The object of the Society is to advance the public education in police history. In the furtherance of that object, the Society aims to act as a focal point and network for all who are Interested in the subject, to encourage the preservation of relevant police archives and artifacts and promote their accessibility to the general public and to forge and maintain strategic links with relevant academic institutions.
It is also our intention to encourage research into all aspects of police history and to publish the useful results of such research. .
The Society is prepared to consider applications from members for Grants in respect of approved research and members wishing to avail themselves of this opportunity are requested to apply in the first instance to the Hon. Secretary, who will be pleased to supply the appropriate guidelines. It is expected that successful applicants will undertake to publish the results of their research in the Society's publications.
Membership. Membership of the Society is open to individuals and to non profit-distributing organisations, whether corporate or unincorporated.
Activities. The Society holds an annual weekend Conference, when members have the opportunity to meet together in a convivial atmosphere and listen to the presentation of several papers on a police related theme. In the past few years, these have included "Developments in fingerprinting over the last 100 years", "The early days of the Glasgow Police Force", "The Mary Cotton Murders", "The Development of Public Order Policing", "Arming the Police", "Victorian Crime in Birmingham" and "Jack the Ripper".
The Journal of the Society is published annually and sent free to members. It usually contains 10 to 15 articles on a wide range of subjects: recent issues have included "Convict to Copper - the early police in Australia," "The Croydon Poisonings of 1928-1929," "The Murder of PC Thomas Henry Scott", "Conan Doyle and the bullet-proof uniform", ""Lest we forget : The National Police Officers Roll of Honour" and "Greeno:Master Detective.
