
Halifax Borough Police
1848 - 1968Halifax was one of the townships recognised under the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act as a borough and when it was granted the Royal Charter in 1848 was obliged to establish a force of police. On 7th July, 1848 the newly constituted Watch Committee met and appointed a Superintendent, Inspector and Detective Officer.
The Committee also advertised for Sergeants and Constables and the response for men between 25 and 30 years of age, not less than 5ft. 8in. was excellent. In all twenty regular men made up this small force when it paraded for its first duty in November of that year.
The new constables wore "the usual police coat" described as "being of cloth that would withstand the severest Halifax weather" with "chimney pot hats polished so that they glistened in the sun". The Superintendent — at this early time there was no rank of Chief Constable at Halifax — and the Inspector both wore a frock coat, the former having his open breasted and the latter buttoned up close to the chin.
Each year, as in present times, the police forces had to submit a record of the crimes reported within the area. In 1849, after a year's work on the streets the Superintendent reported, among others, one case of forgery, three housebreakings, eleven pickpockets arrested and three charges of uttering a base coin. By contrast in 1966, nearly 120 years later, the crime rate was just over 2,500 and the value of property stolen was £50,000.

Halifax officers on duty at the Hull Dock Strike, 1893 (Submitted by Jim Smith - photograph obtained from the West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield (ref: WYP/HA/A299/33), with kind permission of West Yorkshire Police)
Halifax officers on duty at the Hull Dock Strike, 1893 (Submitted by Jim Smith - photograph obtained from the West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield (ref: WYP/HA/A299/33), with kind permission of West Yorkshire Police)

Halifax officers on duty at the Hull Dock Strike, 1893 (Submitted by Jim Smith - photograph obtained from the West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield (ref: WYP/HA/A299/33), with kind permission of West Yorkshire Police)

Halifax Borough Police, 1906 (Submitted by Jim Smith - photograph obtained from the West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield (ref: WYP/HA/A193/3), with kind permission of West Yorkshire Police
Halifax Borough Police, 1906 (Submitted by Jim Smith - photograph obtained from the West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield (ref: WYP/HA/A193/3), with kind permission of West Yorkshire Police

Halifax Borough Police, 1906 (Submitted by Jim Smith - photograph obtained from the West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield (ref: WYP/HA/A193/3), with kind permission of West Yorkshire Police

Halifax Borough Police headquarters, c1906 (Submitted by Ray Ricketts)
Halifax Borough Police headquarters, c1906 (Submitted by Ray Ricketts)

Halifax Borough Police headquarters, c1906 (Submitted by Ray Ricketts)



Motorcycles sidecar outfits on parade, 1938
Motorcycles sidecar outfits on parade, 1938

Motorcycles sidecar outfits on parade, 1938
Halifax Borough Police PC 120

Halifax Borough Police PC 120
Halifax Borough Police PC 120

