Sussex Constabulary Report on The Criminal Investigation Department, 31/03/1967

Object/Artifact

Old Police Cells Museum Brighton

Sussex Constabulary Report on the Criminal Investigation Department, 31st March 1967

Typed and spiral bound A4 report with blue card front cover

Name/Title

Sussex Constabulary Report on The Criminal Investigation Department, 31/03/1967

Entry/Object ID

2294

Description

Sussex Constabulary Report by Working Party on The Criminal Investigation Department, 31/03/1967. Consisting of of 200 A4 size loose leaf bound typewritten pages.

Use

To report on the organisation of the CID within the amalgamated Sussex Constabulary

Context

The 1964 Police Act gave the Home Secretary new powers to both supervise police forces and where necessary, make small ones amalgamate to establish more efficient policing. While there were some amalgamations straight away, it was not until May 1966 that the Government announced it would be reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales from 117 to 49. Where local authorities were unable or unwilling to voluntarily amalgamate they were to be made to do so. These amalgamations were to include the five remaining police forces in Sussex, which were to be merged to form Sussex Constabulary on 1st January 1968. This report is an important document as it demonstrates that planning for the new force was at an advanced stage as early as March 1967. Whilst the report is only concerned with the CID, there were no doubt similar reports into all other aspects of policing within Sussex. The report also gives a detailed insight as to how the CID was to operate within the new constabulary, as well as important information as to how it already operated within the existing five forces.