The police service and the state
The Country.England, Wales and Northern Ireland are part ofthe United Kingdom, a group of islands situated off the west coast of mainland Europe, north of France and divided from Belgium, theNetherlands and the Nordic countries by the North Sea.
Scotland has an area of 78,750 square kilometres and a population of 4,9 million. It is in the northern part of the main island and has apolice organisation similar to that of England and Wales but a different legal system.
In area England, Wales and Northern Ireland total some 165,000 square kilometres and have a population of some 52 million. Eighty percent of the population lives in urban areas, with London alone having a population of over 7 million.
There are 43 police forces in England and Wales with a total strength of 129,000 police officers. The police / population ratio is 1:448. The Metropolitan Police is responsible for the Greater London Area, and is the largest police force with more than 28,000 officers. The Royal Ulster Constabulary is responsible for Northern Ireland and has over 11,500 regular police officers.
Additionally in England and Wales there are more than 53,000 civilian support staff employed by police forces together with some 4,500 traffic wardens.
Control of police forces is based upon a tripartite relationship between central government, the local Police Authority and the chief officer of police.
Police officers are not employees of the state or of local government. At the same time, like any other citizen, they are answerable to both the ordinary criminal and civil law, as well as to the police disciplinary procedures.
The Home Secretary.The Home Secretary has responsibility to promote and maintain the effectiveness of police forces and has a range of powers. An important power is to determine annually the key operational objectives for police forces. These are published after consultation with representatives of both police authorities and chief officers of police.
The functions of the Home Secretary include all training at recruit training centres, senior officer training at regional centres and the National Staff College at Bramshill; the Police National Computer; the National Criminal Intelligence Service; and central research and planning units.
Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary.A number of inspectors, known as «Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary» (HMIC), assist the Home Secretary in the maintenance of efficiency and effectiveness. Currently there are seven such appointments together with Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMCIC). The police forces are divided into five regions for inspectorate purposes and one of the HMIC’s has specific responsibility for forces in a region.
Inspections take the form of an annual performance review of each force with a full examination of the organisation and activity every three years. Her Majesty’s Inspectors are particularly concerned with force strategic issues, quality of service, equal opportunities, the structure and the management and organisation of crime investigation. All inspection reports are published publicly.
The Police Authority.The Police Authority has a range of duties and responsibilities. It must secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for its area. It must determine local policing objectives set by the Home Secretary. Before the beginning of each financial year, the Authority must issue a costed plan setting out the proposed arrangements for policing the authority’s area during the coming year («the local policing plan»). At the end of each financial year, the Police Authority must issue a report on the year’s policing. The Police Authority appoints the chief officers and is the disciplinary authority for those ranks.
The Chief Constable.The Chief Constable is responsible for the direction and control of the police force. The Chief Constable is the disciplinary authority for all ranks up to, and including, the superintending ranks.
(Note: In the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police, the term Chief Constable is not used. The most senior police officer in each of those two forces is titled Commissioner).
WORDS AND PHRASES
Legal [′li:gəl] - юридичний, правовий, законний
civilian [si′viljən] - цивільний; громадянський
support [sə′po:t] - підтримка
support staff-допоміжний склад
traffic warden ['træfik′wo:dn] - службовець дорожньої охорони
authority [o:′Өoriti] — влада
criminal law-кримінальне право
to promote [prə′mout] - сприяти, підвищувати в чині або у званні
to maintain [men′tein] - підтримувати
objective [ob′3əktiv] - мета
recruit [ri′kru:t] - рекрут, новобранець
the National Criminal Intelligence Service - Національна служба кримінальної розвідки
appointment [a′pointmənt] - призначення (на посаду)
duty [′dju:ti] - обов’язок
to secure [si′kjuə] — охороняти, забезпечувати
rank [rængk] - звання
EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks:
1. England, Wales and Northern Ireland are part of the ... .
2. Scotland has a ... similar to that of England and Wales but a different
3. There are 43 in England and Wales with a total strength of
129,000.
4. There are more than 53,000 civilian ... ... employed by police forces.
5. There are 4,500 ...... in the police forces of England and Wales.
6. Police officers are answerable to the ... and ... law.
7. The Home Secretary has responsibility to ... and ... the effectiveness of police forces.
8. The Home Secretary has a power to determine annually the key operational... for the police forces.
9. The functions of the Home Secretary include all training at ... training centres.
10. The duties and responsibilities of the Police Authority are to ... the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for its area.
11. The Police Authority ... the chief officers and is the disciplinary authority for those ... .
2. Read the following sentences and decide if they are true or false:
1. England, Wales and Northern Ireland are a group of islands situated off the east coast of mainland Europe.
2. Scotland has a police organisation and a legal system similar to those of England and Wales.
3. The Metropolitan Police is the largest police force with more than 28,000 officers.
4. There are more than 53,000 civilian support staff with some 4,500 traffic wardens.
5. Police officers are employees of the state and of local government.
6. Police officers are answerable only to the civil law.
7. The Home Secretary has responsibility to promote and maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces.
8. The functions of the Home Secretary are all training at recruit training centres, supervisory and senior officer training, the Police National Computer; the National Criminal Intelligence Service, etc.
9. The police forces are divided into ten regions for inspectorate purposes.
10. The duty of the Police Authority is to secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for its area.
11. The Police Authority appoints the junior officers.
12. The Chief Constable is responsible forthe direction and control of the police force.
13. The Chief Constable is the disciplinary authority for chief officers only.
14. The most senior police officer in the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police is the Chief Constable.
3. Find words and expressions in the text which mean:
1. power or right to give orders and make others obey;
2. a new member of a society, group, etc, especially a soldier in the early days ofhis training;
3. distinct grade in the armed forces;
4. help to organize and start, give smb. a higher position or rank;
5. person not serving with the armed forces;
6. keep up, support;
7. position.
4. Ask questions to get the following answers:
1. England, Wales and Northern Ireland are part of the United Kingdom, a group of islands situated off the west coast of mainland Europe.
2. Scotland has a police organisation similar to that of England and Wales but a different legal system.
3. There are 43 police forces in England and Wales with a total strength of 129,000 police officers.
4. The police / population ratio is 1 : 448.
5. The Metropolitan Police is the largest police force.
6. Police officers are not employees of the state or of local government.
7. The Home Secretary has responsibility to promote and maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces.
8. The Home Secretary determines annually the key operational objectives for the police forces.
9. The functions of the Home Secretary include all training at recruit training centres.
10. Inspections take place every three years.
11. Her Majesty’s Inspectors examine quality of service, equal opportunities, the structure and management and organisation of crime investigations.
12. The Police Authority must determine local policing objectives.
13. he Police Authority appoints the chief officers and is the disciplinary authority for those ranks.
14. The Chief Constable is responsible for the direction and control of the police force.
5. Answer the following questions:
1. What is the geographical position of England, Wales and Northern Ireland?
2. Is the police organisation of Scotland similar to that of England and Wales?
3. How many police forces are there in England and Wales?
4. What is the police / population ratio?
5. What is the largest police force?
6. Are police officers employees of the state?
7. What responsibility has the Home Secretary?
8. What are the functions of the Home Secretary?
9. What are the duties of Her Majesty’s Inspectors?
10. What responsibilities has the Police Authority?
11. Who is the disciplinary authority for all ranks?