- ReferencePO
- TitleBedfordshire & Luton Police Authority Records
- Admin/biog historyOn the 28th of January 1840 a motion was passed at the Epiphany Quarter sessions to establish a constabulary force in the county of Bedfordshire under the 1839 County Police Act. On the 18th of February that same year, Captain Edward Moore Boutlbee was appointed chief constable following a ballot of the justices of the peace. The Bedfordshire Constabulary officially came into being on 21st March 1840. The force was divided into separate operational districts, which matched the petty sessional divisions of Ampthill, Bedford, Biggleswade, Bletsoe, Leighton Buzzard and Luton. The Borough of Bedford maintained its own force, employed by the town council’s watch committee. The divisions within the Bedfordshire force, as well as the creation and absorption of separate borough forces within the county, shifted between 1840 and 1973, as described below. Ampthill Division: One of the original 1840 divisions, Ampthill Division was incorporated into Biggleswade Division in 1932. Bedford Division: One of the original 1840 divisions, Bedford Division absorbed Sharnbrook division (previously Bletsoe division) in 1932. In 1947 it absorbed the Borough of Bedford force, becoming ‘B’ Division. In 1967, ‘C’ Division, formerly the Biggleswade Division, was also incorporated into ‘B’ Division. In 1973, ‘B’ Division was split into north and south sub-divisions. Bedford Borough Police: Formed in 1835, Bedford Borough Police were absorbed into ‘B’ Division, formerly Bedford Division, in 1947. It formed part of the Bedford and Kempston sub-division. Biggleswade Division: One of the original 1840 divisions, Biggleswade absorbed the Ampthill Division in 1932, and became ‘C’ Division in 1947. In 1967 ‘C’ Division was abolished. The former Biggleswade Division merged with ‘B’ Division (formerly Bedford Division) and the former Ampthill Division merged with ‘D’ Division (formerly Luton Division). Bletsoe Division: One of the original 1840 divisions, Bletsoe Division became known as Sharnbrook Division in 1872. In 1932 it was absorbed into the Bedford Division. Dunstable Borough Police: Formed in 1865 with the establishment of Dunstable as a separate district. In 1888, control of the police in Dunstable Borough was returned to Bedfordshire Constabulary (Luton Division). Leighton Buzzard: One of the original 1840 divisions. Leighton Buzzard merged with the Luton Division to form ‘D’ Division. It maintained its own sub-division. Luton Borough Police: Formed in 1876 with the establishment of Luton as a separate district. Control of the police in Luton Borough transferred to Bedfordshire Constabulary in 1947, to be known as ‘E’ Division. Luton Division: Established in 1876 when Luton Borough was established as a separate force to include parishes previously within the Luton Division but not covered by the Borough police. In 1888 it absorbed Dunstable Borough force. In 1947, Luton Division merged with the Leighton Buzzard division to become ‘D’ Division. In 1967, ‘D’ Division absorbed the Ampthill sub-division of ‘C’ Division (formerly Biggleswade Division). Hyde remained policed by Luton Borough force due to its geographic location. Luton County Borough Force: Formed in 1964 when Luton became a County Borough, this force only existed for two years. In 1966, it merged with Bedfordshire Constabulary forming the Bedfordshire and Luton Constabulary. Luton town became ‘F’ Division. In 1966, the Bedfordshire and Luton Constabulary, then, was arranged thus: A Division: Administration, CID, headquarters (Bedford) B Division: Bedford and North Bedfordshire, department headquarters Bedford. Sub-divisions Kempston and Sharnbrook. C Division: Biggleswade and Mid-Bedfordshire, department headquarters Biggleswade. Sub-division Ampthill D Division: department headquarters – Dunstable, sub-division Leighton Buzzard F Division: Luton town E Division: Road traffic. North sub-division, Kempston. South sub-division, Luton A further reorganisation of the Bedfordshire and Luton Police Force came into effect on the 1st of April 1973. The new divisions were as follows [taken from Po/DO1/1]: A Division: Headquarters B Division: North sub-division – Bedford Rural and north of the Borough South sub-division – the majority of the Borough Police station: Greyfriars, Bedford C Division: East sub-division – That part of Luton East of the A6 West sub-division – That part of Luton west of the A6 Police station: Dunstable place, Luton D Division: South sub-division: Dunstable/Leighton Buzzard and area Police station: Friars Walk, Dunstable North sub-division: Biggleswade, Ampthill and area Police station: Biggleswade E Division: Road traffic division North sub-division: Halsey Road, Kempston South sub-division: New Street, Luton Police station: Kempston For further information on the history of the police in Bedfordshire, please see the introduction to the QE catalogue.
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