National Crime Squad

The National Crime Squad (NCS) was a British police organisation which dealt mainly with organised and major crimes. Formed in April 1998 after the amalgamation of six former Regional Crime Squads it merged on 1 April 2006 into the Serious Organised Crime Agency. The NCS reported directly to the Home Office and had nationwide and international jurisdiction. It did not handle security matters, referring such matters to the appropriate security service.

It primarily dealt with organised crime, major drug trafficking, murder for hire schemes, illegal arms dealing, human trafficking, computer and high tech crimes, money counterfeiting and laundering, extortion, kidnapping and murder relating to any of the above. Lastly, it augmented and supported regional forces throughout the United Kingdom.

Its personnel were directly recruited or seconded from other British police forces and it was headed by a Director-General and had its own service authority, the last being Trevor Pearce QPM who subsequently became an Executive Director of the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

The NCS headquarters was in London, with three Regional Operational Command Units: Northern, Eastern, and Western with an extensive residential property estate plus other premises. Other units were the Financial OCU, the Paedophilia Unit, the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, and the Immigration Crimes Team. The NCS consisted of 1,656 full time personnel, including 5 Directors, 1,169 seconded police officers, and 280 civilian police staff.

The NCS was fictionalised in the television series NCS: Manhunt, and in Burnside, a spin-off of The Bill.