Chief Constable

The title is a derived from the original local Parish Constable s of the eighteenth century and earlier. '' Constable '' and '' Constabulary '' were terms adopted in an attempt to provide a historical link with the older forces and to emphasise local control. Much of the debate about policing in the early nineteenth century when modern police forces were introduced in Britain concerned fears that the new forces might become Paramilitary agents of central government control. To this day other British Police Ranks , such as Inspector and Superintendent , are determinedly non-paramilitary--only Police Sergeant s hold a quasi-military rank - and even then the term Sergeant had long existed as a non-military officer of subordinate rank.

The Chief Constable's badge of rank, worn on the Epaulettes , consists of crossed Tipstaves in a wreath, surmounted by a crown.

Each Chief Constable is assisted by a Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) and one or more Assistant Chief Constable s (ACC). The Chief Constable, DCC and ACCs are collectively known as the "Chief Officers" of a force and belong to the Association Of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

METROPOLITAN POLICE

In London the Metropolitan Police (formed in 1829) and the City Of London Police (formed in 1839) are led by Commissioner s rather than Chief Constables. This resulted from a fear of politicians gaining control of the police – in 1829 two Justices Of The Peace were appointed to head the new Metropolitan Police, later reduced to one. Even into the twentieth century the Commissioner Of Police Of The Metropolis was technically not a police officer at all, but a Magistrate , who thus held a Commission Of The Peace .

The rank of Chief Constable was, however, introduced into the Metropolitan Police in 1886, lying between Superintendent and Assistant Commissioner . It became junior to the new rank of Deputy Assistant Commissioner in 1919. In 1946, the rank was renamed Deputy Commander .

The rank badge of a Metropolitan Police Chief Constable consisted of crossed Tipstaves in a wreath.

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Chief Constable