40th anniversary edition The new Force - the birth of GMP THE creation of Greater Manchester Police was in many respects the final stage of a process that began after World War II. At that time there were more than 250 police forces in England and Wales and the merger of forces into bigger units was seen an important
Overseeing a new era of policing in Greater
way to improve efficiency. In Greater Manchester, the twin city forces of Manchester and Salford be came a joint Force in 1968 and the borough forces merged with their re spective county constabularies a year later. A further merger, to create a joint Manchester/Salford /Oldham and Stockport police Force was suggested but never pursued. In the end, the creation of new Met ropolitan Counties was to shape the policing landscape. A new Force was created to police Greater Manchester County which centred around Man chester and Salford Police, and in cluded parts of Lancashire, Cheshire and West Yorkshire Constabularies. The first GMP Chief Constable was William James Richards, who was the Chief of the Manchester and Salford Police. He said his new Force had been born into “an age of terrorism, violence and dissent” – in 1974 a struggling national economy was beset by protracted strikes and the detona tion of terrorist bombs both in Northern
Ireland and the British Mainland. At a stroke, planners had created a Force that policed the most densely populated conurbation outside London, was responsible for 104 miles of mo torway and had the highest crime out side the capital. To make matters worse for GMP, the Force was desper ately under staffed – the establishment was for 6,628 officers, but the actual strength was only 5,545. Despite all that and shortages of stationery, delays in delivery of uniform and equipment, problems with the V.H.F. radio network and in some ar eas the telephones, GMP was ready for the challenges ahead.
Manchester: Chief Constable William James Richards
A look back at 1974... MANY will remember 1974 as a year of unrest. We take a look back at some of the major events that shaped the year and indeed the future of the UK.
January to March:
July:
Government imposes three day Violent demonstrations in London over working week to conserve coal supplies invasion of Cyprus by Turkey to power stations during the miners’ Police National Computer goes live strike
February:
October:
Guildford pub bombings by the IRA kill IRA explode a bomb in a coach five people carrying army personnel and families on Second general election of year the M62, killing 12 people returns a Labour government with a General election returns minority majority of only three seats Labour Government
April: IRA bomb at Manchester Magistrates Courts
June: IRA bomb explodes at Houses of Parliament. A month later bombs explode at Tower of London and Government building in London
November : Lord Lucan disappears after murder of his children’s nanny The Birmingham pub bombings by the IRA kill 21 people
December: London home of Conservative leader Edward Heath bombed by the IRA
20 Brief 40th anniversary edition Spring 2014
A HISTORIC DAY: John Gormley, Ballistics Technician joined the Cheshire Police Cadets on 10 July 1972, then moved over to GMP on the day it was formed, 1 April 1974.
He has kindly supplied Brief with his original cadet ID card, signed by Chief Constable of the time William James Richards.
A HISTORIC DAY: John Gormley, Ballistics Technician joined the Cheshire Police Cadets on 10 July 1972, then moved over to GMP on the day it was formed, 1 April 1974.
He has kindly supplied Brief with his original cadet ID card, signed by Chief Constable of the time William James Richards.