Warwickshire Police

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Warwickshire Police
Warwickshire Police logo.svg
Agency overview
Formed1840
Employees1,937 (2020) [1]
Volunteers165 (2020) [1]
Annual budget£80.1 million [2]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction Warwickshire, England
England Police Forces (Warwickshire).svg
Jurisdictional area shown within England
Size762 square miles (1,970 km2)
Population554,002
Legal jurisdiction England & Wales
Constituting instrument
General nature
Operational structure
Overviewed by
Headquarters Leek Wootton
Police officers
PCSOs 87 (2020) [1]
Police and crime commissioner responsible
Agency executive
Districts/Boroughs2 districts and 3 boroughs
Facilities
Stations15
Website
www.warwickshire.police.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Warwickshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Warwickshire in England. It is the second smallest territorial police force in England and Wales after the City of London Police, with only 823 (full-time equivalents) regular officers as of September 2017. [4] The resident population of the force area is 554,002. [5]

Contents

History

The force was established in 1840 as Warwickshire Constabulary. It did not, however, even cover all the rural areas of the county until 1857. Birmingham, Coventry, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick originally had their own police forces. The Warwickshire force absorbed Warwick Borough Police in 1875 and Stratford-upon-Avon Borough Police in 1889 with Leamington Borough Police lasting until 1946. In 1969, Coventry City Police amalgamated with Warwickshire Constabulary and the force became Warwickshire and Coventry Constabulary. However, with the inclusion of Coventry in the new county of the West Midlands in 1974, Coventry passed to the new West Midlands Police, which also took over the areas of the Birmingham City Police and part of the northwestern area of Warwickshire (around Solihull and Sutton Coldfield). Warwickshire Constabulary reverted to its old name. In 2001, its name was changed to Warwickshire Police.

Under proposals announced by the then Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, on 6 February 2006, Warwickshire Police would have merged with Staffordshire Police, West Mercia Constabulary and West Midlands Police to form a single strategic force for the West Midlands region. [6] These proposals were subsequently abandoned.

Warwickshire Police was until April 2007 a partner alongside three other forces in the Central Motorway Police Group.

In December 2010, the Warwickshire Justice Centre was completed in Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa. As well as a police station, the complex houses the magistrates' court, Crown Court, County Court, and other agencies such as the Probation Service and Victim Support. [7] It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 4 March 2011. [8] A similar complex was already in operation in Nuneaton. [9]

Chief constables

The force has had a number of chief constables since 1857: [10]

Organisation

Warwickshire Police cars pictured in 2012 Warwickshire Police Emergency Response vehicle (BX58 CFW).jpg
Warwickshire Police cars pictured in 2012

The force is run by a chief constable, a Deputy chief constable, an assistant chief constable. As of September 2020, the force has 1,041 police officers, 100 special constables, 87 police community support officers (PCSO), 65 police support volunteers (PSV), and 809 staff. [1]

The county is divided into five districts and boroughs (based on local government districts/boroughs). There are 33 local policing teams within Warwickshire Police – called Safer Neighbourhood Teams, [12]

The districts and boroughs are grouped into three policing areas, each commanded by a superintendent. North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth make up the North Warwickshire policing area, Rugby makes up the East Warwickshire policing area and Leamington, Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon make up the South Warwickshire policing area.

The current chief constable is Debbie Tedds, who was appointed in July 2021 following the retirement of her predecessor Martin Jelley. [11] He was appointed to the role on 7 April 2015, following the retirement of Andy Parker. [3] Parker succeeded Keith Bristow on 1 December 2011. Bristow succeeded John Burbeck, who in turn succeeded Andrew Timpson, who in turn succeeded Peter Joslin.

West Mercia alliance

In September 2013, Warwickshire Police embarked on an alliance with West Mercia Police which saw one of the biggest reorganisations the force ever had.[ citation needed ] The alliance saw the sharing of back office facilities, force systems and support teams. In October 2018, West Mercia's chief constable and West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner started formal proceedings to end the alliance. This action was not supported by Warwickshire's chief constable or the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner. The alliance formally ceased to exist in October 2019.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warwick</span> Town and the county town of Warwickshire, England

Warwick is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is 9 miles (14 km) south of Coventry, and 19 miles (31 km) south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whitnash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Rugby</span> Borough and Non-metropolitan district in England

The Borough of Rugby is a local government district with borough status in eastern Warwickshire, England. The borough comprises the town of Rugby where the council has its headquarters, and the rural areas surrounding the town. The borough has a population of 114,400 (2021). Of which, 78,125 live in Rugby itself and the remainder living in the surrounding areas. Aside from Rugby itself, more notable settlements include Binley Woods, Brinklow, Clifton-upon-Dunsmore, Dunchurch, Long Lawford, Monks Kirby, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Stretton-on-Dunsmore and Wolston, and the new large development of Houlton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warwickshire</span> County of England

Warwickshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire to the south, and Worcestershire and the West Midlands county to the west. The largest settlement is Nuneaton, and the county town is Warwick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warwick District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Warwick is a local government district of central Warwickshire in England. It borders the Borough of Rugby and Stratford-on-Avon District in Warwickshire as well as the West Midlands County. The City of Coventry is to the north and northeast, the Stratford-on-Avon District to the southwest and south, the Borough of Rugby to the east, and the Borough of Solihull to the west and northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC CWR</span> Radio station in Coventry, England

BBC CWR is the BBC's local radio station serving Coventry and Warwickshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham metropolitan area</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Warwickshire</span> Aspect of history

This is about the history of the county Warwickshire situated in the English Midlands. Historically, bounded to the north-west by Staffordshire, by Leicestershire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the east, Worcestershire to the west, Oxfordshire to the south and Gloucestershire to the south-west. Areas historically part of Warwickshire include Coventry, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and much of central Birmingham including Aston and Edgbaston. These became part of the metropolitan county of West Midlands following local government re-organisation in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leamington Spa railway station</span> Railway station in Warwickshire, England

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The CV postcode area, also known as the Coventry postcode area, is a group of 24 postcode districts in central England, within eleven post towns. These cover the eastern part of the West Midlands county, most of Warwickshire, a part of west Leicestershire and a very small part of Northamptonshire.

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Warwickshire County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Warwickshire in England.

The Warwickshire Cricket League is the biggest cricket league for clubs in Warwickshire. Its origins go back to 1989, and since 1998 it has acted as a feeder league to the Birmingham and District Premier League Aston Manor in 2005, Berkswell in 2006, & Sutton Coldfield 2014 gained successive promotions from Birmingham League Division Three the following season. Olton and West Warwickshire Cricket Club are the current champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stagecoach in Warwickshire</span> Bus operator

Stagecoach in Warwickshire is a bus operator in and around the county of Warwickshire. It is a subsidiary of Stagecoach.

Ronald William Ball is a former Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and the first person to hold the post. At the time of his election he was the only independent PCC not to have a background in policing. After a four-decade long career in aviation as an airline pilot on both commercial and cargo flights he was elected to the newly created office of Police and Crime Commissioner on 15 November 2012. One of his first acts in the post was to endorse an alliance with a neighbouring police force aimed at pooling resources and reducing overall costs. Although his role was a non-operational one, he requested a review of a police investigation into a motoring accident that left several people injured, citing public concerns over the incident. After it emerged that police officers who held a meeting with former Conservative Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell following his involvement in the Plebgate affair had not given a proper account of their conversation, Ball became caught up in the affair after criticising the findings of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) which recommended the officers be disciplined. Ball did not contest the 2016 election for the post, and was succeeded by Philip Seccombe of the Conservative Party.

The Warwickshire Rugby Football Union is a governing body for rugby union in part of The Midlands, England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union for the city of Coventry and the county of Warwickshire. The current president is Yorkie Kinmond of the Earlsdon Rugby Club.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Data tables for 'Police workforce, England and Wales: 30 September 2020'". Home Office. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  2. "Police Performance 2007/2008 | Home Office". Archived from the original on 17 November 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  3. 1 2 "Warwickshire Police welcomes new Chief Constable Martin Jelley". Warwickshire Police. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  4. "Police workforce, England and Wales: 30 September 2017". GOV.UK. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  5. "Warwickshire's population increases to 554,002 people". Warwickshire Observatory. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  6. "Police mergers outlined by Clarke". BBC News. 6 February 2006. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  7. "Warwickshire Justice Centre, Leamington Spa". Criminal Justice Board . Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  8. "Queen officially opens RSC theatre and justice centre". BBC News. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  9. "Warwickshire Justice Centre, Nuneaton". Criminal Justice Board . Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  10. "Historical Timeline". Warwickshire Constabulary History Society. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  11. 1 2 "New Warwickshire Police Chief Constable takes up post". Warwickshire Police. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  12. "Safer Neighbourhoods involves police, partners and local people". Warwickshire Police. Retrieved 11 October 2017.