Plymouth City Police

Plymouth City Police was the city force for Plymouth, Devon, from 1928 to 1967. The force’s title was conferred upon it when the borough of Plymouth achieved city status in 1928.

At the turn of the century, Plymouth was policed by three distinct police forces each responsible for their own borough, those being Stonehouse, Devonport and Plymouth. When Plymouth achieved city status in 1928, the Plymouth Borough Police was renamed Plymouth City Police (or the City of Plymouth Police Force.) By this time, the boroughs of Stonehouse and Devonport had already been absorbed into Plymouth, and so the Plymouth City Police became the sole authority for the area.

Like most forces at the time, the Plymouth City Police was led by a Chief Constable who was appointed by a Police Watch Committee.

The Plymouth City Police uniform was a carryover of the former borough force, with a new force crest designed based on the previous. Like most forces of the UK, Police War Reserves wore the letters “WR” on their collars.

On 24 January 1932, officers of the Plymouth City Force were called into action to help quell disorder at Dartmoor Prison in Princetown, Yelverton. At around 10.30am, the Chief Constable Mr A.K. Wilson left Plymouth in a police car, followed closely by a Western National bus containing thirty-one police officers. Officers of the Devon County Constabulary, including its Chief Constable Mr Lyndon Henry Morris, also made their way to the prison. Morris tried to negotiate with the prisoners, but when this failed the thirty-one strong force entered the grounds and successfully calmed the rioters.

Plymouth was heavily bombed during the Second World War, and on 30 April 1940 the force suffered its first casualty when Police Sergeant Edward Gibbs was killed along with his brother Sydney, and nephew David, during a raid on the Royal Dockyard in Devonport. Police infrastructure was severely affected by bombs, leaving the telephone exchange at police headquarters inoperable on 20 March 1941. Other officers to die on duty or in service overseas include seven regulars, two reserves, five Special Constables and three police war reserves.

The force had its first woman officers on 18 June 1919 when Miss Audrey Canney and Miss Isobel Taylor were appointed as Inspector and Constable respectively. On 29 November 1946 Miss Iris Martin became the first WPC to perform point duty.

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Wikipedia