PMCC Magazine 337

The Air Beat

What advice would you give your young self?

I'm writing this before the Winter Solstice. Production of each edition of the magazine starts four or more months before the publication date.

As the actual date of publication approaches, the last thing I do is to write this editorial, when the contents are settled and Jim and I just have a little tidying up to do.

Even though we are still a week away from Christmas, I am already thinking of New Year and 2025. At the same time I am looking back over 2024.

What has struck me several times during the last year, is how in the past I have failed to protect, failed to preserve and failed to appreciate the police history which was all around me.

There are the simple things like Police and Constabulary Almanacs. Why, oh why didn't I arrange for a copy to be kept each year? I now have some 50 volumes going back to 1878 (I'm always looking for ones I am missing), but it would have been easy when I was in the service to have saved a copy every year when new ones were issued.

More difficult are the photographs.... I kept copies of prints and saved old negatives, which now number more than 1,000. But when I could have done, I didn't arrange for negatives to be saved for posterity. When police forces went "Digital", most negative libraries were destroyed, without looking at what should/could be saved.

Not all police photographs were of crimes, injuries and crashes. Many were the social side of policing, individuals, events, presentations and visits. But everything went!

I managed to save a lot for the force museum, but one idea I had, I never was able to implement. I had wanted to get a "Snapshot" of the force and get every occurrence log, from every station, at the point they were going to be destroyed.

Paper records were kept for 12 months, then pulped. But although I suggested the idea to the force's Museum Committee, I never followed it up. Now everything is digital, it would have been a real "Snapshot in time".

Looking back, as most people do when the end of the year draw nigh, the advice I would give to my younger self, AND to my older self going forward, is "never delay doing something important today, because tomorrow may never come."

Norman

<Police Medals and Awards
(Part Six)
By: David Picton-King

Maryhill Police Honourable Service Medal

Top pin brooch

Date:1873.
Ribbon: 32 mm dark blue.
Metal: Silver.
Size:41 mm.

Description: (Obverse) circular medal showing the Arms of Maryhill, with a small scroll above with the words ‘In Defence’. (Reverse) plain background with a scrolled shield in the centre, containing the words ‘Maryhill Police Force- 1873- Testimony Of- Honourable Service- From The- Magistrates, - Ladies & Gentlemen- Of The Borough- To- (engraved name & rank)’ in 10 lines. The medal has a most unusual suspender bar, and also a heavily decorated silver top brooch with pin.

Comments: Very little is known regarding the origins and purpose of this medal. The wording indicates it recognises ‘Honourable Service’ which may relate to some act over and above normal duty, or possible the completion of a specified period of service with good conduct.

-o-O-o-

Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary Silver Service Star Badge

Date:1918.
Ribbon: No ribbon issued.
Metal: White metal, possibly silver.
Size: 26mm across.

Description: (Obverse) 5-pointed star badge with a central circular area. The star points are closely stippled with raised dots. The central disc has raised circumference band with the words ‘Metropolitan’ above and ‘1914’ below. The central roundel has the intertwined letters ‘SC’. (Reverse) plain, with 2 lugs fitted for attachment to a tunic.

Comments: This medal was awarded to all Special Constables who had enlisted with the Metropolitan Special Constabulary by the 31st of December 1914, and were still serving by the end of the war in 1918. This badge was highly prized by its recipients, as a mark of distinguished service throughout the war. It was worn on the left sleeve above the cuff.

-o-O-o-

Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary Long Service Medal

Date:1917.
Ribbon: No ribbon issued.
Metal: Bronze.
Size: 32 mm.

Description: (Obverse) circular open-work medal, having a circumference band with the words ‘Metropolitan Special Constabulary’ above, and ‘1914’ below. A central shield shaped device has the words ‘Long Service’ within. An integral ring fitting attaches to a scrolled pin brooch with a spray of laurel leaves to each side. (Reverse) plain, with the maker’s name (J.R. Gaunt- London) impressed into the reverse of the pin brooch.

Comments: This medal was awarded to all Special Constables who served two or more years, and performed at least 150 duties, in the Metropolitan police during World War 1. More than 15,000 were issued. It had the somewhat derogatory nickname ‘The Chocolate Drop’ applied to it by recipients, due to its similarity to a chocolate confectionary of the time. It was almost identical to several other medals issued by several UK forces for a similar purpose- Birmingham, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Edinburgh, and Kidderminster.

-o-O-o-

Newcastle (Under Lyme) Special Constabulary Great War Service Badge

Date: possibly1919.
Ribbon: No ribbon known.
Metal: Bronze & enamels.
Size: 23 mm across.

Description: (Obverse) a cross pattée medal with a circular medallion in the centre. The medallion has a white enamelled outer band with the words ‘For Services During Great War’. Inside the band is a raised King’s crown emblem, with red enamel. The four arms of the cross are filled with blue enamel and read, from top, ‘Newcastle’, ‘Special’, ‘Constable’, and the lower arm showing the knotted rope symbol of Staffordshire. (Reverse) cast wording of ‘Newcastle- Sir W.V.S.- Gradwell Goodwin J.P.- Mayor- William Forster- Chief Constable- Under Lyme’ in 7 lines. A small integral ring fitting at the top of the medal has a ring attached, although whether that connected to a brooch pin bar, a ribbon or a fob chain is unknown.

Comments: This medal is remarkably similar in design to several others issued by various forces to recognise Special Constabulary World War 1 service. Those other examples almost always had a ribbon attached, with year bars affixed for each of the years served by the recipient during the war. This medal may have had a similar suspension but that is not confirmed.

-o-O-o-

Newport Reserve Constabulary Medal

Date: Possibly1934.
Ribbon: Dark blue.
Metal: Bronze & enamels.
Size:32 mm.

Description: (Obverse) circular medal with an outer circumference band of blue enamel, containing the words ‘Newport Reserve Constabulary’. The plain central circle has the Arms of Newport in red and yellow enamels. (Reverse) plain, with the name of the recipient engraved at the centre. Hallmarks are stamped near the lower circumference. The medal has an ornate scrolled suspension which attaches to the dark blue ribbon.

Comments: This medal was issued to the Newport Special Constabulary Reserve, but the exact criteria are not known. Special Constabulary ‘Reserve’ units differed from the usual ‘Special Constabulary’. Special Constables were unpaid (volunteers) and were required to perform a specified number of duties per annum, while the Reserve members had no defined duties until recalled to duty, and when recalled they were paid a specified sum per hour or per duty period. Most SC Reserve units were formed after WW1, and this, coupled with a hallmark for 1934, indicates the award was initiated in that year.

-o-O-o-

Oxford City Police War Messenger Medal

Date:Probably: 1919.

Ribbon: Dark green with a thin white central stripe.
Metal: Brass or bronze, possibly gilt,& enamels.
Size:25 mm.

Description: (Obverse) a circular bronze and possibly gilt medal with a dark blue enamelled circumference band showing the words ‘War Messenger’ above, and ‘Oxford City Police’ below. The top has the symbol of the Boy Scout Movement, which attaches to the suspension ring, on a white enamel ground with the motto ‘Be - Prepared’ on each side. Below that is a stylised Arms of Oxford, showing a bull in reddish-brown enamel on a gilt ground, standing in water. (Reverse) plain. A bronze or gilt Boy Scout badge is sewn onto the ribbon- it is not known if this was a standard part of the medal or represented some additional service or act worthy of recognition.

Comments: This medal was issued to members of the several Boy Scout troops in and around Oxford, who volunteered during World War 1 to act as messengers for the police force. Either as bicyclists or runners, they conveyed messages and orders between various police stations or posts, particularly during alerts or the many additional wartime duties being dealt with by the force. A significant number of other UK police forces used Scouting members in the same way, although it is not thought they issued medals for that service.

-o-O-o-

Perth City Special Constabulary Medal

Date:1919.
Ribbon: 32 mm dark blue.
Metal: Silver.
Size:35 mm.

Description: (Obverse) circular medal with a circumference band showing the words ‘Perth City Police’ at the top, and ‘Special Constable’ below. The Arms of the City are shown on the centre area, which has a stippled background. (Reverse) plain, with name of the recipient engraved across the centre. The maker’s name (Fattorini & Sons Bradford) is impressed at the top, and hallmarks at the bottom.

The medal was issued with bars denoting each of the years in which the recipient served in World War 1, ranging from 1914 to 1918. The top bar, whatever the year shown, was fitted with a reverse pin to become a brooch.

Comments: This medal may have been an existing ‘general’ medal for the Perth Special Constabulary, but the examples seen always show one or more bars denoting the years of World War 1 service, making it likely it was issued specifically for war service.

-o-O-o-

Plymouth City Police Conspicuous Bravery & Good Conduct Medal

Gallantry Bar

Date:1930.
Ribbon: 32 mm dark blue.
Metal: Silver.
Size:36 mm.

Description: (Obverse) circular medal showing the Arms of Plymouth surrounded by a beribboned laurel wreath and surmounted by the King’s Crown. (Reverse) plain background with raised leaf-twig emblem at top and bottom. The words ‘Plymouth City Constabulary’ are above a rectangular raised edge panel (suitable to receive engraved detail) and the words ‘Good Service’ below the panel. Hallmarks are sometimes, but not always, seen stamped at the bottom edge. The medal has an integral ring suspension. When issued for gallantry a rectangular silver bar, mounted to the top of the ribbon was issued, bearing the words ‘For Gallantry’.

Comments: This medal was initiated in 1930, initially as an award for any act of conspicuous bravery as decided by the Watch Committee and shown by a bar with the words ‘For Gallantry’. It was later issued for long service also to any member of the force who had completed 17 years of ‘zealous and efficient discharge of duties and who has no default recorded against him'. When a long service recipient completed an additional period of long service, his medal was issued with a Gallantry bar, a somewhat confusing arrangement. The medal was discontinued in 1951 with the introduction of the national Police Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.

-o-O-o-

Reading Borough Police Bravery Medal

Date:1901 or earlier.
Ribbon: 28 mm presumed, dark blue with a narrow central white stripe.
Metal: White metal (probably silver) and bronze versions, identical in form.
Size:32 mm.

Description: (Obverse) circular medal with an outer circumference band having the words ‘Reading Police’ above, and ‘For Bravery’ below. The central field contains the Arms of Reading. (Reverse) plain, with engraved wording which provides the rank and name of the recipient, brief details of the act of bravery, and the date of the act. The medal has the ornate scrolled suspender common to Victorian-era medals.

Comments: This medal was initiated no later than 1901, and probably earlier. Both a white metal, thought to be silver, and a bronze version have been seen. The pictured ‘silver’ example has a yellow metal suspender, appearing as gold or gilt but possibly polished bronze. It recognised acts of bravery by members of the Reading force. The number of medals awarded, and the reason for having both silver and bronze versions is not known. The style of reverse engraving is quite different in the two examples pictured (the silver in 1901 and the bronze in 1907).

-o-O-o-

The Police Acts
East Riding of Yorkshire Constabulary

copy

Unless you have been in one of a limited number of professions, you will probably never have come across an "Act of Parliament".

Only the legal profession regularly uses Acts of Parliament, and even then they tend to use various books.

Today, there are on-line resources which provide Acts and Sections, legal precedents and much more. However this didn't use to be the case.

Retired officers here will remember Moriarty's Police Law, because we were all issued with a personal copy when we joined. But this resource wasn't always available.

Cecil Charles Hudson Moriarty, CBE, CStJ (1877–1958) was an Irish-born, British police officer. He served as Chief Constable of the Birmingham City Police from 1935 to 1941, and his manuals and books on police procedures became essential guidebooks for police in the United Kingdom.

Moriarty wrote several books and papers on police procedures, notably Moriarty's Police Law (1929), which for more than half a century was a fundamental resource for law enforcement officials in the UK. These are now "Collectibles" in their own right.

In service, we would have used Stones Justices Manuals. If you were lucky and had a relationship with the local Magistrates Court, you might well have received your own 'hand-me-down' copy. From 1850, "Stones" covered civil procedure, criminal law and litigation and provides comprehensive coverage of all new and amended legislation affecting the magistrates' courts. It also includes hundreds of new cases that set precedents or clarify particular principles of law.

Acts of Parliament are quoted verbatim, but the actual Act, is not shown. So although legal professionals will be well aware of Acts of Parliament, and often their limitations, very few will have ever seen an actual "Act".

For centuries "Acts of Parliament" have been written on vellum. This is the specially prepared skin of a calf which has been used for writing, because it is more permanent that parchment or paper. Vellum can also be printed on.

Acts of Parliament come in three varieties. Some are "permissive", allowing or giving permission for something to take place. For example Acts which allowed railways to be built across the UK in the 19th century and HS2 in the 21st Century.

Then there are the "preventative" acts, which make some act or omission against the law, with a penalty or punishment for failing to comply. These are grouped under the broad term of the "Criminal Law".

The third kind of legislation published by Parliament as Acts, are those which direct or prescribe a course of action which must be taken.

The various "Police Acts" of the 19th century, beginning with the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829. This Act of Parliament of course only applied to London.

The Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 required all incorporated boroughs in England and Wales to establish a police force, under the control of a "Watch Committee". However areas outside incorporated borough boundaries, were still mostly without a professional police force, with police services still being provided by the Parish Constables.

It would be ten years before the 1839 Police Act laid the ground work for county police forces, however this act was still permissive, allowing the Quarter Sessions Committee's of counties to appoint Chief Constables, Superintending Constables and of course Constables.

Signed into law on 27th August 1839, several county's Justices in Quarter Sessions moved quickly to write to one of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State with how many Constables they needed.

Having received confirmation from the Secretary of State, the Justices then appointed a Chief Constable, under Section IV of the act.

The first Chief Constable appointed was Richard Reader Harris Esq., Chief Constable of Worcestershire, in November 1839. He was followed by Chief Constables being appointed for Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Durham and Wiltshire, all in December 1839.

Section III allowed the Clerk of the Peace in any county, or any Division of a country to apply for a variation or special circumstances of the appointment of Constables.

So we see that on January 9th 1840, that Ralph Leconby Snowdon Esq, was appointed as the Chief Superintendent of the York Constabulary Force, for the Division of Gilling West, in the North Riding.

He had a force of one sergeant, 38 Constables and a mounted officer to police what would in 1856 become a division of the North Riding Constabulary.

This was the area of the North Riding between Richmond and the Great North Road, and what we now know as the A66, then a main east - west route between Penrith and Scotch Corner, then west into the Yorkshire Dales as far as the Lancashire border.

In similar fashion, the Derwent Division in Cumberland, the Kingston Division of Herefordshire and the Hundred of Knightlow, in would also establish county police forces.

There were gradual increases in the number of county constabularies, however the government grew impatient with progress and it was the 1856 Police Act with required all Justices Quarter Sessions Committees to establish functioning constabulary forces.

Because the cost of policing was an issue, and a reason why some counties had not formed a force, the 1856 Act introduced a Government Grant of 51% of the cost of policing (previously the entire cost had fallen on local inhabitants) and at the same time, the introduction of Inspectors of Constabulary, who would have to inspect and confirm forces were efficient and effective, before the grant was paid.

I am lucky to have in my collection the copy of the Police Acts issued in 1856 to the first Chief Constable of the East Riding, Lt. Col Granville Layard (CC 1856 - 1872). There are written notes inside suggesting it was used by successive Chief Constables into the 20th Century.

You can download a copy of the scan of the document from the link below.

Throughout the document, there is original marginalia, written by the Chief Constables, with finger pointers to what they considered to be important passages of the various acts.

Because the cover of the bound volume is embossed "East Riding", I suspect that a copy was supplied to every county Chief Constable. How many other copies still exist I wonder?

East Riding Constabulary copy of Police Acts.. To read the book click [HERE] or on the Book Cover.

Reimagining history

One of my Christmas presents to me arrived this week. There were several things I needed which were ordered, some tools, soft furnishings, but also I have been looking for a Book Scanner for the past two years.

Like all technology, these scanners have improved vastly in the past 5 years, as cameras but especially software has become more powerful.

Book scanners come in different sizes, with different capabilities, from something costing around €120, to behemoths used by reference libraries costing €12,000 or more, like this one.

Mine is more modest, a CZUR 24 PRO.

The reasons I want a book scanner are various, but all relate to history. I have for example some 200 year old volumes of almanacs and topographical dictionaries, whose paper is becoming more fragile by the day.

Then there are the more modern, but still old Almanacs which I use as reference tools very frequently.

Having an annual volume which contains vast amounts of data and information is OK, but to search for names individually across a number of years necessitates looking at multiple volumes. It takes time and makes your eyes ache.

What if you could search a digital copy using free software?

My first real scan was the nominal roll of the Kingston upon Hull City Police, from 1836 to 1974, to create a searchable list of names, collar numbers and dates of joining.

The list of names is a continuous record of the appointment of Constables in Hull from 2nd May 1836 to 31st March 1974, and then from 1st April 1974 to today, in the Humberside Police.

Scanning the names is the easy task. Once in a digital format, I then need to break the date, first and last names, rank and collar number into columns in a spreadsheet, to make searching easier.

There are 4,807 individuals who have been appointed as “Constable” between 1836 and 1974. Every individual's details are contained in a single line of text and comprises of a sequential number, date of joining, first and last names, a rank for transferees and the officer's collar number.

The scanning was the easy bit, because to make a usable spreadsheet, each element needs to be in a single cell in the row. So all 4,807 had to be broken up into six individual cells: Date of joining, first names, last name, rank, number and then free text notes. This took some time and at the same time any discrepancies were checked and amendments made.

Once this was finished, it was an easy task to separate police women into separate pages, and both male and female officers have a page sorted alphabetically on their last name, and a separate page which is sorted numerically.

So far as I can ascertain, this has never been done before for a complete nominal roll of a force. The simple reason for this is that a vanishingly small number of forces have a complete record of everyone who was sworn in as a Constable, from Day 1.

Once complete, one very quick identification I made was of PC 386.H whose photograph is in the Hull City Police Centenary booklet, published in 1936, but without his name.

He is wearing the three WWI medals, colloquially known as "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred", which shows he served in WWI.

Only three Hull City officers have worn the number "386". The first PC 386 James Malynn was appointed on 14th January 1911. He did not last long because PC 386 Sidney Marshall Redhead was appointed on 20th August 1914 and PC 386 Fred Barrett was appointed on 3rd March 1947.

So the only person it could be is PC 386 Sidney Marshall Redhead. As an aside, a check of the Humberside Police nominal roll shows that Sgt 386 Fred Barrett was a sergeant at Priory Road Police Station on 1st April 1974.

So it is a definite confirmation of who PC 386 is, and if you think he looks like a Guardsman, you would be right. During WWI Sidney Redhead volunteered and served with the Coldstream Guards.

There is a lot more information about him available once we knew his name and it will form an article for the next edition of the magazine.

What this does illustrate is that with powerful modern technology and software, what was a task that had never been undertaken became possible and has produced a very quick outcome.

Once in a digital format, it becomes possible to search for a name or to manipulate the data and to look at it as a social historian.

Up to 1856, the Hull Borough Police (Hull only became a city in 1897) was the only large police force in the area. Beverley Borough Police had 14 Officers and Hedon Borough just two, so without competition, Hull recruited from the East Riding.

In 1856 when the East Riding Constabulary was formed, several officers resigned from the Hull force and went back to their home area, but also Hull wasn't able to recruit as many new officers as they had in the years before 1856 because now they had competition - all evidenced in the record of the number of appointments.

When I have completed a similar exercise with the East Riding Constabulary list of officers, it will be interesting to compare the names and see exactly how many men there were who moved between forces..

New badges for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

Queens crown and Kings Crown helmet plates

Queens Crown officer's cap badge and Kings Crown cap badge

Queens Crown and Kings Crown warrant card holders

Queens Crown Sergeant's helmet plate, and standard bell patch

Queens Crown and Kings Crown vehicle door decals

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have begun to issue the Tudor (Kings) Crown CIIIR badges to members of the force.

Hampshire has always been a badge outlier in the UK, with an especially large and distinctive helmet plate, with similar designs for cap badges and warrant card holder badges.

A complete exception was the smaller but enameled helmet plate issued to Sergeants. They remain the only force in the UK to have a separate and distinctive helmet plate for Sergeants.

The Hampshire Constabulary was formed following the amalgamations of Southampton, Portsmouth and Hampshire and Isle of Wight in 1967. On 16 November 2022, the force was renamed Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary by Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, hence the title on the new badges.

Photos of the new badges from Derek Jones

-o-O-o-

We have updated the Insignia Section. If you know of any other Police Force that now has Kings Crown Insignia, we'll be delighted to hear from you. (Especially with any photographs).

Just another in a series

Do you try to collect a "set" of your specific police memorabilia? Perhaps in your youth, you collected "sets" of Brooke Bond Tea Cards. I know I did.

There are regular requests on the PMCC Facebook group for help in finishing a "set" with Graham Major currently asking for help with PCSO cap badges and John Capp is looking for some missing Inspectors cap badges.

For me, one of my "sets" is a reference collection of one of every UK force vehicle door decal.

I have just received the latest door crest from my force, the Humberside Police, to add to the set.

Forces are just starting to change the crests from the Queen's Crown to the Tudor or King's Crown variety as stocks of the former run out.

Like all "sets" they are a snapshot in time. With 43 English and Welsh forces, eight regional Scottish forces, pre the Police Scotland amalgamation, three island forces, the RUC/PSNI and four non geographic forces (CNC, BTP, MOD etc) there are a lot of decals and variations to be found.

Do I have every vehicle decal, of every size, from all 59 organisations? No, of course not, but I have at least one from each and in some cases sets of different badges. There are also the detail changes when forces changed their public facing name from Constabulary to police.

The history of vehicle decals is interesting. They were universally adopted following the 1974 local government and police reorganisation, but there were a few forces with them before 1974.

Who was first? That is difficult to say. When was the first decal applied? Also very difficult to say.

A 1933 Bedford Borough Police van

There is a good chance that they were signwritten by hand, because before WWII graphics and transfers were simply not available.

Even in the 1960's much lettering on police vehicles was completed by a specialist sign writer - a trade now lost completely.

"Police" being added by hand to the fairing of a new Triumph motorcycle in Liverpool in 1965

I have photographic evidence of police vehicles wearing crests as early as 1933 .

A States of Jersey Police van, probably immediately post WWII

A number of City and Borough forces used crests, including Kingston upon Hull which had the Corporation Coat of Arms on the door.

A new Hull City Police coach built Morris Commercial van, c.1948

Photo: HTGOD

In the era of many small City borough forces, the local force was incredibly close to the Watch Committee and hence the whole municipal organisation, so having the council transport department crest on the door, where the vehicles were probably maintained too, is understandable.

It has been forgotten that there are records of policemen being disciplined for failing to salute the local Mayor!

In the mid 1960's there were the first experiments with livery changes. Most police vehicles at the time were black, but with the opening of the first two motorways n the UK, the M6 Preston Bypass and the M1 in Bedfordshire, Motor Patrol cars were white to make them more conspicuous.

Leicestershire and Rutland Constabulary M1 motorway patrol Jaguars

But several forces, including the City of Salford, were experimenting with black and white cars, with door decals.

Salford City Police experimental black and white livery

These livery experiments could be seen across the UK.

The first records of regular use of white vehicles, sometimes with orange stripes, with door decals are from forces like the Sheffield and Rotherham Constabulary and the Mid Anglia Constabulary.

1967 Mid Anglia Constabulary motor patrol livery

1970 Sheffield and Rotherham Constabulary

1969 Hull City Police motor patrol Land Rover

I have the only known remaining Hull City Police decal.

Of the four forces, part or the whole of which became Humberside police, only West Yorkshire Constabulary and Hull City Police used door decals, and these were exclusively on traffic patrol vehicles.

On the morning of the 1st April 1974, the fleet of Traffic Cars from the former forces of Hull, Lincolnshire, York & North East Yorkshire and West Yorkshire had new door decals applied.

Former Hull City Triumph with the Humberside Police door decal in 1974

Former York and North East Yorkshire Police Vauxhall traffic car with the new Humberside Police door decal.

The first series of decals large, medium and small

It would be a while before they were applied to the vans and larger vehicles. However it was the change from the "panda" livery of blue with white doors, to all white with a wide red and thin retro reflective blue stripes that small door decals were applied to all vehicles in the fleet.

In the 1980's the decals became retro reflective.

In 1991 Humberside Police developed a Corporate Standards Manual, which included a change to the style of door decals and the addition of the slogan "Protect, Help and Reassure".

About the same time, the traffic livery was altered to make vehicles more conspicuous and the decals were moved from the front doors to the rear wings. With reduced space, smaller vinyl decals were used.

At the start of the 2010's Humberside Police formed a partnership with the South Yorkshire Police, sharing resources, purchasing jointly and even sharing staff between the two forces.

At the same time, the style of the Humberside badges was simplified and a different slogan was adopted. This was reflected in the decals applied to the force vehicles.

The national high conspicuity battenberg livery was adopted for all vehicles and at the same time the size of the decals was reduced, to fit the different style of vehicle livery and the decal moved to the glass in the rear quarterlight..

Decals come in different sizes from small to large, to cater for different vehicles.

BMW R80RT with the decal on the pannier

Front of the Humberside helicopter, call sign Oscar 99

Modern materials and printing techniques, often called vinyl wraps, means that a decal can produced at any size, for any vehicle application.

Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II the Royal Crown reverted to the Tudor or Kings Crown and those forces which use the Royal Cipher, the centre piece became CIIIR.

In the spring, Humberside Police began using the new "King Crown" vinyl decals on their new vehicles.

Off road motorcycles with the new Tudor Crown decals on the wind shield.

I asked if it might be possible to get a set of the EIIR crests and thanks to my colleagues Danni and Wayne at Police Headquarters, theses have just arrived.

Being a reference collection, I photograph the decals with a scale rule against the x and y axis, and I leave the protective cover sheet intact!

The new decals come in three parts. The actual vinyl decal; a backing sheet; and a front protective sheet to help apply the decal on the vehicle.

It has been pointed out to me on several occasions, that cap badges or bell patches would be much easier for me to display! It is probably why there are so few collections of door decals..... You need VERY big walls!

Click on article title	Editorial	Oxford City Police	Police Medals and Awards	East Riding Police History
The Police Acts	History Matters	Reimagining history	New Hants & IoW badges issued	Hidden Police Cells
Taking the 'P'	Another in the Series	Photo Gallery	Motor Patrolling	Pam's Postcards