UK: Police & security agencies
01 January 1991
UK: Police & security agencies
bacdoc July=1995
The information in this country file was first published in the
handbook "Statewatching the new Europe" (November 1993). It was
compiled by Peter Klerks and extracted from a longer report which
is available from: The Domestic Security Research Foundation, PO
Box 11178, 1001 GD, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
UNITED KINGDOM
Long-form name: United Kingdom
Type: democracy, with reigning monarch
Capital: London
Administrative divisions: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland. The term "Britain" only refers to England, Wales and
Scotland, while "Great Britain" refers to England, Wales,
Scotland and the Isles of Man and Jersey. The "UK" includes all
the latter plus Northern Ireland.
Constitution: the UK does not have a constitution
Legal system: based on common and legislative law; magsitrates
courts and criminal courts; judicial review through Court of
Appeal and the Law Lords (in the House of Lords).
Executive branch: Prime Minister and Cabinet. Some powers are
exercised under the "royal prerogative". Queen Elizabeth II is
the reigning monarch.
Legislative branch: bicameral. Houses of Parliament (elected);
second chamber House of Lords (part hereditary, part lifetime
appointments)
I. POLICE STRUCTURES & forces
There are 52 separate police forces in the UK - 43 in England and
Wales (128,000 officers), 8 in Scotland (14,000 officers) and 1
in Northern Ireland (8,400 officers plus a reserve force of
4,600). Each force is under the command of a Chief Constable (the
head of the Metropolitan Police in London is called the
Commissioner). Each force also has a police authority currently
comprising two thirds locally elected councillors and one third
local magistrates. The local police authorities have limited
powers relating to finance, the efficiency of the force and the
appointment of the Chief Constable (but the Home Secretary has
to agree). Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary reports to
the Home Secretary on the running of the local forces. Day to day
control of the police lies with the Chief Constables who have
total operational powers.
In 1993 the Home Secretary put forward a proposal to change the
composition of local police authorities by cutting down the
number of elected local councillors (from two-thirds to half) and
introducing a so-called `independent' element - local businessmen
appointed by the Home Secretary. Under the proposals London,
where the current police authority is the Home Secretary, would
have an appointed `liaison' committee. Legislation is expected
in 1993/4.
Special units
There is no separate riot control police in the UK. This task is
carried out by every police officer who is trained for public
order situations. When the police act as a public order force
they are organised in small para-military units of 10 called
Police Support Units (PSUs). Most forces also have specialist
para-military units known as SPGs (Special Patrol Groups) after
the first group formed in London in 1965. These units are
comprise officers seconded to this duty for periods varying
between two and four years; in addition to specialist riot
training a number also undertake firearms training.
There has been much criticism of the dual role of being a
police officer in the community one day and a member of a para-
military unit the next, with aggressive attitudes being brought
back into the community. This long-standing criticism dates from
the mid-1970s and includes the 1979 Southall demonstration
against the National Front (a fascist group) when one
demonstrator Blair Peach was killed by a member of the SPG; the
year-long miners strike of 1984-5; the policing of the printer
workers strike at Wapping; and the policing of the black
community. In 1981 and 1985 there were uprisings in London and
other major cities against police behaviour which led to
prolonged street battles.
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