Ланкашир полициясының тарихы мен құрылымы

English territorial police force

3,088 (2020)

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 two 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. The first detective appointed was John Wallbank. In 1917, the force first allowed female officers although it was only in the 1950s that 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. In 1965, the force had an establishment of 3,784 officers and an actual strength of 3,454, making it the second largest police force (after the Metropolitan Police) and the largest county force in Great Britain. 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 Cumbria Constabulary, Greater Manchester Police and Merseyside Police. On 10 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.

Under proposals made by the home secretary on 6 February 2006, it was to be merged with Cumbria Constabulary. These were accepted by both forces on 26 February, and the merger would have taken place on 1 April 2007. 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.

Although the Constabulary Headquarters is in Hutton, there is not normally public access to this site. Each of the three geographic divisions has a Divisional Headquarters, West Blackpool, South Preston, and East Greenbank Blackburn. Across the county, seventeen Police Stations / satellite offices have retained front counter services, for the public to walk up and speak to someone face to face. Six stations have operational custody suites, namely Blackpool, Lancaster, Blackburn, Burnley, and Preston, with a total capacity of 138 cells.

The routine police officer is not armed but does carry a baton, PAVA spray, limb restraints (leg restraints), a first aid kit, a torch and rigid handcuffs. All police officers, special constables, PCSOs 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. Lancashire Constabulary issues stab vests made by German manufacturer "Mehler Vario Systems". Although officers are not routinely armed, all officers, who are out of their probationary period, can be trained in the use of taser guns should they choose and they routinely carry them whilst on patrol. Lancashire also has several Armed Response teams with Authorised Firearms Officers carrying assault rifles, pistols and taser guns. Armed Response Vehicles also carry specialist equipment to gain entry to buildings and vehicles. After successful trials in 2014, the force issued body mounted cameras to all officers in forward facing roles. All officers are now trained to use them and many choose to use them on every shift, although their use is not mandatory. In 2020, Lancashire Police upgraded to cameras with the ability to integrate with the digital policing app Pronto, which has replaced traditional paper pocket note books. All officers and some civilian staff (PCSOs, CSIs) also carry two way radios registered to Airwave Solutions, a nationwide radio network in the UK on which police and other emergency rely. Based on the TETRA standard, the radio network is secure and fully protected against eavesdropping on transmissions, as well as allowing interoperability with other police services, fire brigades, as well as ambulance services.

The force's motorway policing unit has headquarters at Samlesbury near Preston. The unit is led by a single inspector who in turn is responsible for seven 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. Until 2018, Lancashire's motorway unit was one of the four forces that make up the North West Motorway Police Group along with Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police and Cheshire Constabulary.

Since 2013, air support has been provided by the National Police Air Service, which provides air support to all police forces in England & Wales. This now defunct unit operated an EC135 helicopter based at BAE Warton. The force had an ASU since 1994 when it fielded a Eurocopter Squirrel, but this was retired in the early 2000s as it was replaced by the newer EC135.

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 nine armed officers on patrol. As well being trained in firearms, AFOs are also trained in other skills such as method of entry and advanced pursuit tactics.