Truro City Police

Truro City Police, known as Truro Borough Police until 1877, was the police force for the corporate town of Truro, Cornwall, from 1836 to 1921. It was established under the terms of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 which required every town to appoint a council (also referred to as a corporation) and a Police Watch Committee, which was responsible for overseeing a police force.

One of the first constables is recorded as James Fitzsimmons, a former Irish labourer from Omagh, County Tyrone. Under collar number 2 he served the new force for thirteen years, eventually transferring to the Helston Borough Police. Fitzsimmons was said to have suffered from a significant back injury sustained in a fall from a horse, and also suffered from epilepsy. Fitzsimmons' son Robert, became a champion boxer, and is the subject of the book "Lanky Bob" by author K.R. Robinson. The chief officer was invariably referred to as the Chief Constable, High Constable and Head Constable, although in actuality held the rank of Inspector, and later, Superintendent.

From the outset the strength of the force was fourteen men, including the Head Constable George Payne. Other officers of the new force documented in official records include Constables John Rapsey, John Lowry, George Hall, Thomas Walley, William Couch, Benjamin Bawden and George Roberts. Early in the force's history the number of officers was though to have been too high. At a meeting of the Truro Borough Council in March 1837, representatives attempted to reduce the number of officers from fourteen to seven, and by balloting the movement was rejected. A revised suggestion would see the force reduced to nine men, also balloted and rejected. A final attempt to reduce the force to seven was also rejected, with the meeting adjourned without coming to an agreement.

In 1846 the police took up residence at the newly constructed Town Hall on the corner of St Nicholas Street and King Street, sharing the building with the magistrates, stannary courts and the fire brigade. Petty and Quarter Sessions were held at the building, with the Chief Constable responsible for presenting cases to the courts.

By the 1850s the Truro Borough Council had its way and had reduced the number of serving officers by less than half the original strength. Subsequently the force was consistently criticised in successive inspections by the Inspector of Constabulary, with the earliest recorded report in 1858. The report recommended the addition of four extra officers to serve a population of 10,733 and a 1,103 acre beat. The corporation rejected the recommendation, however, when they pointed out that given the town was largely pastoral land there was no requirement to fund extra police officers, and that the Inspector of Constabulary was "sorely mistaken" in his estimations.

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