positioningGPS trackingA GPS tracking unit is a device that uses the Global Positioning System to determine the precise location of a vehicle, person, or other asset to which it is attached and to record the position of the asset at regular intervals...
systems. - The Covert Operations Support Unit co-ordinates force-wide covert operations and training and also handles witness protectionWitness protectionWitness protection is protection of a threatened witness or any person involved in the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during and after a trial, usually by police...
. - The Force Surveillance Unit (FSU) has sections based in Plymouth and Exeter and provides the force's main covert surveillance capability throughout its area.
Intelligence Unit
The Intelligence Unit collects, collates and distributes intelligence and information of use to the force.- The Force Intelligence Centre is the main intelligence organ and is staffed by specialists in a variety of criminal areas.
- The Force National Computer Bureau (FNCB) runs the force's contribution and access to the British Police National ComputerPolice National ComputerThe Police National Computer is a computer system used extensively by law enforcement organisations across the United Kingdom. It went live in 1974 and now consists of several databases available 24 hours a day, giving access to information of national and local significance.From October 2009, the...
(PNC) system. - Special BranchSpecial BranchSpecial Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security in British and Commonwealth police forces, as well as in the Royal Thai Police...
is in charge of counterterrorism and other national security matters. - The Crime Standards Unit reviews crime reports to ensure that the fullest possible response has been made, analyses crime reports, and processes and researches intelligence.
Performance and Co-Ordination Unit
The Performance and Co-ordination Unit is responsible for maintaining investigative standards throughout the force.- The Dedicated Source Unit deals with information sources in line with national regulations and standards.
- The Victim Centred Crime Unit formulates and ensures best practiceBest practiceA best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark...
with regard to issues such as child protection, domestic violenceDomestic violenceDomestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, harassmentHarassmentHarassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
, missing personMissing personA missing person is a person who has disappeared for usually unknown reasons.Missing persons' photographs may be posted on bulletin boards, milk cartons, postcards, and websites, along with a phone number to be contacted if a sighting has been made....
s, viceViceVice is a practice or a behavior or habit considered immoral, depraved, or degrading in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a defect, an infirmity, or merely a bad habit. Synonyms for vice include fault, depravity, sin, iniquity, wickedness, and corruption...
and victim supportVictim SupportVictim Support is a charity in England and Wales which aims to help victims and witnesses of crime by raising awareness of their needs and by delivering dedicated services to them. It was established in 1974. It is a national charity with branches in every community and each criminal court in...
. - The Control Strategy Crime Reduction Unit formulates and ensures best practiceBest practiceA best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark...
with regard to crime control and reduction. - The Covert Standards and Authorities Unit ensures force compliance with legislation allowing police forces to contravene the Human Rights ActHuman Rights ActA human rights act is a statute that sets out individual rights and freedoms under the law. Many jurisdictions have bills of rights enshrined into law and called the "Human Rights Act". This naming convention is commonly used in Commonwealth nations...
. - The Policy and Performance Unit formulates policy for the whole Force Crime Department.
Scientific and Technical Services Unit
The Scientific and Technical Services Unit analyses forensic evidence gathered by scenes of crime officerScenes of Crime Officer
A Scenes of Crime Officer is an officer who gathers forensic evidence for the British police. They are also referred to by some forces as Forensic Scene Investigators , Crime Scene Investigators , or Crime Scene Examiners...
s based at police stations and provides other technical services to the force. The unit has its own forensic pathologist
Forensic pathology
Forensic pathology is a branch of pathology concerned with determining the cause of death by examination of a corpse. The autopsy is performed by the pathologist at the request of a coroner or medical examiner usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some...
, the only police-employed pathologist in Britain.
- The Central Submissions Unit handles the reception and supervision of all DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
samples and enters the details on the UK National DNA DatabaseUK National DNA DatabaseThe United Kingdom National DNA Database is a national DNA Database that was set up in 1995. As of the end of 2005, it carried the profiles of around 3.1 million people...
. - The Chemical and Optical Unit enhances and records fingerprintFingerprintA fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
s and palmprintFingerprintA fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
s on items recovered from crime scenes. - The Fingerprint Bureau analyses fingerprints and palmprints, feeds them into national databases and collates the results.
- The Photographic Unit provides all the force's photographicPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
needs.
Other departments
- The Firearms Unit is responsible for all firearms training, planning and licensing.
- The Contingency Planning Unit formulates long-term plans to deal with major incidents, including security for VIP visits, counterterrorist operations and reaction to terrorist attacks.
- The Force Planning and Consultation Unit formulates policy and plans and monitors public opinion on policing matters.
- The Professional Standards Unit is the Internal affairsInternal affairs (law enforcement)The internal affairs division of a law enforcement agency investigates incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force...
branch and deals with force discipline and complaints against officers.
Headgear
Devon and Cornwall Police officers wear the traditional custodian helmetCustodian helmet
Custodian helmet or centurion helmet, technically known as a 'Home Office pattern helmet', is a helmet worn by many policemen in England and Wales.-History:...
in the ball style with a Brunswick star
Brunswick star
The Brunswick star is an emblem which in outline is an eight-pointed or sixteen-pointed star, but which is composed of many narrow rays. It is used in Britain to surround the Royal Cypher on various badges, such as that worn on the caps and helmets of almost all police forces...
that reads 'Devon and Cornwall Police' for foot patrol, a peaked cap for when on mobile patrol in vehicles, and a white peaked cap for traffic officer
Traffic officer
A traffic officer is a person with powers relating to the regulation of traffic on certain roads in England and Wales. In England, they are employed by the Highways Agency and in Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government and are not police officers or members of police forces.*Highways Agency Traffic...
s. Female officers wear a bowler hat, or a white bowler hat for traffic officer
Traffic officer
A traffic officer is a person with powers relating to the regulation of traffic on certain roads in England and Wales. In England, they are employed by the Highways Agency and in Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government and are not police officers or members of police forces.*Highways Agency Traffic...
s. Devon and Cornwall are only 1 in 4 forces to use the ball style for custodian helmets.
Uniform
When on duty officers wear traditional white shirt and clip-on black tie, with black uniform trousers. Devon and Cornwall Police no longer use the traditional police jumper, having favoured the black fleece with police written on the chest and back. Devon and Cornwall Police do not have Brunswick stars on their epauletteEpaulette
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, just the rank
Police rank
- Australia :Generally, all police forces of Australia follow this rank structure with some individual state police forces have ranks differing slightly.Insignia of rank displayed on epaulette in italics and brackets...
and collar number
Collar number
A collar number, also known as a shoulder number, Force Identification Number or occasionally as Force Number , identifies uniformed officers, Police Community Support Officers , and some police staff in UK police forces. Although now displayed on epaulettes A collar number, also known as a...
.
Formal dress comprises an open-necked tunic, with white shirt/blouse and tie/cravat. 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:...
s and 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....
s wear custodian helmet
Custodian helmet
Custodian helmet or centurion helmet, technically known as a 'Home Office pattern helmet', is a helmet worn by many policemen in England and Wales.-History:...
's and collar numbers on their 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, all higher ranked officers wear peaked caps, name badges and their rank on their epaulettes. The No.1 uniform is accompanied by black boots or shoes and occasionally black gloves, or brown gloves for the rank of Inspector and above.
Equipment
Devon and Cornwall officers carry TETRATerrestrial Trunked Radio
Terrestrial Trunked Radio is a professional mobile radio and two-way transceiver specification...
digital radios, PDAs, Hiatt
Hiatt
-Companies:*Hiatt & Co. A defunct UK based handcuff manufacturer best known for their Speedcuffs.-People:*Brenda Hiatt, American author*Fred Hiatt, American journalist*Jack Hiatt , American baseball player*John Hiatt , American musician...
rigid handcuffs, CS incapacitant gas, the ASP
ASP, Inc.
Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc. , is an offensive compliance weapons manufacturer providing equipment to law enforcement and private security companies. ASP is perhaps best known for its telescoping batons.-History:...
21" collapsible baton, leg restraints, a resuscitation mask and a basic first aid kit. PCSO's do not carry ASPs, handcuffs, leg restraints or PAVA.
Police vehicles contain a variety of equipment, which can include Arnold batons, traffic cone
Traffic cone
Traffic cones, also called traffic pylons, road cones, highway cones, safety cones, construction cones or witches' hats or safety wizards, are usually cone-shaped markers that are placed on roads or footpaths to temporarily redirect traffic in a safe manner...
s, road signs, breathalyzer
Breathalyzer
A breathalyzer or breathalyser is a device for estimating blood alcohol content from a breath sample...
s, stingers
Spike strip
A spike strip is a device used to impede or stop the movement of wheeled vehicles by puncturing their tires...
, speed guns and more.
Vehicles
Devon and Cornwall Police use many different makes of vehicles from several different car manufacturers for the diverse categories of response vehicles required by the modern Police OfficerPolice officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
. Devon and Cornwall mainly use the Ford Focus
Ford Focus
The Ford Focus is a compact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1998. Ford began sales of the Focus to Europe in July 1998 and in North America during 1999 for the 2000 model year....
as a patrol car.
Livery
Devon and Cornwall Police use the modern yellow and blue retro-reflective battenberg markings all over all operational vehicles, as well as the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary crest.Devon and Cornwall Police stopped using the 'jam sandwich' police car markings between 2000 and 2005 when battenberg markings were invented.
Name
Between 1856 and 1947 police in Devon and Cornwall came under 26 different forces, all using different names. They were gradually absorbed into two of the existing forces called Devon and Exeter Constabulary and Cornwall County Constabulary, except Plymouth City Police which remained separate. In 1967 the three remaining forces were amalgamated into one called Devon and Cornwall Constabulary. This force was later renamed to Devon and Cornwall Police to make it seem more accessible.British Crime Survey
Devon and Cornwall are amongst the safest counties in the UK, with the 4th lowest crime rate per 1000 people in England. Recorded crime dropped by 12%, between June 2009 and July 2010. This was compared to an 8% drop in crime across England and Wales. Public perceptions of crime and confidence in the police was also better than the national average.There were drops in the rates of criminal damage (-19%), theft (-12%), robbery (11%), burglary (-13%), vehicle crime (-19%) and violence (-5%), however the only crimes that rose were sexual offences (+15%) and drug crimes (+6%), this was accounted for by an increased awareness campaign and more victimes coming forward for sexual offences, and more effective targeting of drug offences.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of ConstabularyHer Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland in the United Kingdom have statutory responsibility for the inspection of police forces.-England and Wales:...
graded Devon and Cornwall Police as 'fair' for confidence and satisfaction, and 'good' on local crime and policing and protection from serious harm.
In detail they were graded as 'excellent' for reducing crime, suppressing gun crime and suppressing knife crime. They were rated 'low/medium' for all sections of 'value for money' including cost of policing, cost per household, number of officers and PCSO's and proportion of policing cost met from council tax.
Strength and recruitment
Devon and Cornwall Police employs 6,067 people and 505 volunteers. Of which 3,529 are Police Officers, 354 Police Community Support OfficerPolice 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, 505 Special Constables
Special Constabulary
The Special Constabulary is the part-time volunteer section of a statutory police force in the United Kingdom or some Crown dependencies. Its officers are known as Special Constables or informally as Specials.Every United Kingdom territorial police force has a special constabulary except the...
and 2184 are civilian staff.
Devon and Cornwall Police currently is not recruiting Constables, PCSOs, Special Constables, transferred officers, civilian staff or control room operators due to budget cuts. They are only hiring for roles that need to be filled.
Devon and Cornwall Police do not have a Police Support Volunteer
Police Support Volunteer
Police Support Volunteer is a voluntary role within the ranks of British Police Forces that involves civilian and mainly office based duties. PSV schemes became popular after the millennium when forces were expanding and needed to be more connected to the community...
scheme.
Training for new recruits in Devon and Cornwall is held at the Headquarters in Middlemoor. For Constables it consists of eight months' training and a two-year probationary period. For PCSOs it consists of 18 weeks' training and a 15-weeks probationary period. For Special Constables it consists of 3 months of training during weeknights and weekends, and a two-year probationary period or less, dependent on the number of tours of duty.
Recruits receive their warrant card and uniform in the first two months of training. Once the training period is over, the new officers are posted in a local division.
Devon and Cornwall Police Authority
The Devon and Cornwall Police AuthorityPolice authority
A police authority in the United Kingdom, is a body charged with securing efficient and effective policing of a police area served by a territorial police force or the area and/or activity policed by a special police force...
is made up of nineteen members: 10 councillors, 3 justices of the peace, and 6 independent members. The councillors are nominated by a committee consisting of members from the Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and Isles of Scilly councils.
If the Government
Premiership of David Cameron
The premiership of David Cameron began on 11 May 2010 when Cameron accepted the Queen's invitation to form a government. This occurred upon the resignation of Cameron's predecessor as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown...
is successful in introducing Police Commissioners
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
to govern police forces, then the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority will be scrapped.
Proposed merger
In 2006 the Home OfficeHome 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,...
announced plans to reduce the number of police forces in the UK from 42 to 24 in an attempt to save money. The plans were abandoned later that year due to lack of funding for the mergers, however the idea has resurfaced many times.
The proposed idea would see Wiltshire Police merge with Gloucestershire Constabulary
Gloucestershire Constabulary
Gloucestershire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire in England...
, Devon and Cornwall Police, Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Avon & Somerset Constabulary is the territorial police force in England responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Somerset, the city & county of Bristol and the unitary authorities of South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset; before 1996 these districts...
and Dorset Police
Dorset Police
Dorset Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the English county of Dorset in the south-west of England.-History:Dorset County Constabulary was formed in 1855. On 1 October 1967 it merged with Bournemouth Borough Police to form Dorset and Bournemouth Constabulary...
to form a 'super police force'.
The plans have been publicly criticised by all the involved forces, stating that it would lead to poor quality service and a reduction in local policing.
Devon and Cornwall Police Pipes and Drum Band
The Devon and Cornwall Police Pipes and Drum Band is a band made up of pipe and drums players who play on behalf of the police force in aid of charity. The band plays at fundraising events for Devon Air Ambulance, Help for HeroesHelp for Heroes
Help for Heroes is a British charity launched on 1 October 2007 to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001. It was founded by Bryn Parry OBE and his wife Emma Parry OBE after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...
and other events, as well at police occasions such as officer graduations.
The band is made up of officers and employees of Devon and Cornwall Police, as well as some members who are not related to the police. The band is not funded or related to the police force but do have permission to use their name and uniform.
Devon and Cornwall Police Rugby Football Club
The Devon and Cornwall RFC was formed in 1967 following the amalgamation of the Devon, Cornwall and Plymouth Constabularies clubs. A few midweek and Sunday games were played and players were encouraged to play for club sides on Saturdays. However the Saturday team was disbanded in May 1995 due to operational commitments. Today the force still manages to bring together a team when necessary, and play in the National Cup Competition every year.In popular culture
- Two fictional Devon & Cornwall police officers are present in the TV show Doc MartinDoc MartinDoc Martin is a British television comedy drama series starring Martin Clunes in the title role. It was created by Mark Crowdy, Craig Ferguson and Dominic Minghella. The show is filmed on location in the fishing village of Port Isaac, Cornwall, United Kingdom, with filming of most interior scenes...
.
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom
- Table of police forces in the United KingdomTable of police forces in the United KingdomThis table of police forces in the United Kingdom includes territorial police forces and special police forces. It does not include non-police law enforcement agencies or bodies of constables not constituted as police forces.-Table:-England and Wales:...
- Law enforcement in the United Kingdom
Further reading
- Campion, Roger (1997) The Call of Duty; police gallantry in Devon & Cornwall: decorations, orders, medals and commendations for gallantry and devotion to duty awarded to officers who have served in the police forces of Devon and Cornwall. Tiverton: Halsgrove in association with the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary ISBN 1874448361