A NOTE ON NOMENCLATURE

In trying to describe aspects of policing it is necessary to be clear about what we mean.  This is particularly true when the meaning of some words (such as ‘police force’) vary according to the context in which they are used.  This list will be updated from time to time.

 

BTP                                                  British Transport Police

 

CNC                                                Civil Nuclear Constabulary

College of Policing                    The 'professional body' for policing.  It replaced the former police staff college and provides guidance to forces and sets standards for training etc.  The Guidance issued is not binding on NHDPFs.

 

CONSTABLE                                                A citizen locally appointed having authority under the Crown.  An ancient office but which, in modern terms is interchangeable with the description police officer.  All constables are attested before magistrates (except those of the Metropolitan Police).  Constables are individual holders of an officer and are independent in their discharge of their powers.  This status is one of the reasons given why police officers are not ‘employees’ in the normal sense of the word with some commentators suggesting that employee status would impede the independence of the office.  In fact virtually all officers in non geographic police forces are both employees and holders of the office of constable.  Most key pieces of legislation dealing with policing provide powers to constables and therefore extend to non geographic forces.  However there are plenty of examples in legislation where powers or duties are described in ways that exclude members of these forces.

 

HMICFRS                                       His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.  HMICFRS inspect Police Act forces but also several NHDPF where legislation requires it (eg Railway and Transport Safety Act 2003 for BTP).  Some powers possessed by HMICFRS (eg power of entry) do not apply to NHDPF.

 

CONSTABULARY                          A body of constables.  All police forces are constabularies but not all constabularies are police forces.

GEOGRAPHIC FORCES              See also Territorial Forces.  A catch all term for mainstream police forces that are responsible for a ‘police area’ (qv) or in the case of Scotland for that country.

 

HOME OFFICE FORCES             A non legal description of police forces maintained by under the arrangements laid out in the Police Act 1996 and for which the Home Secretary has power to make regulations etc.

JURISDICTION                            The area wherein a constanble has the powers of their office.  Their constablewick.  Also used as a description of where policing activites are carried out.  In this blog the former meaning is generally employed. 

 

LOCAL POLICING BODY            See Police Area

 

 

MDP                                                 Ministry of Defence Police

 

NHDPF                                           Non Home Department Police Force.  A general term describing police forces in England and Wales that are not maintained under the Police Act 1996.  It is not generally used for the police forces that do not report to the Home Office because they fall into a different territorial jurisdiction, eg Isle of Man Police.

             

NPCC                                                                                         The National Police Chiefs Council.  A statutory body that brings together leaders in the police service.  Membership (which requires a subscription) includes all the Police Act forces in England and Wales, The Police Service of Scotland (Police Scotland), Isle of Man Police, BTP, MDP, CNC, various overseas forces (including the two forces serving the Channel Islands) and the Service Police.

 

 

POLICE ACT 1996                        The legislation that governs and lays out the arrangements for the mainstream police forces in England and Wales.  The Act does include references to certain NHDPFs in respect of mutual aid and collaboration

 

POLICE AREA                                              …and other expressions relating to the police have a meaning or effect described ………in relation to England and Wales, in section 101 (1) Police Act 1996.  This section defines a police force as a force maintained by a Local Policing Body.    The same section makes it clear that a Local Policing Body is a Police and Crime Commissioners, the Common Council of the City of London and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime in respect of the metropolis.  Therefore police forces maintained other than under the Police Act 1996 are not police forces.

POLICE FORCE                            See Police Area

 

SERVICE POLICE                                        Units such as the Royal Military Police etc.  Members are not constables. 

 

TERRITORIAL FORCES                               See also Geographic forces.  A catch all term for mainstream police forces that are responsible for a ‘police area’ or in the case of Scotland for that country.