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Post by Alex Knibb on Jul 30, 2008 14:42:29 GMT
Hi all.
You were all super helpful with a previous post I put up here (although I must also say that your collective ability to go off topic is breathtaking), so I immediately thought of you for this one.
My boss has just asked me whether "police" should have a capital letter when referring to the police force in the UK. My guess was that it should, but this was only really based on a hunch.
I tried to look it up on line, but as far as I can tell, there is no single website for the police or the Police, but quite a few fan sites for The Police. This could get confusing. Anyway, so I had trouble finding a website that referred to the police rather than, say, the Avon & Somerset Constabulary...
I'm rambling, sorry.
Any suggestions?
Many thanks,
Alex.
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Post by Alan Palmer on Jul 30, 2008 14:52:34 GMT
If you are referring to a particular (named) force, such as the Metropolitan Police or the New York Police Department, then the answer is yes. However, if you are referring to the men and women in blue in general, as in "He was arrested by the police for drink-driving", then no.
EDIT: If you were addressing a copper, or referring to his/her rank, as in "Police Constable Plod, I put it to you that my client was nowhere near the site of the alleged incident", then yes. However, you'd write "Six police constables and two sergeants arrived in ten minutes" without capitals.
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alexknibb
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"I have never fallen in love. I've stepped in it a few times..."
Posts: 194
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Post by alexknibb on Jul 30, 2008 15:02:13 GMT
Thanks for the reply! Well, yes, I'm referring to the boys in blue in general, but it's still an official organisation, isn't it? Or is it? The context is: "Achieve a 40% reduction in people reported to the police as killed or seriously injured..." Actually, now I look, a capital P would look stupid. You know, it's odd but I always assumed there was a central "Police", under which all the local constabularies fell. But I can't seem to find any trace such an organisation. Learn something new every day. Thanks Alan! EDIT: OK, now I'm puzzled by something else. Does anyone know what the difference between a "constabulary" and a "police"? We have "Dorset Police", but "Devon & Cornwall Constabulary". www.police.uk/forces.htm |
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Post by Dave M on Jul 30, 2008 15:16:24 GMT
It's a question of names, Alex. If we're using just a general noun, then there's no capital letter, but if we're stating a name, or title, there is. The pattern occurs with lots of words:
My usual doctor is Doctor Smith.
I asked the Prime Minister whether he liked being a prime minister.
I joined the University twenty-three years ago, never having worked in a university.
My mother was excellent, but I think Mother Superior is not.
I asked the Father to hear my confession about killing my father.
Is it true, Officer, that the Metropolitan Police has more officers than any other police force?
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alexknibb
Silver
"I have never fallen in love. I've stepped in it a few times..."
Posts: 194
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Post by alexknibb on Jul 30, 2008 15:25:15 GMT
That's the one, Dave.
Having read your replies, I think the question I really needed to ask was "is there such an organisation called the Police?" To which, as far as I'm aware, the answer is no.
Thanks for helping to clarify! ;D
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Post by Paul Doherty on Jul 30, 2008 16:21:20 GMT
Having read your replies, I think the question I really needed to ask was " is there such an organisation called the Police?" To which, as far as I'm aware, the answer is no. You're right, there is no national police force (and certainly not one called "the Police"). The various geographic police forces (or services) are the responsibility of the Home Office, but each is operationally independent, answering (except for the Metropolitan Police) to a police authority. They are inspected by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, monitored by the Police Complaints Commission, and their chief constables have set up the Association Of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to co-ordinate strategy. There are also some non-geographic forces, like the Ministry of Defence Police (informally "MOD Plod") which guards Naval Dockyards and so on, and nuclear police and transport police. National bodies like MI5 also have a quasi-policing role, usually carried out by liaison with Special Branch in the local police forces. Then there's things like the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) which describes itself as "an intelligence-led agency with law enforcement powers and harm reduction responsibilities". And HM Customs, the Border Protection Agency, immigration enforcement officials, social security investigators ... Some people would say it sounds like a bit of a muddle, rife with possibilities for bureaucratic buck-passing! |
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Post by Paul Doherty on Jul 30, 2008 16:24:29 GMT
"Constabulary" is the historic term (implying citizens organised locally to keep order, and exercising only the powers that any citizen could), but some services prefer "Police". There's no significant difference in meaning now.
Some here have first-hand knowledge of all this!
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Post by Pete on Jul 30, 2008 16:43:52 GMT
Even more so since that organisation, which was actually called HM Customs & Excise is now part of HM Revenue & Customs. |
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Post by Paul Doherty on Jul 30, 2008 16:46:35 GMT
Oh indeed. But the "stake-out and car chase" part tended to be Customs rather than the tax accountants! (No offence!)
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Post by Pete on Jul 30, 2008 16:52:37 GMT
Yeah! Some people had all the fun.  |
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Post by Tone on Jul 30, 2008 20:48:22 GMT
>"Constabulary" is the historic term (implying citizens organised locally to keep order<
Sorry to query, Paul, but should that not be "historical"?
(On my understanding that "historic" is usually reserved for something of great historical importance or fame, or having a significance due to a connection with a particular historical event.)
Tone
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Post by Paul Doherty on Jul 30, 2008 20:49:46 GMT
Yes, Tone, it should. Good call!
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Post by Tone on Jul 30, 2008 21:08:23 GMT
>Yes, Tone, it should. Good call!<But not, sadly, ad lib.  I find a need to explain it oft at work, ours being that which is referred to as "a mature technology". (Some of our current production drawings recently went from pencil-on-paper straight to scan-and-file, with no CAD intermediary!) Tone
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Post by Bertie on Jul 31, 2008 9:34:09 GMT
>"Six police constables and two sergeants arrived in ten minutes" <
In your dreams!
If someone were to write "The Police", I would assume them to be referring to the rock band of that name.
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Post by Trevor on Jul 22, 2020 0:16:08 GMT
Can I just interject to say I'm not sure we've gone off-topic enough to satisfy Alex. Well, apart for the random spam post.
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