Temporary Police in the First World War

@drmaryfraser

As well as retaining time-expired policemen (who had served their full number of years to retire on a full pension, but were prevented by Act of Parliament from retiring until after the war), and encouraging businessmen to become Special Constables for part-time hours, many Police Forces recruited Temporary Policemen to take the places of those who had left to join the army or navy. Unlike the Special Constables, Temporary Policemen were sworn in, so could arrest suspects. But they were employed only for the period of the war, with the understanding that they would resign at the end of the war. In most forces they were welcomed, however in some they were fiercely criticised by their employers and the public, being accused of only joining the police to escape being called up to join the army. 

@drmaryfraser

Police due to retire retained in 1915

@drmaryfraser

In order to prevent the number of regular police from dwindling dramatically, the Police (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1915 prevented the retirement of policemen who were "time-expired"; they had served 25 or 26 years - the ususal time by which policemen could retire. Only those who had a medical certificate declaring them unfit, or had the permission of the Chief Constable, were allowed to retire. Time-expired police were retained until the end of the war. Many were said to agree with this, however, some complaints were heard, especially when they continued to have deductions of pension contributions from their pay when they were already due to receive a full pension. This was raised in the House of Commons in October 1915 and led to the deductions being reduced to a minimal amount.

Further reading

Fraser, M. (2019) Policing the Home Front 1914-1918: The control of the British population at war. Routledge research monograph

Police (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1915 TNA MEPO 2/7205

Daily Debates 26^th October 1915 TNA HO 45/24678

Home Office, Whitehall to The Clerk to the Standing Joint Committee, 21^st August 1916 TNA MEPO 2/7205

@drmaryfraser

Voluntary and conscripted police called up to fight in the First World War

@drmaryfraser

With the outbreak of the First World War on 4th August, 1914, all Reservists were called up at a moment's notice - the telegram below shows the urgency of the call. This included thousands of unmarried or widowed policemen with no dependents between the ages of 18 and 41 throughout Britain. They were said to be immediately replaced by Special Constables, who usually worked part-time out a sense of national duty, while still working in the businesses. The "Specials" soon outnumbered the regular police and were praised for their work.
Until early 1916, the War Office relied on voluntary recruitment of men to fight. From 2nd March 1916, conscription called up all single men between 18 and 41. However, a case could be made to a local Tribunal for an individual to be exempted from war service. Individual policemen applied in large numbers through their Chief Constable on the grounds that their work was of national importance or that they had exceptional financial obligations or domestic responsibilities. In most cases the Chief Constable supported these applications, with temporary exemptions being granted, usually for a month.
But continual pressure to release young, fit policemen to fight caused huge tensions in the police. By 1917, while some were released, others remained with the claim that they were indispensable and could not be released due to the importance of their job. This led to claims of favouritism amongst the men, with fierce verbal attacks by colleages that they were using work in the police to dodge being called up. It also led to claims that those who did not wish to fight gained entry to the police, leading to further accusation they were hiding in the police to avoid being called up; this was a major slur on their character for which they were likely to be ostracised by their colleagues.
As the war progressed further, so did the animosity directed at those of military age who were fit and remained at home. Policemen who were on leave from the army returned to their police stations and complained bitterly that they found so many fit young men still working there.

(Image from the National Archives file MEP 2/7169)