Liverpool Markets Police
c1800 - 1976 & 1992 - 2002BY ALAN LEITCH
The Markets in Liverpool have their origins in the King John’s Charter of 1207. As the property of the Crown, the markets were, from time to time, leased to various holders including the Norman Molyneux family (Lord Derby) and for a period of time under Charles I, the Corporation of London. In 1672 Liverpool Council leased the market rights to the Molyneux family for a period of one thousand years, but then in 1793 the entire rights were purchased back by Liverpool Corporation who since that time have remained the sole Market Authority.
Head Market Constable Charles Worral
The earliest Market Constable on record was Charles Worral who lived from 1801 to 1856. We also know that Charles Worral was listed as a Market Constable in 1837 and by 1851, at the age of 50, had been promoted to Head Constable and had moved from Back Black Street in the City to Brown Street, presumably a more suitable address for a Head Constable. During this time the markets continued to develop and with them the Markets Police Force. The biggest market was Saint John’s market in the City centre, and alongside it the Queens Street market with North market situated in Cazneau Street. This became an important commercial landmark used by farmers and growers from South West Lancashire.
With the Queen’s Square market situated near to the docks, and ships arriving every day from around the world with food products, the hustle and bustle of the markets required effective policing. The concentration in any one place of highly saleable commodities and the exchange of cash associated with market trade made the market sites highly attractive to thieves and beggars.
By 1860 the Market Police and Traffic Controllers had became an integral part of the market scene, with the Market Police having evolved into a small Police Force run entirely by the Markets Department. Sadly, at this point records seem to disappear until just after WW2.
On 2nd May 1946 an approach was made to the Chief Constable Herbert Winstanley for help in organising Market policing. As a result the uniformed staff at Stanley Meat Market were made Market Constables, and were also appointed to the office of Special Constables within the City of Liverpool.
In 1962 the City’s wholesale market relocated to a site opposite the meat market, with the Market Police providing policing for both markets.
As 1972 approached the future of the force looked grim and the political climate at the time led to disbandment on March 31 1972 of the Liverpool Parks and the Airport Police being replaced by the newly formed Liverpool City Security Force. However, the Markets Police remained in existence for a further four years until they were replaced by the Liverpool Security Force in 1976.
Market Police Officers were offered positions within the higher paid Liverpool Security Force subject to passing an entrance exam or becoming gate keepers at their present rate of pay. At the time of disbandment the Markets Police wore a Police style uniform, the cap badge comprising a chrome Liver bird; collar numbers with the wording “Market Constable” were also worn beneath on the epaulettes.
The 1980s saw crime and anti-social behaviour rise to intolerable levels, and the city council were obliged to review security at the markets. A council working party recommended that the Markets Police be reformed in order to remedy the situation. A council reorganisation coupled with other factors led to the Markets Police being reinstated in October 1992 only to be disbanded in 2002. The force consisted of 13 Officers, all of whom with the exception of the Inspector and two Constables were recruited from outside the City Council. The force became fully operational the following month.
This first group of Officers underwent six weeks’ training with Merseyside Police. Within the first six months crime levels had fallen significantly and the force was proving its worth.
By 1995 the strength of the force stood at 18, comprising one Inspector, two Sergeants and 15 Constables with cover being provided 24 hours seven days a week. In 1996 the Inspector left the service and was not replaced. At this time enamelled cap badges started to be worn; prior to this the cap badge was chrome only.
In 1997 as a result of the hard work of Sergeant Hutchinson of the Markets Police and Detective Constable Winstanley of Merseyside Police Crime Prevention Unit, Liverpool set up the country’s first ”Market Watch” scheme. This was to involve all market users in helping to maintain a safer environment within the markets.
In 1998 some 595 incidents plus a number of First Aid requests were logged, and by the following year this had risen to 858, which included First Aid and Fire fighting requests.
By 2002 the Markets Police strength stood at 14 Officers – four Sergeants and ten Constables, the maximum number of Officers being deployed during opening hours, with two Officers on duty when the market was closed, thus ensuring 24 hour presence. The Markets Police were funded by the City Council and from a charge paid by the Market Traders Association. Training was six weeks in-house covering general Police duties followed by six months on-the-job training. Officers also undertook courses in such areas as Health and Safety, Trading Standards, First Aid and Fire fighting by either the Liverpool Airport Fire Service or Merseyside Fire Service, also at Liverpool Airport.
The Markets Police achieved its role by a combination of beat patrols and fixed point duties supplemented by the use of CCTV. In addition mobile patrols were maintained using a Ford Transit and Vauxhall Astra vans with full Police markings carrying both Fire Fighting and First Aid equipment.
Market police officers were not attested as Police Constables, their powers being founded in common law. Two Justices of the Peace did visit the force in 1992 with the intention of attesting officers, only to find no suitable legislation existed.
In addition to fulfilling its role of providing a front-line enforcement service for the City Council, its presence did help to improve the quality of life for local residents – who noticed a downturn in crime following the formation of the Markets Police.
Part of an article from the Liverpool Echo
Part of an article from the Liverpool Echo
Part of an article from the Liverpool Echo
Uniform
Standard Police uniform was worn, this being a dark blue jersey and foul weather jacket with dark blue trousers white shirt and black tie. Tunics were issued but rarely worn. Sergeants wore broad stripes on their tunics.
The cap badge was chrome with a Liver Bird on a red centre and blue ring with the words “City of Liverpool Markets Police”; the badge was chrome and enamel, and unusual in that it had a Norman Crown in recognition of the origins to the City’s markets in King John’s charter of 1207. The cap band was green and white check and the jersey patch rectangular with the words “Market Police”. Epaulettes for Sergeants comprise their force number and white chrome stripes, while those of constables were plain and have their force number only. The tunic buttons were chrome with a Liver Bird central.
City Council
Sergeant John Hutchinson
Since the early 1970s to the present day the Liverpool City Council employ a system called “Ring fencing”, instituted by the unions and meaning that all vacancies within the City Council have to be advertised internally. This meant for Market Police recruitment the position for Market Constable would be advertised in all Council departments. If an applicant turned up for interview with long hair and unkempt in appearance he would have to be taken on as a Market Constable in theory.
The Recruiting and Training Officer for the Markets Police was Sergeant John Hutchinson with years of experience as a Constable and Sergeant in the Liverpool Airports Police. He had attended and passed various courses with the Northumberland Police and Merseyside Police and he would not accept any applicant from the Council unless they met the criteria laid down by the City Council for a position as Market Constable. This meant not being popular with the unions, which were exceptionally strong within the markets but he got his own way, and as a result he got the right men for the job.
Sadly the Markets Police came to an abrupt end in 2002 when the markets were sold off to a French firm. The Markets Police were replaced by a private security firm, and John Hutchinson transferred to the Trading Standards Office where he works to this day.
