South Wales Police

Infobox UK Police
name= South Wales Police
Heddlu De Cymru
area= Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea and Vale of Glamorgan unitary authority areas
start= 1969
population= 1,227,200
size= 2,074 km²
officers= 3,302
title= Chief Constable
head= Barbara Wilding
divname= Divisions
divno= 8
stations=
HQ= Bridgend

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web= [http://www.south-wales.police.uk www.south-wales.police.uk]

South Wales Police ( _cy. Heddlu De Cymru) is one of the four territorial police forces in Wales. Its headquarters are based in Bridgend.

Covering Wales' capital city, Cardiff, as well as Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Swansea, and the western South Wales Valleys, it is the largest police force in Wales in terms of population, and the seventh largest in the UK.

The force was formed as South Wales Constabulary (the name was changed in 1996) on 1 June 1969 by the merger of Glamorgan Constabulary, Cardiff City Police, Swansea Borough Police and Merthyr Tydfil Borough Police. [cite web|url=http://www.wpfa.fsnet.co.uk/teams.htm|title=Welsh Police Football Association—Teams|accessdate=2006-11-01] [ [http://www.south-wales.police.uk/docs/MuseumLeafletEng.pdf South Wales Police Museum] ] In 1974, with the re-organisation of local government, the force's area was expanded to cover the newly-created Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan and West Glamorgan.

In further local government re-organisation in 1996 the force area lost the Rhymney Valley area to Gwent Police. Today it covers the principal areas of Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea and the Vale of Glamorganndash most of what was the ancient county of Glamorgan.

Under proposals made by the Home Secretary on February 6, 2006, the force would merge with North Wales Police, Gwent Police and Dyfed-Powys Police, to form a single strategic force for all of Wales. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4684590.stm|title=All-Wales police force confirmed|date=6 February 2006|accessdate=2006-11-01]

The South Wales Police has participated in the World Police and Fire Games since 1995, except for the 1999 Stockholm Games.

The current Chief Constable is Barbara Wilding QPM, CBE, CCML.

ee also

*Policing in the United Kingdom
*List of police forces in the United Kingdom

References

External links

* [http://www.south-wales.police.uk/ Force website]
* [http://www.archivesnetworkwales.info/cgi-bin/anw/search2?coll_id=2095&inst_id=33&term=Aberdare%20%7C%20Wales Glamorgan Constabulary records]