LAW AND ORDER
– the British Police
How much do you know about the British police? Before you read the
article, decide for yourself whether the following statements are true of false.
1. There is one police force in Britain, organized by the central
government.
2. Some British police officers do not wear a uniform.
3. All British police officers carry guns.
Now read the article below and then answer the questions at the end.
The British police officer, sometimes called the “bobby” after Sir Robert Peel, the
founder of the police force – is a well-known figure to anyone who has visited
Britain or who has seen British films. Policemen and policewomen are to be seen in towns
and cities keeping law and order, either walking in the streets (“pounding the beat”)
or driving in cars (known as “panda cars” because of their distinctive markings). The
police have regular meetings with social workers, community readers and health officers.
They visit schools and talk to children. In some districts primary schools have
“adopted” police officers who take on a school as their special responsibility. They
play with the children and talk to them and try to show them that the police are their
friends to whom they can go if they are in trouble.
Few people realize that the police in Britain are organized very
differently from many other countries.
Most countries, for example, have a national police force which is controlled by the
central government. Britain has no national police force, although police policy is
governed by the central government’s Home Office. Instead, there is a separate police
force for each of the 52 areas into which the country is divided. Each has a police
authority – a committee of local county counselors and magistrates.
The forces co-operate with each other, but it is unusual for members of
one force to operate in another area unless they are asked to give assistance. This
sometimes happens when there has been a very serious crime. A Chief Constable, who is the
most senior police officer of a force, may sometimes ask for the assistance of London’s
police force, based at New Scotland Yard known simply as “the Yard”.
In most countries, the police carry guns. The British police generally
do not carry firearms, except in Northern Ireland. They aren’t armed to avoid street
gunfights in which innocent people might get killed. In the Metropolitan Police Force
(London) over 16 per cent are trained to use firearms, but in Avon and Somerset, only 4
per cent. The average is about 10 per cent – well below that of any other police
force in the world. A few police men are regularly armed, for instance, those who guard
politicians and diplomats or who patrol airports. In certain curcumstances specially
trained police officers can be armed, but only with the signed permission of a magistrate.
All members of the police must have gained a certain level of academic
qualifications at school and undergone a period of intensive training. Today it is part of
the training of every police officer to learn something about the background of the
immigrant communities, but in many places there is still hostility and suspicion between
the police and black immigrants. This is partly because of the high unemployment rate of
immigrants. They have nowhere to go and nothing to do, and so wander about the streets
together in groups. Many of them have problems at home, and they often live in very poor
housing. When the police see them together on the streets, they tend to expect trouble,
and often stop and question these young people, who are angered by this interference with
their freedom as citizens. The relationship between the police and the non-whites may
improve as more uniformed officers patrol their districts on foot. In addition, since the
considerable rise in pay, many more people are applying for work with the police force.
 Like the army, there are a number of ranks: after the Chief
Constable comes the Assistant Chief Constable, Chief Superintendent, Chief Inspector,
Inspector, Sergeant and Constable. Women make up about 10 per cent of the police force.
The police are helped by a number of Special Constables – members of the public who
work for the police voluntarily for a few hours a week.
Each police force has its own Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Members of CID are detectives, and they do not wear uniforms. Their job is to make sure
that drivers obey the parking regulations. They have no other powers – it is the
police who are responsible for controlling offences like speeding, careless driving and
drunken driving.
The duties of the police are varied from assisting at accidents to
safeguarding public order and dealing with lost property. One of their main functions is,
of course, apprehending criminals and would – be criminals.
By Natalya Predtechenskaya
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