Police division
Encyclopedia
A division was the usual term for the largest territorial subdivision of most British police forces. In major reforms of police organisation in the 1990s divisions of many forces were restructured and retitled Basic Command Unit
s (BCUs), although some forces continue to refer to them as divisions.
The term was and used in many other countries of the British Empire
and Commonwealth
.
. These could cover a wide rural area, a substantial town, or a portion of a city, depending on the population (London
, for instance, was divided at one point into 67 Metropolitan Police
divisions and a further four City of London Police
divisions). In 1949, the Metropolitan Police regraded its divisional commanders as Chief Superintendent
s and most other forces followed suit.
Divisions were usually divided into Sub-Divisions, commanded by Inspector
s (or, in the Metropolitan Police, Sub-Divisional Inspector
s, a higher rank). Some rural forces did not acquire this further organisational level until well into the 20th century, however. Sub-divisional commanders were later regraded as Chief Inspector
s in most forces.
In the United Kingdom
, divisions functioned as semi-independent bodies, with the divisional commander being allowed a great deal of freedom in the way he policed his "patch". A division had its own Criminal Investigation Department
(CID) officers, who handled all investigations except very specialist operations and serious crimes such as murder
, for which experienced specialist officers from headquarters were called in (although the groundwork was still largely done by local CID). There was frequently great rivalry and even dislike between officers based "on the divisions" and officers based at headquarters, with the former seeing the latter as elitist fast-trackers who did not know what real police work was all about, and the latter seeing the former as unimaginative "plods" without any real ambition or ability. There was also great rivalry between adjacent divisions, which sometimes degenerated into operations deliberately designed to embarrass or discredit the other.
With the reforms of the 1990s sub-divisions, as well as divisions, acquired a variety of new names.
divides its territory
into 23 divisions or districts, each reporting to one of the six regions.
, the equivalent to a division is a Police District. Policing in India is on a state basis, and every state is divided into a number of districts. Each district is headed by a Superintendent of Police. The district is subdividied into Sub Divisions, each commanded by a Deputy Superintendent
of Police. Sub Divisions are further divided into Police Circles. In the case of a district including large cities, two separate police districts are created, known as the City Police District, headed by a Commissioner, and the Rural District Police, headed by a Superintendent.
. Divisions are further divided into districts,commanded by a Superintendent
.
divides the city-state
into six divisions of varying physical sizes and population. These boundaries tend to be demarcated in terms of cases handled by observing criminal trends over time, instead of being based on area or population sizes alone.
A few police agencies using divisions include:
Basic 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 (BCUs), although some forces continue to refer to them as divisions.
The term was and used in many other countries of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
.
United Kingdom
The term has existed since the creation of police forces in the early 19th century. Most police forces were divided into divisions, usually commanded by a SuperintendentSuperintendent (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...
. These could cover a wide rural area, a substantial town, or a portion of a city, depending on the population (London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, for instance, was divided at one point into 67 Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
divisions and a further four City of London Police
City of London Police
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...
divisions). In 1949, the Metropolitan Police regraded its divisional commanders as 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...
s and most other forces followed suit.
Divisions were usually divided into Sub-Divisions, commanded by 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 :...
s (or, in the Metropolitan Police, Sub-Divisional Inspector
Sub-Divisional Inspector
Sub-divisional inspector was a rank used in the London Metropolitan Police from the 1870s or 1880s until 1949. A sub-divisional inspector ranked above an inspector and below a chief inspector. As the title suggests, he or she commanded a sub-division or held an equivalent administrative position...
s, a higher rank). Some rural forces did not acquire this further organisational level until well into the 20th century, however. Sub-divisional commanders were later regraded as Chief Inspector
Chief inspector
Chief inspector is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police .-Australia:...
s in most forces.
In the United Kingdom
United 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...
, divisions functioned as semi-independent bodies, with the divisional commander being allowed a great deal of freedom in the way he policed his "patch". A division had its own Criminal Investigation Department
Criminal 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) officers, who handled all investigations except very specialist operations and serious crimes such as murder
Murder
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...
, for which experienced specialist officers from headquarters were called in (although the groundwork was still largely done by local CID). There was frequently great rivalry and even dislike between officers based "on the divisions" and officers based at headquarters, with the former seeing the latter as elitist fast-trackers who did not know what real police work was all about, and the latter seeing the former as unimaginative "plods" without any real ambition or ability. There was also great rivalry between adjacent divisions, which sometimes degenerated into operations deliberately designed to embarrass or discredit the other.
With the reforms of the 1990s sub-divisions, as well as divisions, acquired a variety of new names.
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Police ForceHong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
divides its territory
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
into 23 divisions or districts, each reporting to one of the six regions.
India
In IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the equivalent to a division is a Police District. Policing in India is on a state basis, and every state is divided into a number of districts. Each district is headed by a Superintendent of Police. The district is subdividied into Sub Divisions, each commanded by a Deputy Superintendent
Deputy Superintendent
Deputy superintendent, or deputy superintendent of police , was a rank used by police forces of the British Empire. In some territories it was called Deputy District Superintendent of police ....
of Police. Sub Divisions are further divided into Police Circles. In the case of a district including large cities, two separate police districts are created, known as the City Police District, headed by a Commissioner, and the Rural District Police, headed by a Superintendent.
Republic of Ireland
In The Republic of Ireland, An Garda Síochána divides its operational area into 23 divisions,which in turn report to one of six regions. Most, but not all of these divisions, are alingned to county borders. Each division is commanded by a Chief SuperintendentChief 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...
. Divisions are further divided into districts,commanded 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...
.
Singapore
The Singapore Police ForceSingapore Police Force
The Singapore Police Force is the main agency tasked with maintaining law and order in the city-state. Formerly known as the Republic of Singapore Police , it has grown from an 11-man organisation to a 38,587 strong force...
divides the city-state
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
into six divisions of varying physical sizes and population. These boundaries tend to be demarcated in terms of cases handled by observing criminal trends over time, instead of being based on area or population sizes alone.
Canada
A few police departments in Canada use divisions to represent stations or patrol areas, but some are a mix of operational and administrative units with the force.A few police agencies using divisions include:
- Peel Regional PolicePeel Regional PolicePeel Regional Police provides police services for Peel Region in Ontario, Canada. It is the second largest municipal police service in Ontario after the Toronto Police Service and third largest municipal force in Canada with 1,900 uniformed members and close to 800 support staff.Peel Region...
- 5 (4 geographic and 1 operational) - Ottawa Police ServiceOttawa Police ServiceThe Ottawa Police Service serves the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.-History:The OPS roots come from the formation of the "Bytown Association" in 1847. In 1855 Roderick Ross was the first Chief Constable for the newly formed City of Ottawa...
- 3 (geographic) - Edmonton Police ServiceEdmonton Police ServiceEdmonton Police Service is the municipal police force for the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.-Organization:The current head of the EPS is Roderick Knecht....
- 5 (geographic) - Halifax Regional PoliceHalifax Regional PoliceThe Halifax Regional Police is one of a number of law enforcement agencies operating in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia; the other primaries being the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Forces Military Police...
- 4 (3 geographic and 1 operational) - Hamilton Police Service - 3 (geographic)
- Toronto Police ServiceToronto Police ServiceThe Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
- 17 (numeric) - Vancouver Police DepartmentVancouver Police DepartmentThe Vancouver Police Department is the police force for the City of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several police departments within the Metro Vancouver Area and is the second largest police force in the province after RCMP "E" Division.VPD was the first Canadian police force...
- 3 (operational) - Victoria Police DepartmentVictoria Police DepartmentVictoria Police Department is the municipal police force for the City of Victoria and the Township of Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada. It is the oldest municipal police department in Canada west of the Great Lakes, the first Canadian law enforcement agency to deploy Tasers and creating the...
- 6 (operational and administrative) - Waterloo Regional Police Service - 5 (geographic)
- Winnipeg Police ServiceWinnipeg Police ServiceThe Winnipeg Police Service is the police force of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.-History:When Winnipeg became a city in 1873, an election was held to select the city's new Mayor and Aldermen. Those appointed decided to hire city officials, including a Chief Constable. On February 23,...
- 5 (geographic)