Catalogue description SHEFFIELD POLICE

Sheffield Police

Sheffield and Rotherham Joint Police Force

Police records may not be made available to research workers unless permission has been sought in each case.

This is done by sending a letter to

Information Compliance Unit

South Yorkshire Police

Professional Standards Department

Unit 20

Sheffield 35a Business Park

Churchill Way

Sheffield, S35 2PY

Email: foi@southyorks.police.uk

On abolition of South Yorkshire County Council on 31 March 1986, the records passed from South Yorkshire County Record Office, by agreement of the four South Yorkshire District Councils, to the custody of Sheffield Archives as lead authority

• Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire
• Rotherham, West Riding of Yorkshire
• Police

The history of the Sheffield police force can be said to date from 1818 when, after considerable debate, an Improvement Act was passed which transferred the lighting, watching and cleansing of Sheffield from the Town Trustees to a body of Commissioners. Colonel Fenton was appointed as first superintendent of the police and on his death in 1835 he was succeeded by Thomas Raynor. In 1836 the first day policemen were appointed.

On 4 April 1844 responsibility for the police force was transferred from the Improvement Commissioners to Sheffield Town Council, under the supervision of the Watch Committee, and in June that year the area covered was extended outwards from the centre of the town. At first the force was housed in the Town Hall and it was not until 1864-1865 that a police station was built in Castle Green. The force grew steadily. By 1900 there were eight police stations in addition to the central station and by 1921 this number had risen to thirteen.

In 1967 Sheffield and Rotherham Joint Force was formed and in 1974 South Yorkshire Police Force was set up.

The minutes of the Watch Committee are available from 1867 onwards

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