Report on Debate for creating a county constabulary

RURAL POLICE.—Sir William Heathcote now announced that the next business of the court was to consider the notice which had been advertised, with regard to the act for the establishment of district constables— namely,

"That it is intended at such Sessions to be made to appear to the justices of the peace then and there assembled, that the ordinary officers appointed for the preserving the peace are not sufficient for the preservation of the peace, and for the protection of the inhabitants, and for the security of property within the said county; and that it shall be then and there moved 'That it is desirable to adopt within the said county the provisions of an act made and passed in the second and third years of the reign of her Majesty, intituled 'An act for the establishment of county and district constables, by the authority of justices of the peace.'"

Mr. Woodham then read the requisition from the the Isle of Wight, signed by twelve of her Majesty's justices of the peace acting in and for the division of the Isle of Wight, in the said county, praying the propriety of adopting the said act so far as relates to the Isle of Wight, to be then and there taken into consideration. And also another requisition of five of her Majesty's justices of the peace acting in the division of Petersfield, in the said county, for the adoption of the said act within the division of Petersfield.

A second requisition from Petersfield stated that in Petersfield the felonies committed were extremely numerous during the last ten years, and yet that notwithstanding the number of crimes committed during the last year, but two convictions had taken place; cottages were broken open and robberies committed with Impunity. The number of constables or other peace officers was totally insufficient in a division like that of Petersfield, where the population, in 1831, was 10,486, to which were to be added that of North and South Amersham, though contained in Sussex. The adoption of the District Constable's act was most urgently required in the division of Petersfield.

Mr. Beames then spoke to the subject of the notice in a very long and argumentative speech:— he commenced by adverting to the report of the Commons commission appointed to collect evidence on the subject, and which he said was drawn up with great temper, and was a document of great value. The facts stated in that report were of the most frightful description, for it appeared that the number of persons known to be living by depredation, in England and Wales, was no less than 100,000! And it was also remarkable that the number of persons convicted were in no measure proportionable to the amount of crime committed. Many persons were intimidated from prosecuting, or prevented by mistaken notions of humanity, and many from their apprehensions of the expence that would follow. Speaking of Bristol the evidence stated that out of between 200 and 300 persons who appeared to support charges against offenders, no less than 200 refused to prosecute—that was a most appalling circumstance, and by affording so many chances of escape to the criminal encouraged the commission of crime. There it was the ordinary practice to give the prosecutor the option of prosecuting or not, and this was the distressing result. After further remarks on this portion of the evidence, Mr. Beames said, that though 100,000 was the number of criminals named in the report, the families and dependants of those depredators should be added, and then what an appalling circumstance was it that this universe number of violators of the law should be living on the industry of the sober and honest portion of the community. And this was principally caused by the present defective state of the rural police. The constables were not able, nor where able, numerous enough for the efficient discharge of the duties required of them. In Wales the state of things was almost as defective. Another subject of a serious nature adverted to in the report was that the gaols were fitted with a population varying from ten to twenty thousand criminals, and who he was afraid left them deteriorated in morals, and more accomplished in crime than when they entered within their walls. Well, after having reviewed all these circumstances, the report remained, as the only mode of remedying the evil the appointment of a constabulary force; in doing this they were saved the difficulty of suggesting the trial of any new experiment, as they had the London police before them, and the proofs afforded of what could be accomplished by private association. And he would say that the necessity of altering the present system of rural police was rendered evident by the appointment of no less than 500 associations for the suppression of crime, besides others for the transaction of property; and it was a new and not the least singular circumstance arising out of the present state of things that persons were obliged to become their own protectors. The Commissioners having felt it their duty to propose a force on the principle of the London police, had adduced a great number of instances of the great beneficial effects that had resulted from the establishment of similar forces In other places, and he might sum them up by stating the fact, that in no one instance had it failed, but on the contrary in all the cases, the experiment had proved successful. The learned gentlemen then instanced Stow on the Wold, contained in a diameter of six miles, as a place which had been deluged in crime. Burglary, sheep-stealing, and depredations of all kinds was all ripe in that place. Well, a voluntary association were formed and application was made for the aid of two of the London Police—they were separated—and, in a short time, the effect was perfectly miraculous. No house-breaking or other crime was, comparatively speaking, heard of. There were but two cases of robbery in two years, and one of these took place when the two policemen were engaged at a gentleman's house, on the night of a ball. He did not know whether It was "a consummation devoutly to be wished," but so it was, that the police seemed to have nothing to do; whereas, before their establishment crime, as he had stated, was so appallingly frequent. Another place in the neighbourhood of London was mentioned in which Alderman Wilson appeared to have a seat, about ten or fifteen miles from town. In his anxiety to suppress crime he rather exceeded his duty as a magistrate. He described a case where there were five persons brought up to trades, but they found thieving to be so much more profitable than regular Industry, that they lived by depredation, but on the establishment of the police in the place, they found the work of thieving so beset with difficulty and danger, that they all returned to their trades, and were working diligently at their respective businesses. Now, if the establishment of a police force threw such difficulties in the way of a regular thief what temptations did it not remove from those who might otherwise be disposed to become criminals! The career of a thief had been estimated on an average of five years before he was taken, and when they considered how numerous were the chances of escape, it was a moderate calculation that he committed the enormous number of one or two thousand crimes with impunity. After perusing these details at some length, the learned gentleman said—But it was apprehended, perhaps, that people would be frightened at the expense of the proposed polices establishment. Now, he would state that, exclusive of the expense of the judges, more than two millions a year are paid by the public in the punishment of crimes that are detected, and taking the whole country together, about 500,000l. was expended in the amount of county rate (taken at 1½d in the pound on the estimate of the year 1815). Having stated the expense to the whole community for the support of a thief at 10s. a week, for five years, the report stated that this was not all, the thief to obtain the 10s. must steal to the value of 30s. as the circumstances under which he obtained his goods were known to the buyers, and they must all have good bargains. Therefore, if a thief could be supported on 10s. a week; he would cost the community from 30s. to 40s. He had stated the expenses of punishing crime at two millions; the cost of the proposed rural constabulary force would be halt a million, and he would add that at Liverpool alone the amount of depredations, in one year, was estimated at 700,000l.,—therefore, the saving to the town of Liverpool alone would pay the expense of the establishment to the country at large. Persons were in the habit of overlooking the enormous expense they were at in the county rate, and if the constabulary force were established, a considerable part of that expense would be at an end. Thieving would no longer be a profitable trade, and the expense of prosecutions would be saved to those persons who now thought the cost of a constabulary force ought to be avoided. He trusted that the magistrates, in coming to any conclusion on the subject, would recollect that there was a great number of offenders who were not prosecuted, and the number of those not convicted were not given. The learned gentleman concluded with moving—"That it is desirable to adopt, within the County of Hants, the provisions of an Act made and passed in the second and third years of the reign of her Majesty intituled 'An Act for the establishment of county and district constables, by the authority of Justices of the Peace.'"

Captain Blackiston seconded the motion, but said that the preceding speaker had left him nothing particularly to observe beyond the fact that owing to the security that would be universally felt in consequence of the establishment of the constabulary force, government would feel no alarm on account of the public meetings of the people.

Sir Raymond Jarvis asked if the learned mover of the resolution was prepared with any estimate of the expense?

Mr. Beames replied in the negative.

Sir William Heathcote suggested that the most desirable course would be for the magistrates to take time to consider the question, and not hastily decide on a subject of such importance.

The Hon. Sturges Bourne spoke in high terms of the Act of Parliament, but was not for precipitate legislation.

The Rev. T. Wright thought the subject of such serious importance that a delay of even one session was not enough. He thought that as they differed so much from Liverpool, that the comparison did not apply in the case of the county of Hants. At all events they must take time to consider the subject.

Sir William Heathcote said that even if brought on and decided next session, the application to government, the framing of the rules under the sanction of government, and other necessary formalities, would add considerably to the term, before the expiration of which the Act would be brought into operation, and so grant sufficient delay. But he thought it would be highly injudicious to sanction the adoption of the system in one or two divisions at once, while the question of Its general adoption in the county was deferred; he was sure the application of the system to the county would be less advantageous, if it was previously adopted in divisions.

Mr. Williams suggested that the subject be referred to a Committee to report to the next Sessions.

Sir William Heathcote coincided. They knew but little as to the views entertained by the rest of the county respecting the proposed measure. The Committee would doubtless report as to the details of the act, and how many constables would be necessary.

Mr. T. Cooke suggested that the Committee might make a public report for the county of Southampton.

The Hon. Starves Bourne was in favor of the postponement till next Session, as by that time the magistrates of the different divisions would require a knowledge of the feelings of their respective neighbourhoods with regard to it.

Mr. E. H. Hulton considered that delay was advisable, during which the committee would doubtless receive reports from the magistrates of their respective divisions.

Mr. Gage spoke of the sad state of Petersfield, where, from the contiguity of the forest land, they had to contend with a very numerous class of offenders, and wished for the adoption of the act to provide against the coming winter.

Captain Blakiston then proposed that the subject be taken into consideration at the next quarter sessions, and that in the mean time a committee be appointed.

Much conversation arose In consequence of several of the magistrates being anxious for the immediate adoption of the act, which Sir W. Heathcote opposed as idle, when the establishment in any particular district must be absorbed perhaps in three months afterwards. The Rev. W. White and T. Cooke, esq., also seemed to lean to the project of constituting for the purposes of the act the Isle of Wight as a separate county.

Finally an amendment was carried "That a committee be appointed to consider whether it is desirable to adopt within the county of Hants the provisions of the act, &c., and to declare how many constables are needed In their opinion to be appointed within the county, and the rates of premium it would be expedient to pay to the said constables and to report to the next court."

In putting the amendment Sir William Heathcote observed that on the report being made it would then depend on the court adopting it or not.

After much discussion as to the manner of appointing the committee, it was determined that each division should depute one magistrate, who should meet and appoint their own chairman, and that each division should present its separate report to that committee, to embody in their report, and that the committee should meet in the grand Jury room at Winchester, on the first Tuesday in December next, at one o'clock.

The Court then broke up.

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Report on Debate for creating a county constabulary