Police vs Constabulary

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by altcar73

Tim,

Looking at the link you have given it seems quite straight forward. It supports what I have been saying.

Dave.

Lets put this one to bed! A few years ago, after coming ashore I said to a couple of friends, one of the Sussex police and one of the Hampshire Constabulary that I was thinking of applying to join the Police Force! I was then roundly chastised and informed that it was not the Police force anymore but the Police Service (and for the reasons stated) Another friend who is in the MOD Police also stated this to me! (all are old time coppers with former military service, who had distain for the change believing it was evidence the police were getting a bit pink and fluffy!)

However, it would seem they are wrong! Having done a search of various police websites the word "Force" is used frequently, so I will have fun pointing out to them that they are indeed still serving in a police force and not service!

But to play devils advocate, I did have a police recruiting brochure from a little while ago and that did exclusively use the term Police Service with no mention of the word force, hence my believing my friends were correct and that it had been dropped.

Tony

[altcar73]

Originally Posted by sailorbear

Lets put this one to bed! A few years ago, after coming ashore I said to a couple of friends, one of the Sussex police and one of the Hampshire Constabulary that I was thinking of applying to join the Police Force! I was then roundly chastised and informed that it was not the Police force anymore but the Police Service (and for the reasons stated) Another friend who is in the MOD Police also stated this to me! (all are old time coppers with former military service, who had distain for the change believing it was evidence the police were getting a bit pink and fluffy!)

However, it would seem they are wrong! Having done a search of various police websites the word "Force" is used frequently, so I will have fun pointing out to them that they are indeed still serving in a police force and not service!

But to play devils advocate, I did have a police recruiting brochure from a little while ago and that did exclusively use the term Police Service with no mention of the word force, hence my believing my friends were correct and that it had been dropped.

Tony

Tony,

It's not really that important is it? But it was fun having a verbal fencing match.....

Best wishes, Dave.

[engr9266]

I work for SUSSEX POLICE and NOT "POLICE FORCE" or "POLICE SERVICE"
It is made up of a number of smaller regional Police to form East Sussex Constabulary & West Sussex Constabulary then reformed as Sussex Constabulary and onto Sussex Police as it is named today. That is until we are fully intergreated with Surrey POLICE to form.............????

[Empire collector]

Just to poke the fire a bit further...

I am an ex East Sussex Constabulary police officer.

East Sussex Constabulary was formed in 1840, along the way it absorbed the 3 officers of Rye Constabulary in 1889 & the Hove Borough Police in 1947.
In 1967 the then Chief Constable Sir George Terry decided that it would be more 'modern' to change the name to East Sussex Police. So we had a change of helmet plates, cap badges, buttons, form headings etc....BUT
the next year 1968 saw the amalgamation of East Sussex Police with West Sussex Constabulary, the borough forces of Brighton, Eastbourne & Hastings plus the British Airport Authority Constabulary personnel at Gatwick.
The appointed Chief Constable was a Mr Williams of West Sussex who decided that we should be called Sussex Constabulary. So another change of plates, badges etc.
In 1974 (some five & a bit years later) Mr Williams retires & Mr Terry comes back (bit like Premier division football managers isn't it!!) & we become 'Police' again. So Sussex Police with new badges, etc. etc.

As a side line the 'Borough' forces tended always to be called Police not Constabulary.

Alan

[altcar73]

Originally Posted by Empire collector

Just to poke the fire a bit further...

I am an ex East Sussex Constabulary police officer.

East Sussex Constabulary was formed in 1840, along the way it absorbed the 3 officers of Rye Constabulary in 1889 & the Hove Borough Police in 1947.
In 1967 the then Chief Constable Sir George Terry decided that it would be more 'modern' to change the name to East Sussex Police. So we had a change of helmet plates, cap badges, buttons, form headings etc....BUT
the next year 1968 saw the amalgamation of East Sussex Police with West Sussex Constabulary, the borough forces of Brighton, Eastbourne & Hastings plus the British Airport Authority Constabulary personnel at Gatwick.
The appointed Chief Constable was a Mr Williams of West Sussex who decided that we should be called Sussex Constabulary. So another change of plates, badges etc.
In 1974 (some five & a bit years later) Mr Williams retires & Mr Terry comes back (bit like Premier division football managers isn't it!!) & we become 'Police' again. So Sussex Police with new badges, etc. etc.

As a side line the 'Borough' forces tended always to be called Police not Constabulary.

Alan

Alan,

Yes, but an absolute "field day" for the police badge collector like myself!

Dave.

[irish]

Great discussion gentleman, thought I would post a few Police/Constabulary cap badges for my small contribution.
Best
Jack

[leigh kitchen]

I think it was about 15 years so that Cambridgeshire Constabulary considered changing "Constabulary" to "Service". Following feedback from personnel, " Constabulary" was retained.

[leigh kitchen]

Oh, & I always thought in terms of "police forces" within a "police service".

[Eddie Parks]

Interestingly that College of Policing page appears to have been withdrawn.

Here in Ireland there was always a difference between Constabularies and Police. The former were armed almost paramilitary forces and Police were unarmed.

As for the PSNI the less said the better - they are neither fish nor fowl and so PC its almost funny.

Eddie

[altcar73]

Originally Posted by Eddie Parks

Interestingly that College of Policing page appeasers to have been withdrawn.

Here in Ireland there was always a difference between Constabularies and Police. The former were armed almost paramilitary forces and Police were unarmed.

As for the PSNI the less said the better - they are neither fish nor fowl and so PC its almost funny.

Eddie

Eddie,

Not quite. The Belfast Harbour Police have always used the term "Police" and have, for the greater part of there existence, always been armed.

Dave.

[leigh kitchen]

In 1999 - 2000 I was serving with some RUC & Gardai officers. The Gardai staged a celebration for the award of the G.C. to the RUC (well, mistakenly for the award of the G.M. but it's the thought that counts). There was much conjecture over possible new names for the RUC - NICs, NIPS....

[Eddie Parks]

Originally Posted by altcar73

Eddie,

Not quite. The Belfast Harbour Police have always used the term "Police" and have, for the greater part of there existence, always been armed.

Dave.

Yes Dave, but when they were formed and named they were not armed.

Eddie

[REMEVMBEA1]

I think that while individual county police organisations are named constabularies , police and police forces , it's now quite common to refer to them collectively as The Police Service. Whoever decided to change the English language to clarify it simply caused more confusion.If it's left to the media however we won't have that problem as it's now the "in " thing to refer to them as cops , a word I hate as much as kids for children.