The first women police officers…the first Standard 9 horse-power "patrol car"…police boxes on street corners, short-wave radio sets and the advent of "unit beat" policing.
These are among an amazing list of policing firsts recorded by the individual forces responsible for policing West Yorkshire during the last 100 years or so.
Although all of these Forces were set up and established during the middle part of the 19th Century, the pace really picked up from about 1910 onwards as new technology and innovations - such as motor cars and wireless - were adopted for crime-fighting.
Leeds police welcomed their first policewoman in 1918, a good few years in front of some of the neighbouring forces.
The West Riding Constabulary acquired their latest piece of "kit" in 1928 - a brand new Standard 9 horse-power patrol car.
Wakefield police were not about to be left behind in the technology race. When the 20th Century was only a few years old, they went out and bought a brand new typewriter. This continued to give "sterling service" until 1909, when a replacement was urgently needed!
In Bradford in 1934, PC Thistlewaite became one of the first officers in the city to send a message to HQ…using morse code from his motorcycle and sidecar.
However, one of the most significant policing dates for the county proved to be much later in 1968.
All the individual police forces in the county - with the exception of Leeds and Bradford - came together to form the West Riding Constabulary.
These were West Riding, Wakefield, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Barnsley and Doncaster forces which covered the former West Riding County Area.
With local government re-organisation in 1974, Barnsley and Doncaster joined South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire Constabulary amalgamated with the Leeds and Bradford City forces to form the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police, becoming the West Yorkshire Police in 1986.
Here is a whirlwind tour of the individual forces - and their historic policing firsts;
The County and Borough Police Act of 1853 paved the away for the establishment, three years later, of the West Riding Constabulary.
In December, 1856, 354 men were in the Force. In 1857, the Force's first permanent HQ at Cliffe House, Wakefield, was bought. The first Chief Constable was Colonel C.A Cobbe.
Historical firsts:
1925 first two policewoman
1928 new Standard 9 horse-power patrol car
1938 Road Traffic Division
1944 police driving school at Wakefield
1945 first cadets on duty
1967 Unit Beat Policing at Brighouse, with radios!
The Municipal Corporation Act of 1853 led to the formation of a Watch Committee, and the appointment in 1836 of Mr William Heywood, first Chief Constable of Leeds.
Within a week, 18 constables had been sworn in. The police were also responsible for fire-fighting with the joint HQ at the Court House, junction of Park Row and Infirmary Street.
Historical firsts:
1903 mounted section
1918 first policewomen
1930 motor police section takes to the roads
1931 police boxes on street corners
1947 Vice Squad set up
1965 personal radios issued to officers
1965 HQ moved to Brotheron House
1967 Drug Squad operating
The force became operational in 1848 following the appointment of Chief Constable Mr William Leverett, who had spent 11 years as a policeman in the Liverpool force.
A horse drawn prison van was acquired in 1878. Bradford was declared a City in July, 1897, when the Force became the City of Bradford Police.
Historical firsts:
1914 motor car garaged in the old mortuary building
1934 motorcycle wireless telephone used by PC Thistlewaite
1947 police operations room handles emergency calls
1961 dog section
1962 Crime Prevention section started
1970 Community Relations department
First Chief Constable was Mr James McDonald appointed in 1848, and paid a salary of £130 per year. By 1855 total strength was 14, and their first police station and fire engine house was at Lower King Street
Historical firsts:
1900 trial of the first typewriter (this machine was replaced in 1909 after it was worn out!)
1929 police telephone box system
1935 new Austin 10/4 (fitted with loudspeakers for public address in 1938)
1942 Women's Auxiliary Police Corps appointed first two members
1958 Lambretta scooters fitted with VHF radios
1966 scooters replaced by BSA 250cc motorcycles
1967 strength hit a new high - 127.
John Thomas was appointed Superintendent in charge of Dewsbury in 1862, with a yearly salary of £80. Eight men were appointed, followed by a civilian clerk paid 25 shillings a week, more than that received by a constable. By the end of the 19th Century, the Borough Police Force was housed in the Town Hall.
Historical firsts:
1912 motorised fire engine (followed by an ambulance five years later)
1926 twelve police boxes across the area
1931 new Alvis police car
1946 policewoman appointed
1952 teleprinters and in-car radios installed
1960 underwater search team set up
1966 personal radios issued to officers
A total of 25 men aged between 25 and 30 paraded for the first duty in November 1848. Constables were paid about 17 shillings (average rate for the time) and the Superintendent in charge was Thomas Spiers.
The end of the 19th Century saw officers moving into their new HQ - a grand building on Harrison Road - which was in use right up until the late 1980s.
Historical firsts:
1920 police van also used as an ambulance
1931 motorcycles and sidecars on patrol
1947 police kiosks replaced by phone "pillar" incorporating a public phone.
1949 radios fitted to cars
1955 crime prevention pioneer, Chief Constable Goodman, set up the first specialist crime prevention department.
1959 patrol scooters used (replaced by Mini-vans in 1961)
1967 personal radios used by officers
The Huddersfield Improvement Act of 1848 resulted in the local Watch Committee advertising for a Superintendent Constable, three Day Constables, an Inspector of Night Constabulary, a Sergeant of Night Constabulary and 14 Night Constables.
Historical firsts:
1896 new purpose built station opened at a cost of £12,000
1915 Lady Police Assistant started duty
1931 first motor patrol section
1942 Women's Auxiliary Police Corps with 16 recruits
1930s police boxes numbered 37
1966 new dog section with three dog handlers
Established in 1836 with a strength of four, their first station was on Market Place. First Chief Constable was Mr Joseph Foster, Special Watchmen were appointed to keep order at race meetings.
First Chief Constable Sir George Edward Scott was replaced by Mr Ronald Gregory in 1969. Actual strength was 3, 532 officers. The Force Training School at Bishopgarth continued to maintain very high standards, attracting students from all over the world.
During 1973, the training department ran 65 courses attended by 1, 219 West Yorkshire officers and 150 officers from other forces.
Historical firsts:
1970 operations room equipped to control signals on the M1
1972 vehicle fleet included 189 cars, two Range Rovers, 12 motorcycles, 17 vans and one horsebox
1972 Dedicated Antiques Officer
1973 helicopters hired for special operations
1973 TV advertising to boost recruitment
With Mr Ronald Gregory still in charge, the 4,353-strong force inherited the former HQ in Laburnum Road, Wakefield. Mr Colin Sampson was appointed Chief Constable in 1983.
Boosting links between the public and the police was high on the agenda and the Force Community Affairs Department was set up in 1974. The Police and Criminal Evidence Act was introduced in 1986, and the preparation of officers by the Force was a major training commitment.
Historical firsts:
1974 Stolen Vehicle Squad
1974 VASCAR (speed detection) in patrol cars
1977 First woman officer joined mounted branch
1978 Phasing in of Command and Control System (completed 1985)
1978 Electronic breathalyser, Alcometer SL2, introduced.
1982 Motorway patrol unit to police motorways and A1
1983 Major Incident Computer Application (MICA) used in the investigation of major crimes (replaced 1985 by HOLMES)
1984-85 Operational resources pushed to the limit by year-long miner's strike
1985 Dog Section take on four Labradors for explosive and drug detection
Go back to the History section.
These are among an amazing list of policing firsts recorded by the individual forces responsible for policing West Yorkshire during the last 100 years or so.
Although all of these Forces were set up and established during the middle part of the 19th Century, the pace really picked up from about 1910 onwards as new technology and innovations - such as motor cars and wireless - were adopted for crime-fighting.
Leeds police welcomed their first policewoman in 1918, a good few years in front of some of the neighbouring forces.
The West Riding Constabulary acquired their latest piece of "kit" in 1928 - a brand new Standard 9 horse-power patrol car.
Wakefield police were not about to be left behind in the technology race. When the 20th Century was only a few years old, they went out and bought a brand new typewriter. This continued to give "sterling service" until 1909, when a replacement was urgently needed!
In Bradford in 1934, PC Thistlewaite became one of the first officers in the city to send a message to HQ…using morse code from his motorcycle and sidecar.
However, one of the most significant policing dates for the county proved to be much later in 1968.
All the individual police forces in the county - with the exception of Leeds and Bradford - came together to form the West Riding Constabulary.
These were West Riding, Wakefield, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Barnsley and Doncaster forces which covered the former West Riding County Area.
With local government re-organisation in 1974, Barnsley and Doncaster joined South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire Constabulary amalgamated with the Leeds and Bradford City forces to form the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police, becoming the West Yorkshire Police in 1986.
Here is a whirlwind tour of the individual forces - and their historic policing firsts;
West Riding Force
The County and Borough Police Act of 1853 paved the away for the establishment, three years later, of the West Riding Constabulary.
In December, 1856, 354 men were in the Force. In 1857, the Force's first permanent HQ at Cliffe House, Wakefield, was bought. The first Chief Constable was Colonel C.A Cobbe.
Historical firsts:
1925 first two policewoman
1928 new Standard 9 horse-power patrol car
1938 Road Traffic Division
1944 police driving school at Wakefield
1945 first cadets on duty
1967 Unit Beat Policing at Brighouse, with radios!
Leeds Police
The Municipal Corporation Act of 1853 led to the formation of a Watch Committee, and the appointment in 1836 of Mr William Heywood, first Chief Constable of Leeds.
Within a week, 18 constables had been sworn in. The police were also responsible for fire-fighting with the joint HQ at the Court House, junction of Park Row and Infirmary Street.
Historical firsts:
1903 mounted section
1918 first policewomen
1930 motor police section takes to the roads
1931 police boxes on street corners
1947 Vice Squad set up
1965 personal radios issued to officers
1965 HQ moved to Brotheron House
1967 Drug Squad operating
Bradford
The force became operational in 1848 following the appointment of Chief Constable Mr William Leverett, who had spent 11 years as a policeman in the Liverpool force.
A horse drawn prison van was acquired in 1878. Bradford was declared a City in July, 1897, when the Force became the City of Bradford Police.
Historical firsts:
1914 motor car garaged in the old mortuary building
1934 motorcycle wireless telephone used by PC Thistlewaite
1947 police operations room handles emergency calls
1961 dog section
1962 Crime Prevention section started
1970 Community Relations department
Wakefield
First Chief Constable was Mr James McDonald appointed in 1848, and paid a salary of £130 per year. By 1855 total strength was 14, and their first police station and fire engine house was at Lower King Street
Historical firsts:
1900 trial of the first typewriter (this machine was replaced in 1909 after it was worn out!)
1929 police telephone box system
1935 new Austin 10/4 (fitted with loudspeakers for public address in 1938)
1942 Women's Auxiliary Police Corps appointed first two members
1958 Lambretta scooters fitted with VHF radios
1966 scooters replaced by BSA 250cc motorcycles
1967 strength hit a new high - 127.
Dewsbury
John Thomas was appointed Superintendent in charge of Dewsbury in 1862, with a yearly salary of £80. Eight men were appointed, followed by a civilian clerk paid 25 shillings a week, more than that received by a constable. By the end of the 19th Century, the Borough Police Force was housed in the Town Hall.
Historical firsts:
1912 motorised fire engine (followed by an ambulance five years later)
1926 twelve police boxes across the area
1931 new Alvis police car
1946 policewoman appointed
1952 teleprinters and in-car radios installed
1960 underwater search team set up
1966 personal radios issued to officers
Halifax
A total of 25 men aged between 25 and 30 paraded for the first duty in November 1848. Constables were paid about 17 shillings (average rate for the time) and the Superintendent in charge was Thomas Spiers.
The end of the 19th Century saw officers moving into their new HQ - a grand building on Harrison Road - which was in use right up until the late 1980s.
Historical firsts:
1920 police van also used as an ambulance
1931 motorcycles and sidecars on patrol
1947 police kiosks replaced by phone "pillar" incorporating a public phone.
1949 radios fitted to cars
1955 crime prevention pioneer, Chief Constable Goodman, set up the first specialist crime prevention department.
1959 patrol scooters used (replaced by Mini-vans in 1961)
1967 personal radios used by officers
Huddersfield
The Huddersfield Improvement Act of 1848 resulted in the local Watch Committee advertising for a Superintendent Constable, three Day Constables, an Inspector of Night Constabulary, a Sergeant of Night Constabulary and 14 Night Constables.
Historical firsts:
1896 new purpose built station opened at a cost of £12,000
1915 Lady Police Assistant started duty
1931 first motor patrol section
1942 Women's Auxiliary Police Corps with 16 recruits
1930s police boxes numbered 37
1966 new dog section with three dog handlers
Pontefract
Established in 1836 with a strength of four, their first station was on Market Place. First Chief Constable was Mr Joseph Foster, Special Watchmen were appointed to keep order at race meetings.
West Yorkshire Constabulary (1968 - 1974)
First Chief Constable Sir George Edward Scott was replaced by Mr Ronald Gregory in 1969. Actual strength was 3, 532 officers. The Force Training School at Bishopgarth continued to maintain very high standards, attracting students from all over the world.
During 1973, the training department ran 65 courses attended by 1, 219 West Yorkshire officers and 150 officers from other forces.
Historical firsts:
1970 operations room equipped to control signals on the M1
1972 vehicle fleet included 189 cars, two Range Rovers, 12 motorcycles, 17 vans and one horsebox
1972 Dedicated Antiques Officer
1973 helicopters hired for special operations
1973 TV advertising to boost recruitment
West Yorkshire Metropolitan 1974 - 1986
With Mr Ronald Gregory still in charge, the 4,353-strong force inherited the former HQ in Laburnum Road, Wakefield. Mr Colin Sampson was appointed Chief Constable in 1983.
Boosting links between the public and the police was high on the agenda and the Force Community Affairs Department was set up in 1974. The Police and Criminal Evidence Act was introduced in 1986, and the preparation of officers by the Force was a major training commitment.
Historical firsts:
1974 Stolen Vehicle Squad
1974 VASCAR (speed detection) in patrol cars
1977 First woman officer joined mounted branch
1978 Phasing in of Command and Control System (completed 1985)
1978 Electronic breathalyser, Alcometer SL2, introduced.
1982 Motorway patrol unit to police motorways and A1
1983 Major Incident Computer Application (MICA) used in the investigation of major crimes (replaced 1985 by HOLMES)
1984-85 Operational resources pushed to the limit by year-long miner's strike
1985 Dog Section take on four Labradors for explosive and drug detection
Go back to the History section.
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