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Wikipedia

Thames Valley Police

Thames Valley Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the Thames Valley, covering the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire in South East England.[4][5] It is the largest non-metropolitan police force in England and Wales, covering 2,218 square miles (5,740 km2) and a population of 2.42 million people.[2][6]

Thames Valley Police
Logo
Badge
AbbreviationTVP
MottoSit pax in valle tamesis
Let there be peace in the Thames Valley
Agency overview
Formed1968; 55 years ago (1968)
Preceding agencies
Annual budget£448.9 million (2020/21)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionBerkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Map of Thames Valley Police's jurisdiction
Size2,218 square miles (5,740 km2)[2]
Population2.42 million[2]
Legal jurisdictionEngland and Wales
General nature
Operational structure
Overviewed by
HeadquartersKidlington, Oxfordshire
Police officers4,728 (including 313 special constables) (September 2020)[3]
PCSOs283 (September 2020)[3]
Police and Crime Commissioner responsible
Agency executive
Local Policing Areas11
Facilities
Stations48
Custody centres8
Website
www.thamesvalley.police.uk

History Edit

Prior to the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 there were ancient ways of keeping law and order through Parish constables or quasi police bodies who conducted a wide range of duties. Modern policing in Thames Valley can be traced back to the 1835 act when a number of boroughs set up police forces. For example Newbury Borough Police were operating as a small police force soon after the passing of the Act. The force was one of around twenty borough forces that were later amalgamated with their county police force. These were Buckinghamshire Constabulary, Oxfordshire Constabulary, Berkshire Constabulary, Reading Borough Police and Oxford City Police founded in 1857, 1857, 1856, 1836 and 1868 respectively.[7] Under the Police Act 1964 these five forces were amalgamated on 1 April 1968 to form the Thames Valley Constabulary.

Thames Valley Police has changed its name only once in its own history in 1971, from Thames Valley Constabulary to Thames Valley Police, a common change in most police forces that makes them more accessible.

Thames Valley Police's motto in Latin is Sit pax in valle tamesis meaning 'Let there be Peace in the Thames Valley', their slogan is 'Reducing crime, disorder and fear'.[8] The Thames Valley Police shield is made up of features from the shields of its five founding constabularies including a blue river depicting the Thames river and five crowns palisado depicting the five founding forces. The stag is a symbol of the county of Berkshire, the ox a symbol of the county of Oxfordshire and the swan a symbol of the county of Buckinghamshire. Together they represent the ceremonial counties of the force area.

Chief Constables Edit

  • Thomas Hodgson (1968–1970)
  • David Holdsworth (1970–1978)
  • Peter Imbert (1979–1985)
  • Colin Smith (1985–1991)
  • Charles Pollard (1991–2002)
  • Peter Neyroud (2002–2007)
  • Sara Thornton (2007–2015)
  • Francis Habgood (2015–2019)
  • John Campbell (2019–2023)
  • Jason Hogg (2023–present)

Governance Edit

Thames Valley Police is overseen by a locally elected Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner. The incumbent commissioner is Matthew Barber, a Conservative Party candidate elected in May 2021.[9] The police and crime commissioner is scrutinised by the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel.

Thames Valley was previously overseen by a police authority consisting of 19 members, made up of councillors, members from unitary authorities, independents and a magistrate.[10]

Organisation Edit

In April 2011 the force adopted a local policing model and was split into twelve local policing areas (LPAs), each led by a Superintendent or Chief Superintendent. These consist of one or two local authority areas. The LPAs in turn are split into a number of "neighbourhoods" based on wards and parishes.

Local Policing Areas Edit

Each area is responsible for delivering response policing, neighbourhood policing teams, and a local priority crime and Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Other functions that used to be held at a local level are now delivered at force headquarters level using a shared service approach, with resources deployed as required around the force area.[11]

Force Headquarters Teams Edit

A number of teams are run from force headquarters and their staff are deployed at various locations around the area:

Operations Edit

Neighbourhood Policing Team (NHPT) Edit

Each LPA is sub-divided into neighbourhood wards, which are covered by a dedicated policing team that works together with the local community and partners to tackle local priorities and community crimes. NHPTs are typically conduct high-visibility patrols in their local areas, engaging with the community and solving issues affecting them.[12]

Incident Crime & Response (ICR) Edit

 
A public order van, used by ICR and NHPT teams for Night Time Economy patrols, or response to public order incidents.

Frontline response officers who work out of patrol bases in the force area and are tasked with patrolling and responding to 999 calls. Officers also conduct investigations into the calls they attend. These officers are often issued with the TASER X2. ICR officers may be tasked to patrol high crime areas for an increased police presence or to conduct follow up investigations. Officers use the Vauxhall Astra Estate, Mitsubishi L200, Peugeot 308 SW and Vauxhall Vivaro to conduct their patrols.

Dog Section Edit

Thames Valley Police have approximately 52 operational police dogs. The dogs are mostly donated from the RSPCA or public, and are trained at the Force Training Centre. They usually serve until they are 8 years old, receiving refresher training every year, and then living with their handler after retirement. They are part of the Joint Operations Unit with Hampshire Police. The dog section operates with marked and unmarked Mitsubishi Outlanders and Ford Mondeo estates.[citation needed]

Roads Policing Unit (RPU) Edit

 
A Roads Policing Unit Volvo V70

Thames Valley Police patrols 196 miles (315 km) of motorways, the most of any police force in the UK.[6] This includes the M1, M4, M40, A329(M), A404(M) and M25, as well as many other 'A' route roads including the A43.

These units are based at 6 geographical traffic bases - Milton Keynes, Taplow, Three Mile Cross (Reading), Bicester, Amersham and Abingdon. Roads Policing in Thames Valley is part of the Joint Operations Unit which works together with Hampshire Constabulary's Roads Policing Unit.

Armed Response Unit (ARU) Edit

Thames Valley Police's Armed Response Unit is a 24/7 unit that responds to major and serious crimes where firearms may be involved. This unit is shared with Hampshire Police as part of the Joint Operations Unit.

The training facility is at Sulhamstead with a state of the art firearms range. The unit mostly shares the traffic bases within the force.

Pro-Active Team Edit

This team featured in the TV show Road Wars.

This unit is part of Roads Policing and mainly uses unmarked cars across the force area. Instead of just responding to incidents, the unit uses a proactive approach by actively looking for criminals and catching them in the act, as well as patrolling areas based on intelligence.

The team works in a number of areas including Forced Method of Entry, targeted intelligence and specialist surveillance of criminals both covertly and overtly.

Air Operations Unit Edit

 
Since transfer to the National Police Air Service, G-TVHB continues to service the Thames Valley Police area from its base at RAF Benson

The Air Support Unit was officially created in 1982, but the use of helicopters in Thames Valley goes back to 1963, when Oxford City Police experimented with a Brantly helicopter with a dog basket attached to the skids. Thames Valley Police rented helicopters for use on special occasions in the 1970s and '80s. The unit was founded in 1982 when part-time daylight flights were routinely contracted and eight Sergeants were transferred from Traffic and Operations to ASU. In 1986, the unit was moved to RAF Abingdon.

In 1988, the department became a full-time operational unit, only the third in the country at the time and a sergeant and two police constables were seconded to the unit as observers. Throughout this time the helicopters and pilots were chartered from commercial companies.

In 1996, Thames Valley Police, Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary amalgamated air support resources and founded the Chiltern Air Support Unit, having received funding in 1995 to buy a second helicopter. The alliance is recognised to have started unofficially in 1992, when Thames Valley would sell flying time to its nearby forces. Helicopters were based at RAF Henlow and RAF Benson, providing support 24/7, with night-time cover from at least one base.

Since 2012, the management of police air-support nationally has moved to the National Police Air Service (NPAS). G-TVHB continues to be based at RAF Benson, whilst the Henlow base was closed and helicopter relocated elsewhere by NPAS.

Search and Recovery Unit Edit

Founded in 1956 as the Underwater Search Unit of Berkshire Constabulary and transferred to Thames Valley Police under a new name, the unit today is made up of one sergeant and seven constables and respond to around 350 operations each year.[13]

The unit are involved in a variety of searching operations in river, underwater, underground, and cliff face conditions, searching for bodies, explosives, drugs, property, contraband and firearms and environments that can be affected by Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear radiation.

Marine Support Unit Edit

The Marine Support Unit carries out regular patrols of the Thames Valley and Hampshire's waterways, as well as covering special events including Henley Royal Regatta and Reading Festival.

Mounted Section Edit

The Thames Valley Mounted Branch based at Milton Keynes Police Station. The unit has nine police horses.[14] The unit is responsible for preventing equine crime, assisting in searches of rural areas, and mainly maintaining public order at demonstrations and sporting events, including the four football grounds in Thames Valley, as well as conducting deployments in Hampshire.[15]

Public Order Department Edit

Based in Heyford Park, formerly RAF Upper Heyford, in Oxfordshire. The POD is responsible for providing tactical support during spontaneous or pre-planned events that may result in public disorder. This includes sporting events such as football matches and Royal Ascot, music festivals such as Reading Festival, and lawful demonstrations.[16]

Protection Group Edit

Thames Valley Police has the largest non-Metropolitan Police Service operated Protection Group. This highly specialist department are responsible for guarding multiple fixed locations and protecting any visiting parties that require special attention. The officers on this department are some of the most highly trained and skilled within the force. They also supply an Armed Support Vehicle to support the static sites and deal with intense spontaneous incidents. The officers in the unit are required to pass stringent testing, they are Authorised Firearms Officers and also trained in advanced driving, advanced first aid, method of entry amongst many other highly specialist skills.[17]

Counter Terrorism Unit (CTPSE) Edit

Thames Valley Police's Counter Terrorist Unit is responsible for responding to any search related or explosive or terrorist incident, working with Protection Group to guard anyone deemed to be at risk and with dog section to locate the explosive. The unit has four explosive ordnance disposal advisors.[18]

South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) Edit

The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) is responsible for delivering specialist and niche capabilities to Thames Valley Police, Hampshire Constabulary, Surrey Police and Sussex Police, including investigating cyber and complex, organised crime.

Locations Edit

 
Oxford Police Station

The headquarters of Thames Valley Police is at Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxfordshire. Thames Valley Police has 48 police stations, with 16 front counters open to the public.[19]

The force is covered by two control rooms, one in Abingdon, and one in Milton Keynes.

The three police contact centres were formed in 2003, following the closure of local control rooms, to support the newly formed control rooms in Abingdon and Milton Keynes. They are located at the force headquarters in Kidlington, and separate teams within the Abingdon and Milton Keynes control rooms. The contact centres handle all emergency, non-emergency and enquiry calls from the public.

Sulhamstead House in Sulhamstead, near Reading, is the Force Training Centre. It also houses the Thames Valley Police Museum, as well as operational units and fleet workshops.

Upper Heyford Park serves as the force's Public Order Department base and training centre.

There are also several roads policing bases at strategic locations around the force at Abingdon, Bicester, Taplow, Amersham, Milton Keynes, and Three Mile Cross. Many of these also feature armouries for the Armed Response Unit.

Presentation Edit

Headgear Edit

 
The Thames Valley Police cap badge

Male officers typically can wear a flat cap or traditional custodian helmet, while females are issued the bowler hat. The custodian helmet was dropped for practicality and cost reasons in 2009, but was reintroduced in 2018 yet is only typically seen by officers conducting foot patrols. Traffic officers wear either a white flat cap or bowler hat.

In 2009 Thames Valley Police proposed to be the first force to introduce the use of baseball caps as a primary mode of headgear. After trials were conducted the proposal was dropped as being 'a step too far from the professional image of the force'.[20]

Other units tend to wear police baseball caps, with other specialist headgear worn accordingly.

Uniform Edit

Officers wear a short or long sleeve black wicking top under their body armour, and black uniform trousers with a cargo pockets. Soft-shell and high-visibility jackets are also issued to all officers and can be worn accordingly. Epaulettes feature the rank and shoulder number of an officer. Officers the rank of Inspector or above may wear white shirts, with the force badge worn on the left of their chest.

Formal dress comprises an open-necked tunic, with a white shirt/blouse and tie for both male and female officers. All officers wear peaked caps and their rank on their epaulettes. The No.1 uniform is accompanied by black boots or shoes and occasionally gloves.

The operational uniform, until 2009, consisted of traditional white shirt and tie. This was dropped when it was deemed to be impractical and outdated – not withstanding the retention of this uniform by other forces, and the almost universal retention of the helmet.[20] However, starting with the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, TVP has started issuing the Custodian helmet again.

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) wear a similar uniform to police officers on patrol, but consisting of a blue wicking top and single blue band on flat caps. Other staff may wear wicking tops or white shirts, depending on role.

Equipment Edit

Police officers

PCSOs only carry a radio, BWV and paperwork required for their role.

 
A Vauxhall Astra in half-batternburg markings
 
The 'White House' at the Sulhamstead Training Centre also houses the Thames Valley Police Museum.

Police vehicles contain a variety of equipment, which can include Arnold batons, shields, traffic cones, road signs, breathalysers, stingers, speed guns, ANPR cameras and more.

Livery Edit

Marked vehicles use the modern yellow and blue retro-reflective battenberg markings on operational vehicles, as well as the Thames Valley Police shield and website link. Some semi-marked cars are used by Neighbourhood Policing Teams, which only have plain Thames Valley Police markings on the back and sides.

Thames Valley Police stopped using the 'jam sandwich' police car markings between 2000 and 2005 when battenburg markings were adopted and implemented.

Strength and recruitment Edit

Thames Valley Police employs 7,900 people and 908 volunteers.[citation needed] Of which 4,250 are warranted police officers, over 500 are police community support officers (PCSO) and 3,150 are civilian staff. Of the 908 volunteers, 500 are police support volunteers (PSV) and 280 are warranted special constables.[clarification needed]

Training for new recruits in Thames Valley is held at the Force Training Centre, Sulhamstead. Officers attend a (sometimes residential) training course, and are then deployed for continued tutoring at their posting. Officers will achieve independent patrol status once on area, usually within four months of completing initial training. PCSOs receive 18 weeks of training at Sulhamstead. Special constables see between six and seven months of training at weekends, with mandatory online training in between. Special constables will achieve fit for independent patrol status, usually within one year, but this is dependent on the number of tours of duty.

Recruits receive their uniform and kit in the first week of training. Warrant cards are issued at attestation, where new officers swear their oath at the start of the second day of training.

Future of Thames Valley Police Edit

In a report published by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in July 2011,[21] the impact on the number of police officers and staff partly due to the reduction to Thames Valley Police's budget following the comprehensive spending review is as follows:

Police officers Police staff PCSOs Total
31 March 2010 (actual) 4,268 2,855 500 7,623
31 March 2015 (proposed) 4,034 2,541 453 7,028

March 2010 figures exclude 166 officers and 145 staff who were paid through the Thames Valley payroll system but were seconded to national and regional duties and were externally funded.

Performance Edit

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Edit

A report from March 2010 by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary marked Thames Valley Police as 'fair' on local crime and policing, 'fair' on protection from serious harm and 'fair' on confidence and satisfaction.[22]

In detail, Thames Valley was awarded only one 'excellent' for reducing road death and injury. They were 'fair' in all other categories except 'solving crime' and 'comparative satisfaction of BME community' and 'low/medium' for 'number of police officers and PCSOs'. They were praised for their 14% reduction in burglary after 'Operation Breaker' in July 2009.

Independent Police Complaints Commission Edit

In the year 2008/9 the number of complaints recorded decreased by 2% but an increase of 8% above the previous years national average. The number of allegations recorded increased by 23% and 11% above the previous years national average.[23][24] Thames Valley Police received 947 complaints and 1903 allegations, the national average being 338 per 1000 officers, TVP has 372, and TVP is just above 369 per 1000 officers, the average from a group of similar forces.

Of allegations 23% were 'failure or neglect in duty', 19% were 'incivility, impoliteness and intolerance', 14% 'assault', 4% were 'discrimination' and 1% were 'breach of PACE Code A'.[24]

And of the 1903 allegations, 51% were investigated, 36% were locally resolved, 6% were withdrawn, 7% were dispensed and 0% were discontinued. Of the 51% allegations investigated 13% were substantiated and 87% were unsubstantiated.[24]

Thames Valley Police investigates the greatest amount of allegations compared to its peer forces, its investigation rate is 15% higher than the national average. Its use of 'local resolution' has dropped 12% since 2005/6. Thames Valley has fewer allegations that are withdrawn, dispensed or discontinued.[24]

PEEL inspection 2022 Edit

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) conducts a periodic police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) inspection of each police service's performance. In its latest PEEL inspection, Thames Valley Police was rated as follows:[25]

  Outstanding Good Adequate Requires Improvement Inadequate
2021/22 rating
  • Recording data about crime
  • Treatment of the public
  • Managing offenders
  • Preventing crime
  • Investigating crime
  • Protecting vulnerable people
  • Developing a positive workplace
  • Responding to the public
  • Good use of resources

Controversy Edit

Firearms training incident Edit

On 30 May 2007 at Thames Valley Police headquarters in Kidlington whilst teaching a half-day course on firearms, PC David Micklethwaite demonstrated a Magnum .44 revolver which he had mistakenly loaded with live rounds. He pointed the gun at Keith Tilbury, a police phone operator attending the course, and fired the gun, almost killing Tilbury.[26]

The firearms instructor was reported to have failed the qualification at a Metropolitan Police training course, but TVP decided he would pass their less stringent test and was therefore suitable to teach the lesson, despite not having been provided with additional training since failing the Metropolitan Police course. The instructor was told to cover the lesson at short notice and accidentally picked up a live round from the force's armoury instead of dummy rounds. This mistake occurred due to both live and dummy rounds both being kept in the same Quality Street tin.[27]

Keith Tilbury underwent immediate surgery to his bowel, kidney, lung and liver. In court, it was said he was unlikely to work again.[citation needed]

Thames Valley Police pleaded guilty to breaching regulations; they were fined £40,000 and £25,000 for legal costs. Constable Micklethwaite initially denied any wrongdoing, but later admitted to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. PC Micklethwaite was not charged with misconduct because he retired from the Thames Valley Police before misconduct proceedings could be completed.[28]

Underage PCSOs Edit

In 2007 Thames Valley Police admitted to being one of five UK forces that had employed Police Community Support Officers that were aged 16. This is not illegal as the minimum age limit of 18 applies to Constables, not PCSOs. However, concerns were raised[by whom?] that this represented "policing on the cheap" as candidates aged under 18 have a different wage scale and could cost £10,000 less per annum. It was also feared that the officers were being placed in unreasonable danger as PCSOs and police have been attacked and stabbed in the past.[29]

Budget cuts Edit

Proposed merger Edit

Proposals made by the Home Secretary on 20 March 2006 would see the force stay as a single strategic police force for the area, a merger with Hampshire Constabulary having been rejected.[30]

Budget deficit Edit

In 2010, it was reported that Thames Valley Police had to make savings of £52 million over the next four years. Chief Constable Thornton said that they would have to 'cut back on all non-essential activity'. £347 million of savings were identified including back office cuts and efficiency measures, as well as cutting officers numbers by 10%, meaning 800 officers.[31][32][33]

In the media Edit

The fictional Inspector Morse, the main character in 13 novels by Colin Dexter and 33 television episodes by ITV, works for Thames Valley Police, but in the spin-off series, Lewis, the force is referred to as Oxfordshire Police. The prequel spin-off Endeavour covers Morse's early years in Oxford City Police and takes its merger into Thames Valley Police as a continuing theme.

In 1982 the BBC broadcast a nine-part series by Roger Graef and Charles Stewart entitled Police, which showed a fly-on-the-wall account of Thames Valley's E Division based in Reading. This featured the rather demeaning treatment of a female victim of rape which was much discussed in the media at the time.[34]

In 1987, Thames Valley police were in the news because they stopped a gunman from killing more people; this came to be known as the Hungerford massacre.

Between 2003 and 2008 a Sky1 programme, Road Wars, followed the Roads Policing Proactive and Problem Solving Team while they carried out their duties. The series followed a select group of officers on duty, who as a result became too well known causing the Chief Constable to ask Sky to move their programme to another force.

More recently, Thames Valley Police has featured in Channel 4's Catching a Killer, which follows Major Crime Team officers as they investigate murders.

Following the killing of Andrew Harper in service in 2019, The Killing of PC Harper: A Widow's Fight for Justice aired in 2022.

Other activities Edit

IT resource merger Edit

Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Police authorities have agreed to share ICT support and infrastructure, with all IT workers now employees of Thames Valley Police. This will also include the Isle of Wight, a division of Hampshire Police. The partnership in Information Technology is the first of its kind in the country.[35][36]

Chiltern Transport Consortium Edit

Thames Valley Police is the lead force in the Chiltern Transport Consortium (CTC), providing the fleet and maintenance for 6 different police forces. Members include the British Transport Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Bedfordshire Police, Hertfordshire Police and Cambridgeshire Police.[37]

Thames Valley Police Museum Edit

The Thames Valley Police Museum is located within Sulhamstead House, known locally as the 'White House', at Sulhamstead in the English county of Berkshire. The site was formerly the headquarters of the Berkshire Constabulary, and is now the training centre for the Thames Valley Police. The museum is open by appointment and on Wednesdays 12-1pm.

The museum includes displays on the history of Thames Valley Police and the five police forces that were amalgamated to form the force in 1968; the Buckinghamshire Constabulary, the Berkshire Constabulary, Oxford City Police, the Oxfordshire Constabulary and the Reading Borough Police. The museum's collections include items from the Great Train Robbery of 1963, uniforms, equipment, medals, photographs, scenes of crime evidence, and occurrence and charge books.

In 2006, the exhibition space of the museum was renovated. Since September 2017, the museum has been temporarily closed prior to relocation.

Officers killed in the line of duty Edit

The Police Roll of Honour Trust and Police Memorial Trust list and commemorate all British police officers killed in the line of duty. Since its establishment in 1984, the Police Memorial Trust has erected 50 memorials nationally to some of those officers.

The following officers of Thames Valley Police are listed by the Police Roll of Honour Trust as having died attempting to prevent, stop or solve a crime, since the beginning of the 20th century:[38]

  • Inspector Francis John East, 1944 (fatally injured when pushed off a vehicle by a suspect)
  • PC William John Payne, 1949 (collapsed and died after pursuing a burglar)
  • DC Brian Moss, 1953 (fell through a roof while searching for suspects)
  • Inspector James Roy Bradley, 1967 (run over by a suspect car at a roadblock)
  • DC Ian Coward, 1971 (shot nine times attempting to arrest an armed suspect; posthumously awarded the Queen's Police Medal)
  • WPC Joanne Mary Cochran, 1984 (fatally injured when her vehicle crashed during a police pursuit)
  • PC Roger Brereton, 1987 (shot in the Hungerford massacre)
  • PC Gareth Browning, 2017 (run over by a suspect car in 2013, later died in hospital)
  • PC James Dixon, 2017 (fatally injured in a road traffic collision whilst on a training exercise)
  • PC Andrew Harper, 2019 (fatally injured whilst at the scene of a reported burglary)[39]

Coat of Arms Edit

Coat of arms of Thames Valley Police
 
Notes
Granted 7 September 1971[40]
Crest
On a wreath Argent and Azure, a swan rousant Proper, gorged with a saxon crown Gules, supporting by the dexter foot a sword, point upwards, in its scabbard Or.
Escutcheon
Vert, on a pale wavy Argent, a pallet wavy Azure, over all five crowns palisado in saltire Or.
Supporters
On the dexter a stag Gules, attired and unguled Or and on the sinister an ox Gules, armed Or, each gorged with a collar paly Argent and Azure, with a chain affixed thereto and reflexed over the back Or.
Motto
'Sit Pax In Valle Tamesis'

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ https://thamesvalley.s3.amazonaws.com/Documents/Our%20information/Spending/Budget/Revenue%20Budget%20and%20Capital%20Programme%202020-21%20FINAL%20with%20amendment.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ a b c "Overview: Thames Valley Police". HMICFRS. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Police workforce, England and Wales, 30 September 2020". GOV.UK. February 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  4. ^ . Thames Valley Police. Archived from the original on 22 February 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2007.
  5. ^ . Thames Valley Police. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  6. ^ a b "British Police History". british-police-history.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  7. ^ "History of Headington, Oxford". Headington.org.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  8. ^ . Thames Valley Police. Archived from the original on 12 September 2005. Retrieved 25 October 2005.
  9. ^ "Elections 2021 - Police and Crime Commissioner - Thames Valley Police Area". Cherwell District Council. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Who we are – Members". Thames Valley Police Authority. Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2006.
  11. ^ "Thames Valley Police Local Policing Areas – TVP Careers". tvpcareers.co.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Neighbourhood policing | Thames Valley Police". Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  13. ^ . Thamesvalley.police.uk. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  14. ^ @TVP_horses (1 January 2022). "Loki, Luna, Atlas, Odin, Aurora, Viktor, Harper, Neptune & Zeus & all our staff would like to wish our followers a very Happy New Year" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 January 2022 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ . Thamesvalley.police.uk. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  16. ^ . Thamesvalley.police.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  17. ^ . Thamesvalley.police.uk. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  18. ^ . Thamesvalley.police.uk. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  19. ^ . Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  20. ^ a b "Thames Valley Police unveil updated uniform (From Oxford Mail)". Oxfordmail.co.uk. 28 March 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  21. ^ (PDF). HMIC. July 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  22. ^ "UK Government Web Archive". Archived from the original on 20 December 2010.
  23. ^ "Complaints about Thames Valley Police increase". BBC News. 24 February 2011.
  24. ^ a b c d "Search Center : Thames Valley Police". Ipcc.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  25. ^ "PEEL 2021/22 Police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy: An inspection of Thames Valley Police" (PDF). His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  26. ^ Gray, Sadie (19 September 2009). "Thames Valley police instructor shot civilian during training course". The Times. London.
  27. ^ Gray, Sadie (19 September 2009). "Thames Valley police instructor shot civilian during training course". The Times. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  28. ^ "Findings of investigation into Thames Valley Police shooting" (PDF). Independent Police Complaints Authority. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  29. ^ . Thisislondon.co.uk. 12 August 2007. Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  30. ^ "Police forces 'to be cut to 24'". BBC News. 20 March 2006. Retrieved 5 April 2007.
  31. ^ "Thames Valley Police 'may cut 10% of workforce'". BBC News. 1 December 2010.
  32. ^ "Thames Valley Police job losses as force cuts budget". BBC News. 18 February 2011.
  33. ^ "£50m police cuts rubber stamped (From Bucks Free Press)". Bucksfreepress.co.uk. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  34. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Police (1982)". Screenonline. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  35. ^ . gethampshire. 21 February 2011. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  36. ^ "Thames Valley and Hampshire police combine IT support and infrastructure". Computerweekly.com. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  37. ^ "Chiltern Transport Consortium Fleet Manager - Thames Valley Police". thamesvalleypolice.tal.net. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  38. ^ "Thames Valley Police Roll of Honour". Police Roll of Honour Trust. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  39. ^ Jamie Grierson (16 August 2019). "Police officer killed in Berkshire was dragged along road by car, force says". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  40. ^ "Thames Valley Police Authority". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 5 October 2022.

External links Edit

  • Official website  
  • Thames Valley Police at HMICFRS
  • Sulhamstead House
  • Home Office circular 68-1968 announcing the force's creation[permanent dead link]
  • Information from Culture24
  • Royal Berkshire History: Sulhamstead House

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Thames Valley Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the Thames Valley covering the counties of Berkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire in South East England 4 5 It is the largest non metropolitan police force in England and Wales covering 2 218 square miles 5 740 km2 and a population of 2 42 million people 2 6 Thames Valley PoliceLogoBadgeAbbreviationTVPMottoSit pax in valle tamesisLet there be peace in the Thames ValleyAgency overviewFormed1968 55 years ago 1968 Preceding agenciesBuckinghamshire ConstabularyReading Borough PoliceOxfordshire ConstabularyBerkshire ConstabularyOxford City PoliceAnnual budget 448 9 million 2020 21 1 Jurisdictional structureOperations jurisdictionBerkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire United KingdomMap of Thames Valley Police s jurisdictionSize2 218 square miles 5 740 km2 2 Population2 42 million 2 Legal jurisdictionEngland and WalesGeneral natureLocal civilian policeOperational structureOverviewed byHis Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire amp Rescue Services Independent Office for Police ConductHeadquartersKidlington OxfordshirePolice officers4 728 including 313 special constables September 2020 3 PCSOs283 September 2020 3 Police and Crime Commissioner responsibleMatthew BarberAgency executiveJason Hogg Chief ConstableLocal Policing Areas11FacilitiesStations48Custody centres8Websitewww wbr thamesvalley wbr police wbr uk Contents 1 History 1 1 Chief Constables 2 Governance 3 Organisation 3 1 Local Policing Areas 3 2 Force Headquarters Teams 4 Operations 4 1 Neighbourhood Policing Team NHPT 4 2 Incident Crime amp Response ICR 4 3 Dog Section 4 4 Roads Policing Unit RPU 4 5 Armed Response Unit ARU 4 6 Pro Active Team 4 7 Air Operations Unit 4 8 Search and Recovery Unit 4 9 Marine Support Unit 4 10 Mounted Section 4 11 Public Order Department 4 12 Protection Group 4 13 Counter Terrorism Unit CTPSE 4 14 South East Regional Organised Crime Unit SEROCU 5 Locations 6 Presentation 6 1 Headgear 6 2 Uniform 6 3 Equipment 6 4 Livery 7 Strength and recruitment 7 1 Future of Thames Valley Police 8 Performance 8 1 His Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary 8 2 Independent Police Complaints Commission 8 3 PEEL inspection 2022 9 Controversy 9 1 Firearms training incident 9 2 Underage PCSOs 10 Budget cuts 10 1 Proposed merger 10 2 Budget deficit 11 In the media 12 Other activities 12 1 IT resource merger 12 2 Chiltern Transport Consortium 12 3 Thames Valley Police Museum 13 Officers killed in the line of duty 14 Coat of Arms 15 See also 16 References 17 External linksHistory EditPrior to the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 there were ancient ways of keeping law and order through Parish constables or quasi police bodies who conducted a wide range of duties Modern policing in Thames Valley can be traced back to the 1835 act when a number of boroughs set up police forces For example Newbury Borough Police were operating as a small police force soon after the passing of the Act The force was one of around twenty borough forces that were later amalgamated with their county police force These were Buckinghamshire Constabulary Oxfordshire Constabulary Berkshire Constabulary Reading Borough Police and Oxford City Police founded in 1857 1857 1856 1836 and 1868 respectively 7 Under the Police Act 1964 these five forces were amalgamated on 1 April 1968 to form the Thames Valley Constabulary Thames Valley Police has changed its name only once in its own history in 1971 from Thames Valley Constabulary to Thames Valley Police a common change in most police forces that makes them more accessible Thames Valley Police s motto in Latin is Sit pax in valle tamesis meaning Let there be Peace in the Thames Valley their slogan is Reducing crime disorder and fear 8 The Thames Valley Police shield is made up of features from the shields of its five founding constabularies including a blue river depicting the Thames river and five crowns palisado depicting the five founding forces The stag is a symbol of the county of Berkshire the ox a symbol of the county of Oxfordshire and the swan a symbol of the county of Buckinghamshire Together they represent the ceremonial counties of the force area Chief Constables Edit Thomas Hodgson 1968 1970 David Holdsworth 1970 1978 Peter Imbert 1979 1985 Colin Smith 1985 1991 Charles Pollard 1991 2002 Peter Neyroud 2002 2007 Sara Thornton 2007 2015 Francis Habgood 2015 2019 John Campbell 2019 2023 Jason Hogg 2023 present Governance EditThames Valley Police is overseen by a locally elected Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner The incumbent commissioner is Matthew Barber a Conservative Party candidate elected in May 2021 9 The police and crime commissioner is scrutinised by the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel Thames Valley was previously overseen by a police authority consisting of 19 members made up of councillors members from unitary authorities independents and a magistrate 10 Organisation EditIn April 2011 the force adopted a local policing model and was split into twelve local policing areas LPAs each led by a Superintendent or Chief Superintendent These consist of one or two local authority areas The LPAs in turn are split into a number of neighbourhoods based on wards and parishes Local Policing Areas Edit Milton Keynes Aylesbury Vale Cherwell and West Oxfordshire Oxford South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse South Buckinghamshire Slough Windsor and Maidenhead Bracknell and Wokingham Reading West BerkshireEach area is responsible for delivering response policing neighbourhood policing teams and a local priority crime and Criminal Investigation Department CID Other functions that used to be held at a local level are now delivered at force headquarters level using a shared service approach with resources deployed as required around the force area 11 Force Headquarters Teams Edit A number of teams are run from force headquarters and their staff are deployed at various locations around the area Major Investigation Team Control and Communications Police Dog Section Counter Terrorism Unit Intelligence AgencyOperations EditNeighbourhood Policing Team NHPT Edit Each LPA is sub divided into neighbourhood wards which are covered by a dedicated policing team that works together with the local community and partners to tackle local priorities and community crimes NHPTs are typically conduct high visibility patrols in their local areas engaging with the community and solving issues affecting them 12 Incident Crime amp Response ICR Edit nbsp A public order van used by ICR and NHPT teams for Night Time Economy patrols or response to public order incidents Frontline response officers who work out of patrol bases in the force area and are tasked with patrolling and responding to 999 calls Officers also conduct investigations into the calls they attend These officers are often issued with the TASER X2 ICR officers may be tasked to patrol high crime areas for an increased police presence or to conduct follow up investigations Officers use the Vauxhall Astra Estate Mitsubishi L200 Peugeot 308 SW and Vauxhall Vivaro to conduct their patrols Dog Section Edit Thames Valley Police have approximately 52 operational police dogs The dogs are mostly donated from the RSPCA or public and are trained at the Force Training Centre They usually serve until they are 8 years old receiving refresher training every year and then living with their handler after retirement They are part of the Joint Operations Unit with Hampshire Police The dog section operates with marked and unmarked Mitsubishi Outlanders and Ford Mondeo estates citation needed Roads Policing Unit RPU Edit nbsp A Roads Policing Unit Volvo V70Thames Valley Police patrols 196 miles 315 km of motorways the most of any police force in the UK 6 This includes the M1 M4 M40 A329 M A404 M and M25 as well as many other A route roads including the A43 These units are based at 6 geographical traffic bases Milton Keynes Taplow Three Mile Cross Reading Bicester Amersham and Abingdon Roads Policing in Thames Valley is part of the Joint Operations Unit which works together with Hampshire Constabulary s Roads Policing Unit Armed Response Unit ARU Edit Thames Valley Police s Armed Response Unit is a 24 7 unit that responds to major and serious crimes where firearms may be involved This unit is shared with Hampshire Police as part of the Joint Operations Unit The training facility is at Sulhamstead with a state of the art firearms range The unit mostly shares the traffic bases within the force Pro Active Team Edit This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed February 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message This team featured in the TV show Road Wars This unit is part of Roads Policing and mainly uses unmarked cars across the force area Instead of just responding to incidents the unit uses a proactive approach by actively looking for criminals and catching them in the act as well as patrolling areas based on intelligence The team works in a number of areas including Forced Method of Entry targeted intelligence and specialist surveillance of criminals both covertly and overtly Air Operations Unit Edit nbsp Since transfer to the National Police Air Service G TVHB continues to service the Thames Valley Police area from its base at RAF BensonThe Air Support Unit was officially created in 1982 but the use of helicopters in Thames Valley goes back to 1963 when Oxford City Police experimented with a Brantly helicopter with a dog basket attached to the skids Thames Valley Police rented helicopters for use on special occasions in the 1970s and 80s The unit was founded in 1982 when part time daylight flights were routinely contracted and eight Sergeants were transferred from Traffic and Operations to ASU In 1986 the unit was moved to RAF Abingdon In 1988 the department became a full time operational unit only the third in the country at the time and a sergeant and two police constables were seconded to the unit as observers Throughout this time the helicopters and pilots were chartered from commercial companies In 1996 Thames Valley Police Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary amalgamated air support resources and founded the Chiltern Air Support Unit having received funding in 1995 to buy a second helicopter The alliance is recognised to have started unofficially in 1992 when Thames Valley would sell flying time to its nearby forces Helicopters were based at RAF Henlow and RAF Benson providing support 24 7 with night time cover from at least one base Since 2012 the management of police air support nationally has moved to the National Police Air Service NPAS G TVHB continues to be based at RAF Benson whilst the Henlow base was closed and helicopter relocated elsewhere by NPAS Search and Recovery Unit Edit Founded in 1956 as the Underwater Search Unit of Berkshire Constabulary and transferred to Thames Valley Police under a new name the unit today is made up of one sergeant and seven constables and respond to around 350 operations each year 13 The unit are involved in a variety of searching operations in river underwater underground and cliff face conditions searching for bodies explosives drugs property contraband and firearms and environments that can be affected by Chemical Biological Radioactive and Nuclear radiation Marine Support Unit Edit The Marine Support Unit carries out regular patrols of the Thames Valley and Hampshire s waterways as well as covering special events including Henley Royal Regatta and Reading Festival Mounted Section Edit The Thames Valley Mounted Branch based at Milton Keynes Police Station The unit has nine police horses 14 The unit is responsible for preventing equine crime assisting in searches of rural areas and mainly maintaining public order at demonstrations and sporting events including the four football grounds in Thames Valley as well as conducting deployments in Hampshire 15 Public Order Department Edit Based in Heyford Park formerly RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire The POD is responsible for providing tactical support during spontaneous or pre planned events that may result in public disorder This includes sporting events such as football matches and Royal Ascot music festivals such as Reading Festival and lawful demonstrations 16 Protection Group Edit Thames Valley Police has the largest non Metropolitan Police Service operated Protection Group This highly specialist department are responsible for guarding multiple fixed locations and protecting any visiting parties that require special attention The officers on this department are some of the most highly trained and skilled within the force They also supply an Armed Support Vehicle to support the static sites and deal with intense spontaneous incidents The officers in the unit are required to pass stringent testing they are Authorised Firearms Officers and also trained in advanced driving advanced first aid method of entry amongst many other highly specialist skills 17 Counter Terrorism Unit CTPSE Edit Thames Valley Police s Counter Terrorist Unit is responsible for responding to any search related or explosive or terrorist incident working with Protection Group to guard anyone deemed to be at risk and with dog section to locate the explosive The unit has four explosive ordnance disposal advisors 18 South East Regional Organised Crime Unit SEROCU Edit The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit SEROCU is responsible for delivering specialist and niche capabilities to Thames Valley Police Hampshire Constabulary Surrey Police and Sussex Police including investigating cyber and complex organised crime Locations Edit nbsp Oxford Police StationThe headquarters of Thames Valley Police is at Oxford Road Kidlington Oxfordshire Thames Valley Police has 48 police stations with 16 front counters open to the public 19 The force is covered by two control rooms one in Abingdon and one in Milton Keynes The three police contact centres were formed in 2003 following the closure of local control rooms to support the newly formed control rooms in Abingdon and Milton Keynes They are located at the force headquarters in Kidlington and separate teams within the Abingdon and Milton Keynes control rooms The contact centres handle all emergency non emergency and enquiry calls from the public Sulhamstead House in Sulhamstead near Reading is the Force Training Centre It also houses the Thames Valley Police Museum as well as operational units and fleet workshops Upper Heyford Park serves as the force s Public Order Department base and training centre There are also several roads policing bases at strategic locations around the force at Abingdon Bicester Taplow Amersham Milton Keynes and Three Mile Cross Many of these also feature armouries for the Armed Response Unit Presentation EditHeadgear Edit nbsp The Thames Valley Police cap badgeMale officers typically can wear a flat cap or traditional custodian helmet while females are issued the bowler hat The custodian helmet was dropped for practicality and cost reasons in 2009 but was reintroduced in 2018 yet is only typically seen by officers conducting foot patrols Traffic officers wear either a white flat cap or bowler hat In 2009 Thames Valley Police proposed to be the first force to introduce the use of baseball caps as a primary mode of headgear After trials were conducted the proposal was dropped as being a step too far from the professional image of the force 20 Other units tend to wear police baseball caps with other specialist headgear worn accordingly Uniform Edit Officers wear a short or long sleeve black wicking top under their body armour and black uniform trousers with a cargo pockets Soft shell and high visibility jackets are also issued to all officers and can be worn accordingly Epaulettes feature the rank and shoulder number of an officer Officers the rank of Inspector or above may wear white shirts with the force badge worn on the left of their chest Formal dress comprises an open necked tunic with a white shirt blouse and tie for both male and female officers All officers wear peaked caps and their rank on their epaulettes The No 1 uniform is accompanied by black boots or shoes and occasionally gloves The operational uniform until 2009 consisted of traditional white shirt and tie This was dropped when it was deemed to be impractical and outdated not withstanding the retention of this uniform by other forces and the almost universal retention of the helmet 20 However starting with the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex TVP has started issuing the Custodian helmet again Police Community Support Officers PCSOs wear a similar uniform to police officers on patrol but consisting of a blue wicking top and single blue band on flat caps Other staff may wear wicking tops or white shirts depending on role Equipment Edit Police officers Sepura SC21 TETRA digital radios encrypted on the Airwave network Reveal D Series body worn video camera Monadnock Autolock 22 baton Captor360 PAVA spray TCH rigid handcuffs Leg restraints A first aid major trauma and resuscitation kitPCSOs only carry a radio BWV and paperwork required for their role nbsp A Vauxhall Astra in half batternburg markings nbsp The White House at the Sulhamstead Training Centre also houses the Thames Valley Police Museum Police vehicles contain a variety of equipment which can include Arnold batons shields traffic cones road signs breathalysers stingers speed guns ANPR cameras and more Livery Edit Marked vehicles use the modern yellow and blue retro reflective battenberg markings on operational vehicles as well as the Thames Valley Police shield and website link Some semi marked cars are used by Neighbourhood Policing Teams which only have plain Thames Valley Police markings on the back and sides Thames Valley Police stopped using the jam sandwich police car markings between 2000 and 2005 when battenburg markings were adopted and implemented Strength and recruitment EditThames Valley Police employs 7 900 people and 908 volunteers citation needed Of which 4 250 are warranted police officers over 500 are police community support officers PCSO and 3 150 are civilian staff Of the 908 volunteers 500 are police support volunteers PSV and 280 are warranted special constables clarification needed Training for new recruits in Thames Valley is held at the Force Training Centre Sulhamstead Officers attend a sometimes residential training course and are then deployed for continued tutoring at their posting Officers will achieve independent patrol status once on area usually within four months of completing initial training PCSOs receive 18 weeks of training at Sulhamstead Special constables see between six and seven months of training at weekends with mandatory online training in between Special constables will achieve fit for independent patrol status usually within one year but this is dependent on the number of tours of duty Recruits receive their uniform and kit in the first week of training Warrant cards are issued at attestation where new officers swear their oath at the start of the second day of training Future of Thames Valley Police Edit This section needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information February 2021 In a report published by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in July 2011 21 the impact on the number of police officers and staff partly due to the reduction to Thames Valley Police s budget following the comprehensive spending review is as follows Police officers Police staff PCSOs Total31 March 2010 actual 4 268 2 855 500 7 62331 March 2015 proposed 4 034 2 541 453 7 028March 2010 figures exclude 166 officers and 145 staff who were paid through the Thames Valley payroll system but were seconded to national and regional duties and were externally funded Performance EditHis Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary Edit A report from March 2010 by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary marked Thames Valley Police as fair on local crime and policing fair on protection from serious harm and fair on confidence and satisfaction 22 In detail Thames Valley was awarded only one excellent for reducing road death and injury They were fair in all other categories except solving crime and comparative satisfaction of BME community and low medium for number of police officers and PCSOs They were praised for their 14 reduction in burglary after Operation Breaker in July 2009 Independent Police Complaints Commission Edit In the year 2008 9 the number of complaints recorded decreased by 2 but an increase of 8 above the previous years national average The number of allegations recorded increased by 23 and 11 above the previous years national average 23 24 Thames Valley Police received 947 complaints and 1903 allegations the national average being 338 per 1000 officers TVP has 372 and TVP is just above 369 per 1000 officers the average from a group of similar forces Of allegations 23 were failure or neglect in duty 19 were incivility impoliteness and intolerance 14 assault 4 were discrimination and 1 were breach of PACE Code A 24 And of the 1903 allegations 51 were investigated 36 were locally resolved 6 were withdrawn 7 were dispensed and 0 were discontinued Of the 51 allegations investigated 13 were substantiated and 87 were unsubstantiated 24 Thames Valley Police investigates the greatest amount of allegations compared to its peer forces its investigation rate is 15 higher than the national average Its use of local resolution has dropped 12 since 2005 6 Thames Valley has fewer allegations that are withdrawn dispensed or discontinued 24 PEEL inspection 2022 Edit His Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire amp Rescue Services HMICFRS conducts a periodic police effectiveness efficiency and legitimacy PEEL inspection of each police service s performance In its latest PEEL inspection Thames Valley Police was rated as follows 25 Outstanding Good Adequate Requires Improvement Inadequate2021 22 rating Recording data about crimeTreatment of the publicManaging offenders Preventing crimeInvestigating crimeProtecting vulnerable peopleDeveloping a positive workplace Responding to the publicGood use of resourcesControversy EditFirearms training incident Edit On 30 May 2007 at Thames Valley Police headquarters in Kidlington whilst teaching a half day course on firearms PC David Micklethwaite demonstrated a Magnum 44 revolver which he had mistakenly loaded with live rounds He pointed the gun at Keith Tilbury a police phone operator attending the course and fired the gun almost killing Tilbury 26 The firearms instructor was reported to have failed the qualification at a Metropolitan Police training course but TVP decided he would pass their less stringent test and was therefore suitable to teach the lesson despite not having been provided with additional training since failing the Metropolitan Police course The instructor was told to cover the lesson at short notice and accidentally picked up a live round from the force s armoury instead of dummy rounds This mistake occurred due to both live and dummy rounds both being kept in the same Quality Street tin 27 Keith Tilbury underwent immediate surgery to his bowel kidney lung and liver In court it was said he was unlikely to work again citation needed Thames Valley Police pleaded guilty to breaching regulations they were fined 40 000 and 25 000 for legal costs Constable Micklethwaite initially denied any wrongdoing but later admitted to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act PC Micklethwaite was not charged with misconduct because he retired from the Thames Valley Police before misconduct proceedings could be completed 28 Underage PCSOs Edit In 2007 Thames Valley Police admitted to being one of five UK forces that had employed Police Community Support Officers that were aged 16 This is not illegal as the minimum age limit of 18 applies to Constables not PCSOs However concerns were raised by whom that this represented policing on the cheap as candidates aged under 18 have a different wage scale and could cost 10 000 less per annum It was also feared that the officers were being placed in unreasonable danger as PCSOs and police have been attacked and stabbed in the past 29 Budget cuts EditProposed merger Edit Proposals made by the Home Secretary on 20 March 2006 would see the force stay as a single strategic police force for the area a merger with Hampshire Constabulary having been rejected 30 Budget deficit Edit This section needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information February 2021 In 2010 it was reported that Thames Valley Police had to make savings of 52 million over the next four years Chief Constable Thornton said that they would have to cut back on all non essential activity 347 million of savings were identified including back office cuts and efficiency measures as well as cutting officers numbers by 10 meaning 800 officers 31 32 33 In the media EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Thames Valley Police news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The fictional Inspector Morse the main character in 13 novels by Colin Dexter and 33 television episodes by ITV works for Thames Valley Police but in the spin off series Lewis the force is referred to as Oxfordshire Police The prequel spin off Endeavour covers Morse s early years in Oxford City Police and takes its merger into Thames Valley Police as a continuing theme In 1982 the BBC broadcast a nine part series by Roger Graef and Charles Stewart entitled Police which showed a fly on the wall account of Thames Valley s E Division based in Reading This featured the rather demeaning treatment of a female victim of rape which was much discussed in the media at the time 34 In 1987 Thames Valley police were in the news because they stopped a gunman from killing more people this came to be known as the Hungerford massacre Between 2003 and 2008 a Sky1 programme Road Wars followed the Roads Policing Proactive and Problem Solving Team while they carried out their duties The series followed a select group of officers on duty who as a result became too well known causing the Chief Constable to ask Sky to move their programme to another force More recently Thames Valley Police has featured in Channel 4 s Catching a Killer which follows Major Crime Team officers as they investigate murders Following the killing of Andrew Harper in service in 2019 The Killing of PC Harper A Widow s Fight for Justice aired in 2022 Other activities EditIT resource merger Edit Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Police authorities have agreed to share ICT support and infrastructure with all IT workers now employees of Thames Valley Police This will also include the Isle of Wight a division of Hampshire Police The partnership in Information Technology is the first of its kind in the country 35 36 Chiltern Transport Consortium Edit Thames Valley Police is the lead force in the Chiltern Transport Consortium CTC providing the fleet and maintenance for 6 different police forces Members include the British Transport Police Civil Nuclear Constabulary Bedfordshire Police Hertfordshire Police and Cambridgeshire Police 37 Thames Valley Police Museum Edit The Thames Valley Police Museum is located within Sulhamstead House known locally as the White House at Sulhamstead in the English county of Berkshire The site was formerly the headquarters of the Berkshire Constabulary and is now the training centre for the Thames Valley Police The museum is open by appointment and on Wednesdays 12 1pm The museum includes displays on the history of Thames Valley Police and the five police forces that were amalgamated to form the force in 1968 the Buckinghamshire Constabulary the Berkshire Constabulary Oxford City Police the Oxfordshire Constabulary and the Reading Borough Police The museum s collections include items from the Great Train Robbery of 1963 uniforms equipment medals photographs scenes of crime evidence and occurrence and charge books In 2006 the exhibition space of the museum was renovated Since September 2017 the museum has been temporarily closed prior to relocation Officers killed in the line of duty EditSee also List of British police officers killed in the line of duty The Police Roll of Honour Trust and Police Memorial Trust list and commemorate all British police officers killed in the line of duty Since its establishment in 1984 the Police Memorial Trust has erected 50 memorials nationally to some of those officers The following officers of Thames Valley Police are listed by the Police Roll of Honour Trust as having died attempting to prevent stop or solve a crime since the beginning of the 20th century 38 Inspector Francis John East 1944 fatally injured when pushed off a vehicle by a suspect PC William John Payne 1949 collapsed and died after pursuing a burglar DC Brian Moss 1953 fell through a roof while searching for suspects Inspector James Roy Bradley 1967 run over by a suspect car at a roadblock DC Ian Coward 1971 shot nine times attempting to arrest an armed suspect posthumously awarded the Queen s Police Medal WPC Joanne Mary Cochran 1984 fatally injured when her vehicle crashed during a police pursuit PC Roger Brereton 1987 shot in the Hungerford massacre PC Gareth Browning 2017 run over by a suspect car in 2013 later died in hospital PC James Dixon 2017 fatally injured in a road traffic collision whilst on a training exercise PC Andrew Harper 2019 fatally injured whilst at the scene of a reported burglary 39 Coat of Arms EditCoat of arms of Thames Valley Police nbsp Notes Granted 7 September 1971 40 Crest On a wreath Argent and Azure a swan rousant Proper gorged with a saxon crown Gules supporting by the dexter foot a sword point upwards in its scabbard Or Escutcheon Vert on a pale wavy Argent a pallet wavy Azure over all five crowns palisado in saltire Or Supporters On the dexter a stag Gules attired and unguled Or and on the sinister an ox Gules armed Or each gorged with a collar paly Argent and Azure with a chain affixed thereto and reflexed over the back Or Motto Sit Pax In Valle Tamesis See also EditChiltern Air Support Unit Policing in the United Kingdom List of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom Thames ValleyReferences Edit https thamesvalley s3 amazonaws com Documents Our 20information Spending Budget Revenue 20Budget 20and 20Capital 20Programme 202020 21 20FINAL 20with 20amendment pdf bare URL PDF a b c Overview Thames Valley Police HMICFRS Retrieved 9 June 2021 a b Police workforce England and Wales 30 September 2020 GOV UK February 2021 Retrieved 12 May 2021 About Thames Valley Police Thames Valley Police Archived from the original on 22 February 2007 Retrieved 22 March 2007 Thames Valley police area Thames Valley Police Archived from the original on 16 March 2016 Retrieved 19 March 2016 a b British Police History british police history uk Retrieved 6 October 2022 History of Headington Oxford Headington org uk Retrieved 18 May 2013 Thames Valley Police Authority Coat of Arms Thames Valley Police Archived from the original on 12 September 2005 Retrieved 25 October 2005 Elections 2021 Police and Crime Commissioner Thames Valley Police Area Cherwell District Council 10 May 2021 Retrieved 10 May 2021 Who we are Members Thames Valley Police Authority Archived from the original on 31 August 2012 Retrieved 24 January 2006 Thames Valley Police Local Policing Areas TVP Careers tvpcareers co uk Retrieved 6 October 2022 Neighbourhood policing Thames Valley Police Retrieved 1 January 2023 Thames Valley Police Specialist Search and Recovery Team Thamesvalley police uk Archived from the original on 15 March 2012 Retrieved 18 May 2013 TVP horses 1 January 2022 Loki Luna Atlas Odin Aurora Viktor Harper Neptune amp Zeus amp all our staff would like to wish our followers a very Happy New Year Tweet Retrieved 12 January 2022 via Twitter Thames Valley Police Mounted Section Thamesvalley police uk Archived from the original on 8 May 2014 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Thames Valley Police Public Order Thamesvalley police uk Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Thames Valley Police Protection Group Thamesvalley police uk Archived from the original on 8 May 2014 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Thames Valley Police Counter Terrorist Wing Thamesvalley police uk Archived from the original on 8 May 2014 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Find Your Police Station Archived from the original on 14 December 2017 Retrieved 13 December 2017 a b Thames Valley Police unveil updated uniform From Oxford Mail Oxfordmail co uk 28 March 2009 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Valuing the Police Preparedness Inspection Thames Valley Police PDF HMIC July 2011 Archived from the original PDF on 4 August 2011 Retrieved 25 November 2013 UK Government Web Archive Archived from the original on 20 December 2010 Complaints about Thames Valley Police increase BBC News 24 February 2011 a b c d Search Center Thames Valley Police Ipcc gov uk Retrieved 18 May 2013 PEEL 2021 22 Police effectiveness efficiency and legitimacy An inspection of Thames Valley Police PDF His Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire amp Rescue Services 28 April 2022 Retrieved 1 May 2022 Gray Sadie 19 September 2009 Thames Valley police instructor shot civilian during training course The Times London Gray Sadie 19 September 2009 Thames Valley police instructor shot civilian during training course The Times Retrieved 29 May 2014 Findings of investigation into Thames Valley Police shooting PDF Independent Police Complaints Authority 2 November 2009 Retrieved 29 May 2013 Five police forces admit using teenage community bobbies Thisislondon co uk 12 August 2007 Archived from the original on 5 August 2011 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Police forces to be cut to 24 BBC News 20 March 2006 Retrieved 5 April 2007 Thames Valley Police may cut 10 of workforce BBC News 1 December 2010 Thames Valley Police job losses as force cuts budget BBC News 18 February 2011 50m police cuts rubber stamped From Bucks Free Press Bucksfreepress co uk 21 February 2011 Retrieved 18 May 2013 BFI Screenonline Police 1982 Screenonline Retrieved 19 January 2009 Hampshire and Thames Valley merge IT support News gethampshire 21 February 2011 Archived from the original on 12 March 2012 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Thames Valley and Hampshire police combine IT support and infrastructure Computerweekly com 22 February 2011 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Chiltern Transport Consortium Fleet Manager Thames Valley Police thamesvalleypolice tal net Retrieved 6 October 2022 Thames Valley Police Roll of Honour Police Roll of Honour Trust Retrieved 31 January 2014 Jamie Grierson 16 August 2019 Police officer killed in Berkshire was dragged along road by car force says The Guardian Retrieved 25 September 2019 Thames Valley Police Authority Heraldry of the World Retrieved 5 October 2022 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thames Valley Police Official website nbsp Thames Valley Police at HMICFRS Sulhamstead House Home Office circular 68 1968 announcing the force s creation permanent dead link Thames Valley Police website information on the museum Information from Culture24 Royal Berkshire History Sulhamstead House Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thames Valley Police amp oldid 1174311832 Governance, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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