Modern policing
Specialist police units
Change: police forces have become more . As well as ordinary officers on the beat, there are units with special skills, such as:
- detectives in CID, which began in 1878
- the , set up in 1919 to tackle serious organised crime
- dog handlers, firearms officers and traffic police
- units for fraud, child protection, terrorism and cyber crime
- the (2013), which tackles serious and organised crime across the country.
Women have served as police officers since the First World War.
Key terms
Science and technology
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| 1901 | The Metropolitan Police began using to identify criminals |
| 1920s–30s | Police cars and radios allowed a quicker response |
| 1937 | The 999 emergency number |
| 1974 | The Police National Computer: records available to all forces |
| 1980s | : first used to convict a murderer in 1988 |
| 1990s onwards | cameras spread through towns and cities |
Significance: science and technology have made it far easier to identify and catch criminals, and to share information between forces.
Key terms
The move towards prevention
Change: modern policing aims to stop crime before it happens, not just catch criminals afterwards.
- : the first scheme began in 1982. Local people look out for crime in their area and report it to the police.
- Community policing: officers work with local people and businesses. Police community support officers have patrolled since 2002.
- Crime prevention advice, for example about locks and alarms, and , which can deter crime.
Continuity: like tithings and the hue and cry, Neighbourhood Watch relies on the community helping to fight crime.
Exam tip
Neighbourhood Watch is a strong example for a similarity question: compare it with the medieval . Both rely on the community.