Lancashire Constabulary

Coverage
Lancashire Constabulary

Lancashire Constabulary area
Area	Lancashire
Size	2,903
Population	1,500,000
Operations
Formed	1974
HQ	Hutton, Preston
Budget	{{{budget}}}
Officers	3,554
Divisions	8
Stations	36
Chief Constable	Steve Finnigan
Website	Lancashire Constabulary

Lancashire Constabulary is the Home Office police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Lancashire in the North West England. Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for security and order The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea North West England is one of the nine official Regions of England. The force's headquarters are at Hutton, near the city of Preston. Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. The force has over 3,000 officers as well as 500 Police Community Support Officers. Police Community Support Officers ( PCSO) (Swyddogion Cymorth Cymunedol yr Heddlu SCCH or Heddlu Ategol are uniformed personnel working with the Police in England

1 History
2 Divisions
3 Police Stations
4 Equipment
5 Vehicles
6 Air Support Unit
7 Motorway Unit
8 Firearms Unit
9 Proposed merger
10 Intelligence Analysis
11 Vehicle Gallery
12 See also
13 External links

History

After many complaints over a number of years over the crime ridden state of Lancashire it was decided in 1839 that a combined county police force was required to police the county. In the same year the force was founded and Captain John Woodford was made Chief Constable with 2 Assistant Chief Constables, 14 Superintendents and 660 Constables.

Over the next 50 years the Police force saw many changes including the introduction of the Police Helmet and, during the 1860s, the force lost its first officer, PC Jump, who died after being shot by a group of men that he and a colleague were searching. By the end of the century the force had developed a detective department who were allowed to wear plain clothes.

In 1917 the force first allowed female officers although it was only up until the 1950s when they were allowed uniforms and not until the 1970s were they paid at the same rate as their male counterparts. In 1948 the force's dog section was established with many differing breeds being used but by the 1950s it was established that the German Shepherd was the most suitable. The German Shepherd Dog ( GSD) (Deutscher Schäferhund is a breed of large-sized dog that originates from Germany.

The force then went through major changes in the 1970s when the force was reduced to cover the new re-bordered Lancashire with the other areas coming under the jurisdiction of Greater Manchester Police and Merseyside Police. Greater Manchester Police (" GMP " is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing the Metropolitan county of Greater Merseyside Police is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing Merseyside in North West England.

On Wednesday 10th October 2007 the Home Office announced that Lancashire Constabulary had ranked joint first, with Surrey, out of 43 forces by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabularies. All 43 Police forces were assessed on seven areas - tackling crime, serious crime, protecting vulnerable people, satisfaction, neighbourhood policing, local priorities and resources and efficiency.

Divisions

The force is split into eight divisions, six geographical and two based at the Force HQ at Hutton. However, the split is approximate, and divisions are deliberately vague, giving a seamless approach to policing in the Lancashire area. The geographical divisions and their headquarters are as follows:

Western (A Division): The headquarters are in Blackpool from where this division is responsible for the Fylde area stretching from Bispham down to Kirkham. Blackpool (/ˈblækˌpul is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. Bispham (ˈbɪspəm is a village roughly one-and-a-half miles north of Blackpool town centre on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England Kirkham, or as it once was known Kirkam-in- Amounderness is a Town in the Fylde district of Lancashire, England, midway

Northern (B Division): The headquarters are in Lancaster it is also assigned with the policing of Morecambe, Heysham and the northern Fylde area. Lancaster (pronounced ˈlæŋˌkæstə or ˈlænˌkæstə is a City in Lancashire, England. Morecambe is a resort town within the City of Lancaster district of Lancashire, England. Heysham ( IPA /ˈhiːʃəm/ "hee-sham" is a large coastal Village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England Fylde is a local government district with Borough status in Lancashire, England.

Southern (C Division): The headquarters are in Leyland from where this division polices the South Ribble, Chorley and

West Lancashire areas. Leyland is a town in the South Ribble borough of Lancashire, England. South Ribble is a Non-metropolitan district and Borough of Lancashire, England. Chorley is a Market town in Lancashire, in North West England. West Lancashire is a local government district of Lancashire, England.

Central (D Division): This division is primarily assigned to police the city of Preston. Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble.

Eastern (E Division): Primarily assigned to Police the Blackburn, Ribble Valley and Accrington areas. Blackburn ( is a large town in Lancashire, England. It lies to the north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley Ribble Valley is a local government district with Borough status within the Non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England (although Accrington is a town within the Hyndburn borough of Lancashire, in North West England.

Pennine (F Division): Assigned to Police the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale areas. Burnley is a large Market town in the borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73500 Pendle is a local government district and Borough of Lancashire, England, on the North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire borders Rossendale is a local government district with Borough status

G Division: Headquarters

H Division: Operations Support and Operations Planning. Encompasses Motorway, Armed Response, Air Support, Mounted and various other functions.

Police Stations

The constabulary has 36 full-time stations across the county with over 100 further police posts and smaller village stations. Although the county has this large number of stations less than half have adequate provisions to hold prisoners. The training of student officers is undertaken at five sites, HQ (Hutton), Rawtenstall, Fleetwood, Skelmersdale and Morecambe. Hutton could be one of several places Hutton Cumbria Hutton East Riding of Yorkshire Hutton Essex Rawtenstall (pronounced "Rottenstall" ˈrɒtənˌstɔːl or ˈrɒʔnˌstɔːl is a town at the centre of the Rossendale Valley, in Lancashire, Fleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of The Fylde. Skelmersdale is a town in West Lancashire, England. It lies on high-ground on the River Tawd, to the northeast of Liverpool, south-southwest Morecambe is a resort town within the City of Lancaster district of Lancashire, England. In addition, specialist training and certain sections such as the dog and mounted are based at the Force's HQ at Hutton. Hutton could be one of several places Hutton Cumbria Hutton East Riding of Yorkshire Hutton Essex

Equipment

The routine patrol officer is not armed but does carry a baton, a PAVA incapacitant spray, and handcuffs. A club (also known as cudgel, baton, truncheon, night stick, and bludgeon) is among the simplest of all weapons A lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (from lacrima meaning "a tear " in Latin) (commonly referred to as tear gas) is a Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's Wrists close together All officers and civilian members of staff are required to wear a stab vest when on duty and "not in an office environment"; most choose to wear their vest at all times. Although officers are not routinely armed, Lancashire has several Armed Response Teams carrying G36 assault rifles, Glock pistols and Taser guns. The G36 is a German 556 mm Assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K and accepted into service with the Glock GmbH (trademarked as GLOCK) is a weapons manufacturer of handguns that are trade marked as "Safe Action Pistols A Taser is an Electroshock weapon that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD technology to cause neuromuscular incapacitation or NMI and strong muscle contractions

Vehicles

Beat patrol car
The standard patrol car is the Vauxhall Astra.

Motorbike
A number of motorcycles are in use by the force. These are primarily used for traffic duties and escorting.

Motorway
Motorway vehicles are a mixture of Volvo S60s and Land Rover Discoveries. The Volvo typically carries VASCAR equipment, mobile video equipment and Tracker. The Land Rovers have the same equipment as the Volvo, but a lot more equipment in the back, including a camera, tape measure, carriage marking spray, tow rope, hazard and police tape, portable blue lights, cones and a first aid kit.

Personnel Carrier
The Carrier, known colloquially as a "riot van", is used for providing a response to public order incidents and also finds use during Operation Summer Nights and similar initiatives. It is able to carry up to 9 people. Lancashire Constabulary has 33 carriers in use across the county. It has special features including headlight grilles, which protect the headlights when missiles are thrown at the vehicle, a windscreen grille, which helps protect the vehicle's windscreen and officers when missiles are thrown at the vehicle, and run flat tyres.

Section Van
The section van is used to transport suspects to the police station. There are 66 operational section vans in use across the county.

Armed Response Vehicle (ARV)
Lancashire Constabulary currently has 6 Armed Response Vehicles, which are based within the 6 Divisions in Lancashire. The Armed Response vehicles were, up until recently, Ford Galaxies but they are now being replaced by the Ford S-Max. They’re crewed by two authorised firearms officers and have a safe, which holds firearms equipment.

Dog van
There are 36 dog vehicles that are used across the force. The big vans can carry up to four dogs and the smaller cars can carry up to 2 dogs. The vehicles have been specially modified for the dogs and the rooves of the vehicles have special vents so that the dogs are well looked after.

Air Support Unit

The force also operates an EC135 helicopter based at BAE Warton, the Helicopter is available to reach any part of Lancashire within 15 minutes. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Warton Aerodrome is located near to Warton village on the Fylde peninsula in Lancashire, England. The force has had an ASU since 1993 when it fielded a Eurocopter Squirrel but this was retired in the early 2000s as it was replaced by the newer EC 135. The ASU is primarily there to assist ground forces as well as provide evidence and surveillance where is needed.

Motorway Unit

The Force's motorway policing unit has headquarters at Samlesbury near Preston. Samlesbury is a small village and Civil parish in the South Ribble borough of Lancashire, England. Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. The unit is led by a single Inspector who in turn is responsible for 7 Sergeants and 43 Police Constables. The unit also operates a vehicle checking station at Cuerden between Chorley and Preston on the M65, this is done in co-operation with VOSA. Cuerden is a village and Civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, in Lancashire, England. Chorley is a Market town in Lancashire, in North West England. Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA is a Non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Transport of the

Firearms Unit

Due to police officers in the county not being routinely armed the force has its own specialised firearms unit based at locations around the county. The force has at any one time has 12 armed officers on patrol as well as providing armed officers to patrol Blackpool Airport. Blackpool International Airport is a small international Airport, on the outskirts of Blackpool on the Fylde coast, Lancashire in The standard issue weapon is the Glock SLP whilst officers are also armed with the Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle. Glock GmbH (trademarked as GLOCK) is a weapons manufacturer of handguns that are trade marked as "Safe Action Pistols The G36 is a German 556 mm Assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K and accepted into service with the Tasers are also carried by Armed Response Officers. A Taser is an Electroshock weapon that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD technology to cause neuromuscular incapacitation or NMI and strong muscle contractions

Proposed merger

Under proposals made by the Home Secretary on February 6, 2006, it was to have be merged with Cumbria Constabulary. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Cumbria Constabulary is the Home Office Police force in England covering Cumbria. These were accepted by both forces on February 26, and the merger would have taken place on April 1, 2007. Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [1]. However, in July 2006, both Cumbria and Lancashire Constabularies decided not to proceed with the merger because the government failed to remedy issues with the council tax precept which left both forces unable to proceed.

Intelligence Analysis

Over recent years, Lancashire Constabulary has developed a reputation for leading the way in Intelligence Analysis and holds an annual Intelligence Analysis conference in Blackpool attended by a large number of analysts from other UK police forces and law enforcement agencies. Other forces are now looking to Lancashire as a pioneering force in IT support.

Vehicle Gallery

Vauxhall Astra Beat Car	Police motorbike	Motorway saloon car	Motorway 4X4
PSU	ARV	Dog van

External links

Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales (administration of Police matters Operation Tremor is a joint operation between British Transport Police, Lancashire Constabulary and Network Rail to combat thieves who have been stealing Operation Summer Nights is an initiative operation run from 28 April - 1 September each year by Lancashire Constabulary to tackle Alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour The Road Policing Unit ( RPU) is the term for the traffic unit within the majority of all British police forces. The Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is the county-wide statutory emergency fire and rescue service for the Shire county of Lancashire

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