Superseding agency West Midlands Police | Legal jurisdiction England & Wales | |
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Formed 20 November 1839 (1839-11-20) Dissolved 31 March 1974 (1974-03-31) Legal personality Governmental: Government agency Operations jurisdiction* City of Birmingham in the country of England, UK | ||
Birmingham City Police was a police force responsible for policing the city of Birmingham in England until 1974, when on 1 April it was amalgamated under the Local Government Act 1972 with West Midlands Constabulary and parts of other forces to form the West Midlands Police.
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Birmingham town police
Following Chartist rioting in 1839, when one hundred police had to be brought from London, an Act of Parliament was passed on 26 August 1839 "for improving the Police in Birmingham". Birmingham was required to have at least 250 constables and 50 officers. A commissioner was to be appointed by the Home Secretary and report to him. The Birmingham force came into being on 20 November 1839 with 260 men. Francis Burgess, a local barrister, was appointed as the first police commissioner for Birmingham. On 12 August 1842 a new Police Act transferred responsibility to the Birmingham Town Council and another removed doubts as to the authority of the council.
Birmingham City Police
When Birmingham became a city in 1889 the town police became the Birmingham City Police.
Band
The Birmingham City Police Band was, at one period, conducted by Appleby Matthews, organist of the city's St. Philip's Cathedral and the first conductor of the City of Birmingham Orchestra (later the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra). members of the band would sometimes supplement the orchestras numbers.
Chief Constables
Chief Constables of Birmingham City Police included: