Constabulary

A form of police force used in various jurisdictions

Constabulary may have several definitions:

  • A civil, non-paramilitary (police) force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in the United Kingdom, in which all county police forces once bore the title (and some still do). Constables also exist in some U.S. states including Texas and Pennsylvania.
  • In English-speaking Canada, the starting rank of all police officers is Constable. The provincial police service of Newfoundland and Labrador is the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. This term reflects the force’s history of having been modelled after the Royal Irish Constabulary. In this case, Constabulary is used in the same sense in which it is used in the UK.
  • A large civil police force organised and trained along military lines, which may contain paramilitary elements. This is the usual definition in places outside Great Britain such as the former Royal Irish Constabulary, the former Royal Ulster Constabulary[citation needed], Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, Jamaica Constabulary Force.
  • A military or paramilitary type force consisting of soldiers trained for police duties. Mostly established by the United States in the several countries over which it had protective status e.g. Philippine Constabulary; United States Constabulary in West Germany after World War II. These forces also performed military functions by maintaining "mobile forces" of organised units.

Current UK police services titled "constabulary"

Current constabularies in the Netherlands[clarification needed]

Historic constabularies

Philippines
Ireland
Northern Ireland
Free City of Danzig
United States
Malaysia
  • North Borneo Constabulary – The paramilitary police force of North Borneo from 1800s to 1963 where it was officially incorporated into Royal Malaysia Police shortly after the formation of Malaysia.
  • Sarawak Constabulary – The paramilitary police force of Kingdom of Sarawak from 1800s to 1963 where it was officially incorporated into Royal Malaysia Police shortly after the formation of Malaysia.
South Africa

Further reading

  • Segal, David R., Brian J. Reed, and David E. Rohall. “Constabulary Attitudes of National Guard and Regular Soldiers in the U.S. Army.” Armed Forces & Society, Jul 1998; Vol. 24: pp. 535–548. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/24/4/535
  • Moskos, Charles C., Jr. “UN Peacekeepers: The Constabulary Ethic and Military Professionalism.” Armed Forces & Society, Jul 1975; Vol. 1: pp. 388–401.

External links

  • Media related to Constabulary at Wikimedia Commons