Hampshire Constabulary - History

History

The first fully constituted police force formed in Hampshire was the Winchester City Police, founded in 1832. The Hampshire County Constabulary was established seven years later in 1839 as a result of the passing of the County Police Act that year. Initially the force had a chief constable and two superintendents one of whom was based in Winchester, and the second based on the Isle of Wight which the Hampshire force then incorporated. The first separate police force on the island was formed in 1837 when the Newport Borough Police was established. but the separate Isle of Wight County Constabulary was not formed until 1890 when the island was the granted administrative county status.

During the 19th century, Hampshire County Constabulary absorbed various borough forces including Basingstoke Borough Police (1836–1889), Romsey Borough Police (1836–1865), Lymington Borough Police (1836–1852) and Andover Borough Police (1836–1846).

In 1943, during the Second World War, as a result of the passing into law of the Defence (Amalgamation of Police Forces) Regulations 1942, Hampshire County Constabulary amalgamated with the Isle of Wight and Winchester forces to form the Hampshire Joint Police Force. The two city forces, Southampton City Police and Portsmouth City Police, remained independent. Although this arrangement was originally intended only as a wartime measure it continued after hostilities ended and in 1948 the merger was regularised and made permanent and Hampshire Joint Police Force was renamed Hampshire Constabulary.

The name was changed once again in 1952, to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. In 1967 Hampshire, and the city forces (Southampton and Portsmouth) were amalgamated, as a result of the reforming Police Act 1964, and became the current Hampshire Constabulary. In 1974, the Local Government Act lead to a number of local government boundary changes and saw responsibility for the policing of Christchurch moved to the control of Dorset Police. With the exception of some minor boundary changes since, the force area has remained the unchanged.

The names of forces that have policed the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight since the nineteenth century are illustrated below:

In 1965, the force had an establishment of 1,346 and an actual strength of 1,137.