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Truro Borough Police was the police force for the corporate town of Truro, Cornwall, from 1836 to 1877. It was established under the terms of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 which required every town to appoint a council (also referred to as a corporation) and a Police Watch Committee, which was responsible for overseeing a police force. == Formation & Early History == One of the first constables is recorded as James Fitzsimmons, a former Irish labourer from Omagh, County Tyrone. Under collar number 2 he served the new force for thirteen years, eventually transferring to the Helston Borough Police. Fitzsimmons was said to have suffered from a significant back injury sustained in a fall from a horse, and also suffered from epilepsy.〔Helstonia - The Lawmen of the Old (Cornish) West by Patrick Carroll〕 Fitzsimmons' son Robert, became a champion boxer, and is the subject of the book "Lanky Bob" by author K.R. Robinson. The chief officer was invariably referred to as the Chief Constable, High Constable and Head Constable, although in actuality held the rank of Inspector, and later, Superintendent. From the outset the strength of the force was fourteen men, including the Head Constable George Payne. Other officers of the new force documented in official records include Constables John Rapsey, John Lowry, George Hall, Thomas Walley, William Couch, Benjamin Bawden and George Roberts.〔West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser 18 March 1836〕〔West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser 2 December 1836〕〔West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser 7 April 1837〕〔West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser 13 October 1837〕 Early in the force's history the number of officers was though to have been too high. At a meeting of the Truro Borough Council in March 1837, representatives attempted to reduce the number of officers from fourteen to seven, and by balloting the movement was rejected. A revised suggestion would see the force reduced to nine men, also balloted and rejected. A final attempt to reduce the force to seven was also rejected, with the meeting adjourned without coming to an agreement.〔West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser 3 March 1837〕 In 1846 the police took up residence at the newly constructed Town Hall on the corner of St Nicholas Street and King Street, sharing the building with the magistrates, stannary courts and the fire brigade. Petty and Quarter Sessions were held at the building, with the Chief Constable responsible for presenting cases to the courts. By the 1850s the Truro Borough Council had its way and had reduced the number of serving officers by less than half the original strength. Subsequently the force was consistently criticized in successive inspections by the Inspector of Constabulary, with the earliest recorded report in 1858. The report recommended the addition of four extra officers to serve a population of 10,733 and a 1,103 acre beat. The corporation rejected the recommendation, however, when they pointed out that given the town was largely pastoral land there was no requirement to fund extra police officers, and that the Inspector of Constabulary was "sorely mistaken" in his estimations.〔"Truro Town Council" Royal Cornwall Gazette 13 August 1858〕 On 23 September 1873 the force was inspected by the Inspector of Constabulary Captain Willis, who examined the force's uniforms, books, cells and expressed himself "much satisfied," although would again point out that force was understaffed, and would be eligible for a government grant.〔"Inspection of Police" West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser 23 September 1873〕 In April 1874 the corporation of Truro was informed that the government would be subsidising approximately fifty per cent of the police force's budget. Previously the population of the town had funded the police in entirety via the local police rate, and in response to the new funding the corporation recommended an increase in manpower.〔"Local Intelligence - Truro" West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser 23 April 1874〕 In May 1876, the strength of the Truro Borough Police force was once again criticized for being "inefficient" owing to only six officers serving a population of 11,000. The government recommended a minimum of twelve for the borough, which by 1878 was achieved.〔"Notes By The Way" Royal Cornwall Gazette 6 May 1876〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Truro Borough Police」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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