The Victorian Policeman (Shire Library)

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The first thousand of Peel’s police, dressed in blue tail-coats and top hats, began to patrol the streets of London on 29th September 1829. The uniform was carefully selected to make the ‘Peelers’ look more like ordinary citizens, rather than a red-coated soldier with a helmet. Nowadays, children up and down the country list being a police person as one of their dream jobs, but for children pre-Victorian era, that wasn’t an option because there were no police. In England the Retford Borough Police are possibly the shortest existing police force, having been formed on 1 January 1836 and then amalgamating with the Nottinghamshire Police on the first day it was allowed to under the County Police Act 1839 only its 5th anniversary - 1 January 1841. The General Police Act (Scotland) 1857 required each Scottish county and burgh to establish a police force, either its own or by uniting with a neighbouring county, the latter was usually the case if the area in question was small and had little means of acquiring such manpower.

Under the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, the Royal Ulster Constabulary continued in force under the new title, the 'Police Service of Northern Ireland (incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary)' - to be styled for operational purposes as the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Irish Constabulary reorganised under the Constabulary (Ireland) Act; Dublin Metropolitan Police founded.In 1899, the force introduced the Victoria Police Valour Award to recognise the bravery of members. [23] Three years later, in 1902, the right to a police pension was revoked. [24] The country's first national Forensic science laboratory opens in the Headquarters of Nottingham City Police [21] By 1851 there were around 13,000 policemen in England and Wales, although existing law still did not require local authorities to establish local police forces. [16] If, as has been truly said, there is “wisdom in the wig,” there can be no doubt but much virtue may lie under the hat, when the hat itself is made the medium by which it is communicated. AN ALTERATION Find my past (available in the State Library Victoria and in some Victorian public libraries). 1855, 1864-1865, 1898-1876, 1885-1900.

The police strike led to riots and looting in Melbourne's central business district. The Victorian government enlisted special constables, and the Commonwealth of Australia called out the Australian military. Victoria Police are the only Australian Police Service to ever go on strike. The police are a part of everyday life and it would be almost unimaginable to think of a world where they don’t exist, but it may surprise you to learn that police as we know them weren’t around until the Victorian era!

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Victoria Police Valour Award – The Victoria Police Valour Award (VA) is awarded to sworn police employees for a particular incident involving an act that displayed exceptional bravery in extremely perilous circumstances; The Emergence of Penal Policy in Victorian and Edwardian England by Leon Radzinowicz and Roger Hood (Clarendon Press, 1990) All sworn officers start at the lowest rank of constable and are able to progress and be promoted to higher ranks. [61] After their 2-year probationary period, the Constable receives their confirmation and becomes a permanent officer of Victoria Police as a First Constable.

Peel's Metropolitan Police Act 1829 established a full-time, professional and centrally-organised police force for the greater London area known as the Metropolitan Police. The new Metropolitan Police were responsible for an area of 7 miles in radius from the centre of the city (excluding the City of London), which was later extended to 15 miles. A committee examined the policing of London, and made several suggestions on their findings to help evolve the existing state of affairs. Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). PACE regulated the actions of the police in England and Wales, particularly in relations to arrest and searches/powers of entry. It also instituted the PACE Codes of Practice. Legal jurisdiction of territorial police officers in England and Wales is expanded to cover England, Wales, and their territorial waters. Jurisdiction was more geographically limited prior to this point. The commissioners of police have decided on an alteration in the hats of the police, which will be immediately adopted throughout the force, and which will tend materially to add to the ease and comfort of the men when on duty, especially in hot weather.

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The Police Act 1946 led to the merger of a number of smaller town forces and surrounding county forces, leaving 117 constabularies. Further mergers took place following the Police Act 1964 which cut the number of police forces in England and Wales to 47, and Scotland to 20. [16] Modern policing [ edit ]