Home Office: Central Conference of Chief Constables: Minutes and Papers

HO 358

1918-1978

Minutes and papers of meetings of the Central Conference of Chief Constables, set up in 1918 to promote co-operation and co-ordination between police forces around the country.

Public Record(s)

English

36 files and volumes

Topics

Policing

The increased demands made upon the police during the First World War revealed weaknesses in a system essentially unchanged since Victorian times. The need for the Home Office to co-ordinate the activities of chief constables and to provide a measure of leadership was recognised, and led to the formation of an organisation of district conferences of chief constables, and a central conference of delegates from each district. This innovation quickly produced a marked increase in the extent of inter-force co-operation and, in conjunction with steadily escalating administrative effort and support on the part of the Home Office, ultimately resulted in the federal structure of county, county borough, and city police forces that exists today.

The first meeting of the Central Conference of Chief Constables took place on 26 March 1918. At present, the Central Conference normally meets in May and November of each year to discuss topical police matters as well as papers and reports submitted for its consideration. Such submissions are commonly made by working parties and subcommittees of the Central Conference, by individual district conferences, and by the Home Office and other Government departments.