Thames Valley Police

Thames Valley Police
Abbreviation	TVP
Arms of Thames Valley Police
Motto	Sit pax in valle tamesis Let there be peace in the Thames Valley
Agency overview
Formed	1968
Preceding agencies	Buckinghamshire Constabulary Reading Borough Police Oxfordshire Constabulary Berkshire Constabulary
Employees	7,792
Volunteers	1,006 (506 Specials and 500 PSVs)
Annual budget	£382.6 million
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	Police area of Thames Valley in the country of England, United Kingdom
Map of Thames Valley Police's jurisdiction.
Size	2,200 square miles (5,700 km2)
Population	2.1 million
Legal jurisdiction	England and Wales
General nature	Law enforcement Local civilian police
Operational structure
Overviewed by	Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary/Independent Police Complaints Commission
Headquarters	Kidlington
Constables	4,244 (additionally 506 special constables)
PCSOs	466
Police and Crime Commissioner responsible	Anthony Stansfeld
Agency executive	Francis Habgood, Chief Constable
Local Policing Areas	15
Facilities
Stations	48
Airbases	RAF Benson and RAF Henlow
Roads Policing Bases	Abingdon, Bicester, Taplow, Amersham, Milton Keynes, Three Mile Cross and Chieveley
Cars	Vauxhall Corsa, Vauxhall Astra, Mitsubishi Shogun, Volvo S60, Vauxhall Insignia, Zafira and Vivaro, Ford S-Max, Transit, Volvo V70
Notables People Francis Habgood, for Deputy Chief Constable John Campbell, for Assistant Chief Constable Steve Rowell, for Assistant Chief Constable Helen Ball, for Assistant Chief Constable
Website
www.thamesvalley.police.uk
Footnotes
* Police area agency: Prescribed geographic area in the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

Thames Valley Police, formerly known as Thames Valley Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the Thames Valley area covered by the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. It is one of the largest territorial police forces in England covering 2,200 square miles (5,700 km²) and a population of over 2.1 million people. The police force consists of 4,244 constables, 506 special constables, 466 Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) and 2,576 police staff.

Policing in Thames Valley dates back to 1773 when Newbury Borough Police were operating as a small police force; their officers' duties included usual policing activity as well as repairing gates and bridges. The force was one of around twenty borough forces that amalgamated with their county police force. These were Buckinghamshire Constabulary, Oxfordshire Constabulary, Berkshire Constabulary, Reading Borough Police and Oxford City Police founded in 1857, 1857, 1856, 1836 and 1929 respectively. Under the Police Act 1964 these five forces were amalgamated on 1 April 1968 to form Thames Valley Constabulary.

Thames Valley Police is overseen by a locally elected Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner. The incumbent commissioner is Anthony Stansfeld, a Conservative Party candidate elected with 34.7% of the votes in the first round of voting and 57.2% of the votes after the second round. The police and crime commissioner is scrutinised by the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel.

Thames Valley was previously overseen by a police authority consisting of 19 members, made up of councillors, members from unitary authorities, independents and a magistrate.