A territorial police force is a police service that is responsible for an area defined by sub-national boundaries, distinguished from other police services which deal with the entire country or a type of crime. In countries organized as federations , police responsible for individual sub-national jurisdictions are typically called state or provincial police .
22-577: West Mercia Police ( / ˈ m ɜːr s i ə / ), formerly the West Mercia Constabulary , is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Herefordshire , Shropshire (including Telford and Wrekin ) and Worcestershire in England. The force area covers 2,868 square miles (7,430 km) making it the fourth largest police area in England and Wales . The resident population of
44-548: A periodic police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) inspection of each police service's performance. In its latest PEEL inspection report (2022), West Mercia Police was rated as follows: A volunteer cadet scheme had existed in the Telford division since the early 1990s and in September 2013, the scheme was expanded force-wide, creating a new detachment of police cadets in each Territorial Policing Unit area. Each detachment
66-473: A specific and direct benefit to the local community. Nominations are made online and around one in three nominations are successful. Winners receive a certificate signed by the King and a domed glass crystal. The volunteer group's representatives also may be invited to attend a royal garden party by the King. Each nomination is first appraised in the county or Crown Dependency where the group works. This appraisal
88-999: Is headquartered in the respective TPU HQ, except the South Worcestershire detachment, which is based at Tudor Grange Academy . In 2010, the Telford Cadets Detachment was awarded The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service . According to West Mercia Police's website, "The scheme is aimed at young people who wish to engage in a program that offers them an opportunity to gain a practical understanding of policing, develop their spirit of adventure and good citizenship, while supporting their local policing priorities through volunteering, working with partner agencies and positive participation in their communities." A new intake of approximately 15 new cadets per detachment occurs annually. New recruits must be aged 16 or over and have finished secondary education . Young people can remain as cadets for up to two years. Cadets can then consider joining
110-555: Is led by the Lord Lieutenant (or Lieutenant Governor in the Crown Dependencies), His Majesty's representative in the county or country, helped by a County/Country Assessment Panel of leading representatives from diverse sectors of the community. The Lord Lieutenant/Lieutenant Governor or their representatives, or both, may meet with the nominated group. A Specialist Assessment Panel of independent volunteering experts from across
132-603: Is the federal-level police service. It also acts as the provincial police service in every province except for Ontario , and Quebec , which operate provincial police services, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador , which is served by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary . The RCMP is also contracted to act as the territorial police force in Nunavut , Yukon and the Northwest Territories in addition to being
154-573: Is the use of such a force in East Timor in substitution for Indonesian National Police . Queen%27s Award for Voluntary Service The King's Award for Voluntary Service , previously known as The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service , is an annual award given to groups in the voluntary sector of the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies . Until 2022, awardees were announced in
176-663: The London Gazette on 2 June each year, the anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II . Starting in 2023, the awards have been announced on 14 November, Charles III 's birthday. The award is equivalent to the MBE and is the highest award that can be made to a voluntary group. The award is managed by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport . The award was announced by Elizabeth II on 30 April 2002, in celebration of her Golden Jubilee , as part of her Golden Jubilee speech to
198-718: The G8 Conference in Scotland in 2005 or COP26 officers of the Metropolitan Police who are on protection duties anywhere in the United Kingdom and when taking a person to or from a prison . The United Nations (UN) has operated territorial police forces in those parts of countries which have been under control of the UN from time to time. These were usually formed from police personnel on loan from member countries. A recent example
220-487: The House of Lords and House of Commons . The first awards were made in 2003. In February 2023, it was announced by Charles III that he wished to continue his mother's legacy by giving his name to the awards. The awards will be announced annually from 2023 on his birthday, 14 November. Groups of three or more people can be nominated. The group must have been in operation for at least three years and their work must provide
242-609: The federal police force in those Canadian territories. A separate Sahrawi indigenous unit serving the Spanish colonial government was the Policia Territorial . This gendarmerie corresponded to the Civil Guard in metropolitan Spain . It was commanded by Spanish officers and included Spanish personnel of all ranks. In the United Kingdom (UK) the phrase is gaining increased official (but not yet statutory ) use to describe
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#1732845682235264-819: The UK judge nominated groups against the Award criteria, taking into account the first appraisal. The panel passes its recommendations to the Main Award Committee. The Main Award Committee advise the Cabinet Office and the Minister for Civil Society. The award is decided after the King has given his formal approval. The recipients of the inaugural King's Award for Voluntary Service were gazetted on Tuesday 14th November, 2023. As of June 2018 , over 1,500 groups had received
286-402: The area is 1.19 million Its name comes from the ancient kingdom of Mercia . The force represents a diverse range of policing environments from densely populated urban areas on the edge of Birmingham as well as Telford , Shrewsbury , and Worcester , to sparsely populated rural areas, such as Herefordshire, which remains an important part of the force's responsibility. As of September 2017,
308-583: The collection of forces responsible for general policing in areas defined with respect to local government areas. The phrase " Home Office Police" is commonly used but this is often inaccurate or inadequate as the words naturally exclude forces outside England and Wales , but include some special police forces over which the Home Secretary has some power. The police forces referred to as "territorial" are those whose police areas are defined by: Members of territorial police forces have jurisdiction in one of
330-501: The decisions of West Mercia Police officers about whether or not to investigate a particular piece of intelligence or complaint were influenced by assumptions about race. Whether because of ideas of difficulties investigating what was seen as a closed and hostile community, because of fear of complaint, or because of concern about the impact an investigation might have had on racial tensions, I cannot determine". Territorial police force The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP/GRC)
352-547: The force at age 18, becoming a cadet leader in their detachment, or leaving the scheme altogether. Each detachment is led by several cadet leaders who are police officers, PCSOs and police volunteers from the force. West Mercia was a partner, alongside three other forces, in the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG). On 8 April 2018, West Mercia withdrew from the CMPG, with the 25 West Mercia police officers attached to
374-411: The force has a workforce of 2,017 police officers, 223 police community support officers , 1541 police staff and 388 members of the special constabulary . The force has its headquarters in the historical manor house and grounds of Hindlip Hall on the outskirts of Worcester . Its badge combines the heraldry of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire. The force was formed on 1 October 1967, by
396-458: The group returning to the in-force roads policing service. In 2013, West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police formed an alliance, sharing certain administrative functions in order to save both forces money. In October 2018, West Mercia announced its intention to withdraw from the alliance. A 2022 inquiry into the Telford child sexual exploitation scandal – in which all those who were convicted were British Pakistanis – found that "in some cases
418-481: The merger of the Worcestershire Constabulary , Herefordshire Constabulary , Shropshire Constabulary and Worcester City Police. It lost territory to West Midlands Police when that was constituted on 1 April 1974. It changed its name from "West Mercia Constabulary" to "West Mercia Police" on 5 May 2009. In November 2005, the government announced major reforms of policing in England and Wales, including
440-608: The possibility of mergers. Under final proposals made by the Home Secretary on 6 February 2006, it would merge with Staffordshire Police , Warwickshire Constabulary and West Midlands Police to form a single strategic force for the West Midlands region. The proposals were unpopular with many of the local authorities in the West Mercia area, but was criticised especially strongly by West Mercia Constabulary itself, especially as at
462-440: The three distinct legal systems of the United Kingdom – either England and Wales , Scotland or Northern Ireland . A police officer of one of the three legal systems has all the powers of a constable throughout their own legal system but limited powers in the other two legal systems. Certain exceptions where full police powers cross the border with the officer are when officers are providing planned support to another force such as
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#1732845682235484-863: The time it was rated the best force in the country. When John Reid became Home Secretary in 2006, he put all merger plans on hold. Subsequent governments have not made any indication of re-introducing such plans. West Mercia Police is overseen by an elected West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner , which replaced the West Mercia Police Authority in 2012. The force is organised into five Local Policing Units ( LPAs ), which are alphabetically coded (C, D, E, F, G) by geographical areas. Operating across three counties, West Mercia Police maintains many stations, with each LPA having an HQ Police station. The LPAs are further divided into 82 Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT). Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) conducts
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