Q: How many people work for the police?
A: There are over 1330 police officers, 800 police staff, 150 Special Constables and almost 70 Police Community Support Officers in Gloucestershire.
Q: What do they all do?
A: Police officers work in a wide variety of roles, including local beat 'bobbies', traffic officers, dog handlers, detectives investigating more serious offences, schools officers. The list is almost endless!
Q: How old do you have to be to join the police?
A: You have to be at least 18 1/2 years old to become a police officer.
Q: What qualifications do you need to become a police officer?
A: No formal qualifications are required to join the police, but you will need to be able to read and write to a good standard. Anyone wanting to join the police has to pass a number of tests, which measure their ability to communicate with other people, as well as a medical, fitness test and eye test.
Q: Do all police officers carry guns?
A: No. Most police officers do not carry guns. However, we do have a number of specially trained officers who are armed. We use these officers to deal with any incidents where guns are involved.
Q: What equipment do police officers carry?
A: All officers carry a radio, so that they can speak to each other and the control room. They also carry handcuffs and an article called an 'asp baton'. This is a metal rod which the officers use to protect themselves. Officers also carry a type of spray called 'CS spray' which is also used for the protection of the officer.
Q: What ranks or grades are there in the police?
A: There are nine ranks in the police service. They are:
Constable*
Sergeant *
Inspector *
Chief Inspector *
Superintendent *
Chief Superintendent *
Assistant Chief Constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Chief Constable
* If the holder of this rank is part of C.I.D. then the word 'Detective' is put first, e.g. Detective Constable, etc.
Q: Who is in charge of the police?
A: All police officers have to swear an oath of allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen.
There is a Government Department called the Home Office which is responsible for police matters throughout the country, and which reports to Parliament. The head of this department is the Home Secretary.
In all counties there is also a group of people called the Police Authority. The Police Authority is made up of local councillors who are elected by local people. It is the job of the Police Authority to make sure that your local police are doing the very best job they can.
In Gloucestershire the most senior police officer is the Chief Constable, Tony Melville. The Chief Constable sets out how officers and staff do their jobs, and what are the most important things for them to achieve. To help the Chief run such a large organisation he is assisted by many other officers including the Deputy Chief Constable.
The Chief works in partnership with the Home Office and Police Authority, and like everyone else he has to work within the law.
Q: How do I contact the police?
A: You can speak to us by phone by ringing 0845 090 1234. If it is an emergency, call 999. You can e-mail us at:
callcentre@gloucestershire.police.uk
If you would like to tell the Internet Co-ordinator what you think of this website email: IDC@gloucestershire.police.uk
or if you see a police officer or support officer in your area, you can come up and say "Hello"!
