Suffolk Constabulary

Last updated

Suffolk Constabulary
Suffolk Constabulary logo.svg
Common nameSuffolk Police
Agency overview
Formed1967;57 years ago (1967)
Preceding agencies
  • East Suffolk Constabulary
  • West Suffolk Constabulary
  • Ipswich Borough Police
Employees
  • 1,399 police officers
  • 33 PCSOs
  • 917 police staff
Volunteers
  • 116 special constables
  • 123 police support volunteers
Annual budget£157 million (2023 - 2024)
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionSuffolk, England, UK
England Police Forces (Suffolk).svg
Map of police area
Size1,466 square miles (3,796 km2)
Population761,000
Legal jurisdiction England & Wales
Constituting instrument
General nature
Operational structure
Overseen by
Headquarters Martlesham
Constables
  • 1,399 police officers
  • 116 special constables
PCSOs 36
Police and Crime Commissioner responsible
Agency executive
Website
https://www.suffolk.police.uk/

Suffolk Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing Suffolk in East Anglia, England. The force serves a population of 761,000 in a mostly rural area of 1,466 square miles (3,796 km2), including 49 miles of coastline and the Southern part of the Broads National Park. Headquartered in Martlesham, Suffolk is responsible for Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bury St Edmunds and Felixstowe. [1] [2] As of March 2023, the force has a strength of approximately 1,399 police officers, 116 special constables, 917 police staff/designated officers, 33 PCSO's and 123 police support volunteers. [3] The Chief Constable is currently Rachel Kearton, [4] and the Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore (Conservative).

Contents

History

WWII pass from East Suffolk Constabulary allowing Bungay-living Miss Daphne Raikes, the Beccles & District War Memorial Hospital physiotherapist, to visit patients in the local wartime-protected Suffolk coastal area. WWII pass East Suffolk Constabulary Miss D Raikes.jpeg
WWII pass from East Suffolk Constabulary allowing Bungay-living Miss Daphne Raikes, the Beccles & District War Memorial Hospital physiotherapist, to visit patients in the local wartime-protected Suffolk coastal area.

19th and 20th century

Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Beccles and Orford formed their own borough police forces in 1836 following the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which required local councils to appoint paid constable to keep the peace. Sudbury followed suit in 1835, along with Eye in 1840 and Southwold in 1844 each with their own borough police forces. Lowestoft and Dunwich also formed borough police forces around this time. [5]

Ipswich Borough Police on its formation had a strength of 3 inspectors and 15 constables. They were headquartered at the town hall. In 1862 Ipswich Borough Police issued whistles to all its officers (much earlier than other forces) due to frequent assaults of officers at Ipswich Docks. In 1863 the force replaced top hats with helmets and badges. [6]

Following the County Police Act 1839, East Sufolk Constabulary was created in 1840, followed by West Suffolk Constabulary in 1845 to cover the rural parts of the county not already covered by a borough force. [7]

In 1857 Bury St Edmunds Borough Police merged with West Suffolk Constabulary and Beccles Borough Police merged with East Suffolk Constabulary. [8] [9]

In 1869, East Suffolk and West Suffolk Constabularies merged to form Suffolk Constabulary (excluding the Borough of Ipswich) under new Chief Constable Major Clement Henry John Heigham. Under this new merged force, there were six superintendents, six inspectors, six sergeants and 72 constables. Following the death of Major Heigham, the two forces separated again in 1899. [10]

In 1889 Southwold Borough Police merged with East Suffolk Constabulary, following the Local Government Act 1888. Throughout its history it had a strength of a single constable. The people of Southwold didn't want anyone to look after them and reportedly only had one constable so as to look after the tourists. [11]

In 1967, following the Police Act 1964, East Suffolk Constabulary, West Suffolk Constabulary and Ipswich Borough Police merged to form Suffolk Constabulary. Following the merger, there were 957 officers in Suffolk Constabulary. Following the merger, questions were being raised regarding the cost effectiveness of the Suffolk Cadet Force, where young cadets would eventually become constables. The last cadet to join under this scheme was in 1982, where the program was ended. [12]

21st century

In 2006, Suffolk Constabulary merged the role of traffic warden with that of PCSO.

Proposals announced by the then Home Secretary Charles Clarke in 2006 would have seen the force merge with neighbouring forces Norfolk Constabulary and Cambridgeshire Constabulary to form a strategic police force for East Anglia. [13] However, the proposals were later abandoned.

In 2019, the UK Prime Minister announced that 20,000 new police officers would be recruited as part of a national uplift programme. Suffolk was allocated 179 of those new officers, which would bring the force strength up to more than 1,400 police officers by 2023. [14] [15] [16]

In 2020, Suffolk recruited more female officers than male officers, being one of only eight forces in the UK to achieve this. [17]

In 2022, Suffolk begun training recruits under the new Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF), which sees a partnership of training with Anglia Ruskin University. [18]

Chief constables

Organisation

Suffolk Constabulary is responsible for policing Suffolk's 4 major settlements, Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bury St Edmunds and Felixstowe. [1] [2]

It is also responsible for Suffolk's 49 miles of coastline, along with many rivers, including the southern Broads National Park. It also has responsibility for the Port of Felixstowe, the largest shipping container port in Britain. [24]

There are 1,106 police constables (PC's) in Suffolk (with the remainder being officers of the rank sergeant and above). This accounts for 145 police constables per 100,000 population. 302 officers are assigned to neighbourhood policing whilst 357 are assigned to incident/response management. [25]

Sizewell Nuclear Power Stations

In conjunction with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Suffolk is responsible for Sizewell A & B, on the East Suffolk coastline. [26]

Military Bases

Suffolk is home to a number of major Army, RAF and USAF military bases, of which it works closely with. These include Wattisham Air Station, Mildenhall and Lakenheath.

Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU)

Created in 2010, ERSOU is funded by the seven police forces that make up the eastern region, with Bedfordshire Police being the lead force. It is primarily responsible for the combined Regional Organised Crime Unit and Counter Terrorism Policing. [27]

Collaboration

Norfolk and Suffolk Collaboration

Norfolk Constabulary and Suffolk Constabulary have collaborated numerous services together since 2010. An extensive programme of collaborative work has already delivered a number of joint units and departments in areas such as Major Investigations, Protective Services, Custody, Transport, HR, Finance and ICT. In 2020/21, £20 million was saved due to the collaboration for Suffolk. [28] [ non-primary source needed ]

7 Force / Eastern Region Collaboration

The 7 Force Collaboration Programme includes Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent police forces.  This strategic collaboration programme was established in 2015 to develop and implement successful collaborative solutions to protect the frontline local delivery of policing. It collaborates on areas including Procurement, Training, Firearms, Driver Management, Digital Assets, Vetting and Forensics, along with ERSOU. [29]

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service

The police and Suffolk Fire & Rescue share a number of joint stations, allowing for closer collaboration between the services. A number of the joint stations are also host to the East of England Ambulance Service. [30]


Fast Justice (TV documentary series)

Suffolk Constabulary Ford Focus, 2007 Suffolk Constabulary Ford Focus.jpg
Suffolk Constabulary Ford Focus, 2007

In 2020, Suffolk's Sentinel Teams were at the focus of a 10 part television series which aired on Dave. The Sentinel teams use state of the art Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology which provides instant access to a network of cameras across the country, and they drive high performance, customised BMWs. The Sentinel teams provide enhanced coverage of Suffolk's road network to proactively disrupt serious and organised criminal activity as well as to increase police visibility. Sentinel officers also support the force's response policing and Safer Neighbourhood Teams, and offer additional operational options, making use of a wide range of proactive policing tactics and technology. [31] [32]

Notable investigations

Suffolk Constabulary gained widespread attention in December 2006, when it began to investigate the murder of five women working as prostitutes in the Ipswich area. [33] The murders generated media interest both nationally and internationally. [34] [35] [36] The inquiry was the largest mounted by Suffolk Police in its history. [37]

The disappearance of Corrie McKeague launched another unusually large investigation, involving officers from other constabularies and civilian volunteers. [38]

Governance and budget

Since 2012, the force has been overseen by Tim Passmore (Conservative) who is the Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner. [39] Since 2022, the chief constable is Rachel Kearton. [22]

Suffolk Constabulary's budget for 2023/2024 is £157 million, with £88 million being government funded and £69 million precept (council tax) funded). [40]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheshire Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Cheshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Cheshire in North West England, comprising the unitary authorities of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Borough of Halton and Borough of Warrington. The force is responsible for policing an area of 946 square miles (2,450 km2) with a population of approximately 1 million people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avon and Somerset Police</span> English territorial police force

Avon and Somerset Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in the five unitary authority areas of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, all in South West England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedfordshire Police</span> English territorial police force

Bedfordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire in England, which includes the unitary authorities of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton. Its headquarters are in the town of Kempston in Bedford Borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambridgeshire Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Cambridgeshire Constabulary is the local territorial police force that covers the county of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough unitary authority. It provides law enforcement and security for an area of 1,311 square miles (3,400 km2) and population of 856,000 people, in a predominantly rural county. The force of Cambridgeshire includes the cities of Cambridge, Ely and Peterborough, the market towns of Chatteris, Huntingdon, March, Ramsey, St Ives, St Neots, Whittlesey, and town and Port of Wisbech. Its emblem is a crowned Brunswick star containing the heraldic badge of Cambridgeshire County Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland Police</span> Territorial police force in England

Cleveland Police is a territorial police force in England responsible for the policing the boroughs of Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland in North Yorkshire and Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham within North East England. The force is overseen by the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner. Since 2022, the chief constable has been Mark Webster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derbyshire Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Derbyshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Derbyshire, England. The force covers an area of over 1,000 square miles (3,000 km2) with a population of just under one million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norfolk Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Norfolk Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing Norfolk in East Anglia, England. The force serves a population of 908,000 in a mostly rural area of 2,079 square miles (5,380 km2), including 90 miles (140 km) of coastline and 16 rivers, including the Broads National Park. Headquartered in Wymondham, Norfolk is responsible for the City of Norwich, along with King's Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Thetford. As of March 2023, the force has a strength of 1,897 police officers, 163 special constables, 1,318 police staff/designated officers, and 103 police support volunteers. The Chief Constable is Paul Sanford, and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is Sarah Taylor (Labour).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northumbria Police</span> English territorial police force

Northumbria Police is a territorial police force in England, responsible for policing the ceremonial counties of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. It is the largest police force in the North East by geographical area and number of officers. The force covers an area of 2,141 square miles (5,550 km2) with a population of 1.46 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwent Police</span> Welsh territorial police force

Gwent Police is a territorial police force in Wales, responsible for policing the local authority areas of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surrey Police</span> English territorial police force

Surrey Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Surrey in South East England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hertfordshire Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Hertfordshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Hertfordshire in England. Its headquarters is in Welwyn Garden City. The current chief constable is Charlie Hall. As of March 2019, the force consists of over 1,900 police officers, 235 PCSOs, and over 1500 police staff, as well as being supported by more than 410 special constables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorset Police</span> English territorial police force

Dorset Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Dorset in South West England, which includes the largely rural area covered by Dorset Council, and the urban conurbation of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durham Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Durham Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the council areas of County Durham and Darlington in North East England. It does not cover all of the ceremonial or historic area of Durham, parts of which are covered by the neighbouring forces of Cleveland Police and Northumbria Police. The other neighbouring forces are Cumbria Constabulary to the west and North Yorkshire Police to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in South East England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sussex Police</span> English territorial police force

Sussex Police are the territorial police force responsible for policing in the whole of Sussex. Their jurisdiction covers the ceremonial counties of East Sussex and West Sussex. Their headquarters are in Malling House, Lewes, East Sussex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nottinghamshire Police</span> English territorial police force

Nottinghamshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the shire county of Nottinghamshire and the unitary authority of Nottingham in the East Midlands area of England. The area has a population of just over 1 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northamptonshire Police</span> English territorial police force

Northamptonshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Northamptonshire in the East Midlands of England, in the United Kingdom.

The Port of Felixstowe Police is a non-Home Office ports police force established in 1975, responsible for policing the Port of Felixstowe in Felixstowe, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police Act 1964</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Police Act 1964 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that updated the legislation governing police forces in England and Wales, constituted new police authorities, gave the Home Secretary new powers to supervise local constabularies, and allowed for the amalgamation of existing forces into more efficient units.

Sir Peter Jack Matthews was a British police officer who rose to become Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary and the Surrey Police.

References

  1. 1 2 "Police & Crime Plan". Suffolk PCC. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Coastal management » East Suffolk Council". eastsuffolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  3. ↑ "Police workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2023". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  4. ↑ "Our people". www.suffolk.police.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  6. ↑ "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  7. ↑ "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  9. ↑ "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  11. ↑ "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  13. ↑ "Police forces 'to be cut to 24'". BBC News . 20 March 2006. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  14. ↑ "Suffolk police will recruit 72 new officers amid 'visibility' concerns". East Anglian Daily Times. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  15. ↑ "Suffolk Police officer recruits will expand force to 1,400". BBC News. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  16. ↑ "Recruitment of 20,000 new police officers to begin 'within weeks'". BBC News. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  17. ↑ Steward, Michael (29 October 2021). "Suffolk police hired more women than men last year, figures reveal". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  18. ↑ "Suffolk Chief welcomes first recruits under new degree programme". suffolk.police.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  19. ↑ "Chief Police Officers". House of Commons. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  20. 1 2 3 Goldwater, William H.; Gough, Michael (1998). "Freedom of Information request". Science. 282 (5395): 1825–1827. Bibcode:1998Sci...282.1823G. doi:10.1126/science.282.5395.1823e. PMID   9874633. S2CID   41329267 . Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  21. ↑ "Suffolk Police chief constable retires after 'year of sick leave'". BBC News. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  22. 1 2 "Our people". suffolk.police.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  23. ↑ "Our people". www.suffolk.police.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  24. ↑ "Ever Ace: World's largest cargo ship unloading in UK port". BBC News. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  25. ↑ "Police workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2023". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  26. ↑ Chambers, Sarah (13 January 2005). "Armed police set for nuclear stations". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  27. ↑ "About us | ERSOU". ersou.police.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  28. ↑ "Norfolk & Suffolk Constabularies Collaboration". Suffolk PCC. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  29. ↑ "Seven Force Strategic Collaboration Programme". Suffolk PCC. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  30. ↑ "Fire & Rescue Service Collaboration". Suffolk PCC. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  31. ↑ "Proactive crime-fighting team feature in new TV series". suffolk.police.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  32. ↑ Potter, Tom (16 April 2021). "Sergeant reveals what's in store for new TV show with Suffolk police team". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  33. ↑ "Suffolk killer will die in prison". BBC News . 21 February 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  34. ↑ "One of serial killer's five victims was pregnant". The Sydney Morning Herald . 17 December 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  35. ↑ "British Police close to solving murders of prostitutes". Zee News. 17 December 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  36. ↑ "British Police Identify 5th Victim of Serial Prostitute Killer". Fox News. 15 December 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  37. ↑ Summers, Chris (13 December 2006). "The task facing vice murders squads". BBC News . Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  38. ↑ Steward, Michael (22 September 2018). "Mother of missing Corrie McKeague says she is ready to start searching again". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  39. ↑ "Elections 2021: Tim Passmore re-elected Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner". East Anglian Daily Times. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  40. ↑ "Police funding for England and Wales 2015 to 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.