Post by Les on Mar 5, 2016 13:02:50 GMT
Police in Maidstone
In 1748 Henry Fielding a novelist in London was appointed a Maistrate with a salary.
this was the start of the Bow Street Runners.preivasly known as Mr Fielding's people.
In 1829 Sir Robrt peel made an act of parlement to for a police force.
Maidstone had there peace officers were elected buy a court of justice this was called the Court Leet.
A high constable and 4 borsholders usually tradesmed .They carried batons with the borough inscribed.They were not payed or had a uniform and had to combined this there work with their duties.
1836 The Watch Committee of the of the Town Council formed The Maidstone Borough Police Force The Superintendent was payed £1.17s 6d a week the inspectorswere payed £1.2s 6d. and the Constables 19 Shillings.The Police station was oppersite Church Street in King Street till 1908 when the new Station was built in the then new road Palave Avenue (built to help the new tram way)
In 1860, the initial uniform of a frock coat and a high hat was replaced by a long uniform tunic and shako hat and constables were issued with a rattle and truncheon. In 1885 whistles were introduced and in 1897 the recognisable custodian helmet was introduced.
On 14 January 1857, a 222-strong Kent County Constabulary was formed under Chief Constable John Henry Hay Ruxton. The first headquarters was at Wrens Cross, Stone Street, Maidstone, and was rented for use by the police until 23 November 1860 when the force purchased it for £1,200.
On 1 April 1889, Kent County Constabulary absorbed five of the fourteen police forces that policed the county of Kent. The remaining nine were absorbed on 1 April 1943. Ruxton retired on 14 August 1894 and died on 20 April 1897.
In terms of mobilisation and communication, Kent Constabulary purchased 20 bicycles in 1896, a number which rose to 129 by 1904. Telephones were given to village police constables in 1925 and by 1931, 29 motorcycles had been introduced, along with one police car. The constabulary employed horses until 1943, when the last was retired.
In 1965, the force had an establishment of 1,988 attested constables and an actual strength of 1,766, making it the third largest county force in Great Britain.Kent County Constabulary kept this name until the 1990s, when it changed its name to Kent Police, the last British force to keep the word "county" in its official title. Although still unpopular with many residents of Kent, the change was necessary as the large number of visitors coming through the channel tunnel and the ports would understand the word "Police" more readily than "Constabulary".
The Kent Police headquarters are currently located at Sutton Road, Maidstone.
Kent Police College is located to the rear of the headquarters site. The headquarters houses the Kent Police Museum.
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In 1748 Henry Fielding a novelist in London was appointed a Maistrate with a salary.
this was the start of the Bow Street Runners.preivasly known as Mr Fielding's people.
In 1829 Sir Robrt peel made an act of parlement to for a police force.
Maidstone had there peace officers were elected buy a court of justice this was called the Court Leet.
A high constable and 4 borsholders usually tradesmed .They carried batons with the borough inscribed.They were not payed or had a uniform and had to combined this there work with their duties.
1836 The Watch Committee of the of the Town Council formed The Maidstone Borough Police Force The Superintendent was payed £1.17s 6d a week the inspectorswere payed £1.2s 6d. and the Constables 19 Shillings.The Police station was oppersite Church Street in King Street till 1908 when the new Station was built in the then new road Palave Avenue (built to help the new tram way)
In 1860, the initial uniform of a frock coat and a high hat was replaced by a long uniform tunic and shako hat and constables were issued with a rattle and truncheon. In 1885 whistles were introduced and in 1897 the recognisable custodian helmet was introduced.
On 14 January 1857, a 222-strong Kent County Constabulary was formed under Chief Constable John Henry Hay Ruxton. The first headquarters was at Wrens Cross, Stone Street, Maidstone, and was rented for use by the police until 23 November 1860 when the force purchased it for £1,200.
On 1 April 1889, Kent County Constabulary absorbed five of the fourteen police forces that policed the county of Kent. The remaining nine were absorbed on 1 April 1943. Ruxton retired on 14 August 1894 and died on 20 April 1897.
In terms of mobilisation and communication, Kent Constabulary purchased 20 bicycles in 1896, a number which rose to 129 by 1904. Telephones were given to village police constables in 1925 and by 1931, 29 motorcycles had been introduced, along with one police car. The constabulary employed horses until 1943, when the last was retired.
In 1965, the force had an establishment of 1,988 attested constables and an actual strength of 1,766, making it the third largest county force in Great Britain.Kent County Constabulary kept this name until the 1990s, when it changed its name to Kent Police, the last British force to keep the word "county" in its official title. Although still unpopular with many residents of Kent, the change was necessary as the large number of visitors coming through the channel tunnel and the ports would understand the word "Police" more readily than "Constabulary".
The Kent Police headquarters are currently located at Sutton Road, Maidstone.
Kent Police College is located to the rear of the headquarters site. The headquarters houses the Kent Police Museum.
36