A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other people may be granted powers of a constable without holding this title.
Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom use a standardised set of ranks, with a slight variation in the most senior ranks for the Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police. Most of the British police ranks that exist today were chosen by Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel, the founder of the Metropolitan Police, enacted under the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829. The ranks at that time were deliberately chosen so that they did not correspond with military ranking, because of fears of a paramilitary force.
Durham Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of County Durham and the unitary authority of Darlington. The force covers the 2,232 km² of the county which has a resident population of 595,308. It is one of the smaller forces of the 43 territorial police forces that service England and Wales. Durham is Home Office force 11.
Newham Community Constabulary, formerly called Newham Parks Constabulary, was a very small non-Home Office constabulary responsible for patrolling the 52 parks and open spaces covering 1.63 square miles in the London Borough of Newham.
The Kew Constabulary is a very small, specialised constabulary responsible for policing the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Richmond-upon-Thames, England.
Wandsworth Parks and Events Police is a Wandsworth Borough Council service responsible for the routine patrolling of the parks, commons, and open spaces within the London Borough of Wandsworth, which has more green spaces than any other inner London borough. It also enforces byelaws, dog control orders, and other park regulations, and provides policing for special events. Its lineage may be traced to a 1984 foundation, although the present body dates from 2012, and was rebranded in 2015 with its current name and responsibilities.
The Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary was a small constabulary responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. In 2013, it merged with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police to form the Parks Police Service.
Haringey Parks Constabulary was a small constabulary that patrolled parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Haringey to enforce by-laws and parks regulations.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police was a body of constables responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. In 2013, it merged with the Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary to form the Parks Police Service.
Sutton Parks Constabulary was a small, specialised constabulary responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Sutton. In 2007 the Constabulary was disbanded and responsibility passed to two "Safer Parks Teams" provided by the Metropolitan Police.
Hillingdon Parks Patrol Service is a small patrol body, responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Hillingdon, England.
The London Borough of Redbridge Parks Police Service was a body of constables responsible for policing the parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Redbridge. The service was headed by Chief Officer John Boylin, the former Metropolitan Police Borough Commander for Redbridge. Policing was provided by two shifts, each consisting of one sergeant and six constables. On 31 October 2011, the service was disbanded and replaced by a Council-funded team of Metropolitan Police officers known as the "Redbridge Community Police Team".
Birmingham Market Police is a defunct police force of the United Kingdom which existed between 1883 and 1976, and was formerly under the control of Birmingham Corporation where it was responsible for policing the markets controlled by the Corporation. Constables of the market police were attested under section 104 of the Birmingham Corporation (Consolidation) Act 1883 which gave them the same powers and privileges as borough constables appointed under the Municipal Corporations Act 1882, but the Part of the 1882 Act that related to borough constables had been completely repealed by 1976 and therefore such constables no longer enjoy any powers. Staff are still employed as 'market police', although they have no powers of arrest above that of another Member of the Public. Neither the Council nor the Police recognise them as police officers.
Liverpool Parks Police was a police force maintained by the Corporation of Liverpool to police the parks and open spaces owned by the City. The first record of "park constables" in Liverpool is from 1832, although members of the force were not sworn in as constables in their own right until 1882. The force was disbanded in 1972.
Brent Parks Constabulary was a small, specialised constabulary responsible for patrolling the parks and open spaces parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Brent. Staff of the Borough Security Department were sworn in as constables from 1979, though the title "Brent Parks Constabulary" was adopted around 1993. In 1993, the constabulary consisted of 17 constables and 2 supervisors. They did not receive any formal police training, which "caused some concern" in the Metropolitan Police.
The City of London market constabularies are three small constabularies responsible for security at Billingsgate, New Spitalfields and Smithfield markets run by the City of London Corporation.
Brighton Parks Police was a park police force maintained by Brighton Borough Council for the borough of Brighton, England.
The Parks Police Service is a small constabulary responsible for policing 87 parks and open spaces in the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham. The police force was created through the merger of Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police in 2013.
