History
The first police force in the entire of England was formed in Covent Garden by Somerset born novelist Henry Fielding, in 1748. In 1835, Bristol and Bath became the first to create their own police forces in the county itself, after that year's Municipal Corporations Act. The original Bristol constabulary had 232 officers issued with a top hat, blue coat and white trousers. this constabulary began certain practices that were eventually adopted country-wide, including recruiting female officers (with 13 on patrol by 1918) and photographing prisoners. Bridgwater and Chard followed with their own constabularies in 1839, with all forces being merged into the Somerset Constabulary in 1940, under the County Police Act.
The force as it is today was created on 1 April 1974, the same day as Avon, from a merger of the Bristol City Police, the Somerset and Bath Constabulary, and the Staple Hill division of Gloucestershire Constabulary. It was the only force to provide a mounted escort for the Queen during her Royal Jubilee tour of Bristol in 1977.
Avon & Somerset Constabulary provides service for approximately 1.5 million people, and is the 6th largest police force in England & Wales.
The Acting Chief Constable is Rob Beckley, following the decision of the Chief Constable, Colin Port, not to re-apply for the position after the Police and Crime Commissioner announced on 22 November 2012 that she would invite applications for the role rather than extending his contract.
Read more about this topic: Avon And Somerset Constabulary
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—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
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