Text a The Work of the Police in Great Britain

1. The essential responsibility of the central government for the preservation of law and order throughout Great Britain is reflected in the police powers granted by Parliament to the Home Secretary* in England and Wales and to the Secretary of the State* for Scotland in Scotland.

2. The function of these Ministers is involved in administration and operation of the police force. The Ministers are also empowered to make regulations as to the conditions of service in police forces and to police discipline.

3. All regular police forces have a uniform department which deals with the prevention of crime and the protection of life and property, and a criminal investigation department, primarily responsible for the detection of crime and bringing offenders to justice. Most forces have additional departments and branches for dealing with special aspects of police work.

4. Most members of the police force are officers in uniform (the majority on patrol) because the visible presence of a constable is an important check on crime and disorder and because the police officer must be immediately accessible to the public to give effective help.

5. In most countries the police are known to carry guns. In Britain, policemen do not, as a rule, carry firearms in their day-to-day work, though certain specialist units are trained to do so and can be called upon to help the regular police force in situations, such as terrorist incidents, armed robberies, etc. The only policemen who routinely carry weapons are those who guard politicians and diplomats, or special officers who patrol airports. In Northern Ireland the police are armed because of the emergency situation there.

6. All members of the police must have a certain level of academic qualifications and undergo a period of intensive training. Like in the army, there are a number of ranks: after the Chief Constable comes the Assistant Chief Constable, Chief Superintendent, Chief Inspector, Superintendent, Inspector, Sergeant and Constable. The police are helped by a number of Special Constables. They are known to be members of the public who work for the police voluntary for a few hours a week. In Northern Ireland there is a part-time and full-time paid reserve.

7. Britain has no national police force, although police policy is governed by the central Government’s Home Office*. There is a separate police force for each of 52 areas into which the country is divided (43 in England and Wales, 8 in Scotland and 1 in Northern Ireland). The strength of the regular police in Britain is over 150,000. Women are reported to make up about 10 per cent of the police force. It is a committee of local county councilors and magistrates that is a police authority* of each of 52 police forces. Each police force has its own Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Members of CIDs are detectives, and they do not wear uniforms. The other uniformed people in British towns are traffic wardens (of whom there are over 4,700 in England and Wales and about 540 in Scotland). Their job is to make sure that drivers comply with the parking regulations. They have no other powers. It is the police who are responsible for controlling offences like speeding, careless driving and drunken driving. Wardens are under control of chief constable.

8. The duties of the police are varied, ranging from assisting at accidents to safeguarding public order and dealing with lost property. One of their main functions is, of course, apprehending criminals and would-be criminals. Constables in rural districts have the same basic responsibilities as their colleagues in towns and cities, although their day-to-day work is likely to be of a different kind.

Notes:

the Home Secretary	– министр внутренних дел Англии и Уэльса
the Secretary of the State	– министр внутренних дел Шотландии
Superintendent	– старший полицейский офицер (следующий чин после инспектора)
the Home Office	– Министерство внутренних дел
a police authority	– орган местной полиции

Reading for General Understanding

Ex. 32. Look through Text A and do the following tasks.

Task 1. Decide which titles also fit the text.

1. The British police. 2. Police ranks. 3. The duties of the police in the UK. 4. The history of the police in Great Britain. 5. The British police and their missions. 6. The structure of the British police.

Task 2. Arrange the following sentences according to the logic of the text.

1. All regular police forces have a uniform department, and a criminal investigation department.

2. The police responsibilities are various.

3. Parliament grants the police powers for the preservation of law and order throughout the country.

4. Most of the police force’s officers wear uniforms.

5. There are 52 police forces in Britain.

6. The job of the certain Ministers is to administrate and operate the police force.

7. There are different ranks of the police members having a certain level of academic qualifications.

8. As a rule, in Great Britain, policemen do not carry firearms in their everyday work.

Task 3. Point out which items of the plan are not described in the text.

1. The British Parliament. 2. The British government’s main responsibility for law and order. 3. Administration and operation of the police force. 4. The composition of regular police forces. 5. The criminal investigation department. 6. The uniform department. 7. The ranks of the police members. 8. National police force. 9. The United Kingdom 52 police forces. 10. Various police functions.

Reading for Detail and Language Study

Ex. 33. Read Text A once again and be ready with the tasks below.

Task 1. Find in the text the English equivalents to the following.

Полномочия, составлять постановления, унифицированный отдел, департамент уголовного розыска, видимое присутствие, быть тотчас доступным, носить огнестрельное оружие, главный констебль, помощник главного констебля, специальные констебли-добровольцы, работать добровольно, член совета/советник, 52 полицейских подразделения, носить форму, превышение скорости, невнимательное вождение, вождение в нетрезвом виде, сельский район.

Task 2. Fish out from the text the synonyms to the given words and word-combinations.

1 par: – basic, duty, protection;

2 par: – mission, to be associated with, to be authorized;

3, 4 pars: – to be concerned with, mainly, assistance;

5 par: – normally, to safeguard;

6, 7, 8 pars: – to be assisted by; to be ruled by, to obey, answerable, task, arresting.

Task 3. Find in the text, comment on and translate.

1. сказуемые в Present Simple Passive;

2. модальные глаголы;

3. инфинитив в функции: a) обстоятельства цели; б) части сказуемого;

4. причастие II в функции определения;

5. герундий в функции: а) части сказуемого; б) определения; в) дополнения;

6. предложения содержащие: а) сложное подлежащее; б) придаточные определительные; в) придаточные уступительные; г) эмфатические конструкции.

SPEECH PRACTICE

Ex. 34. Be ready to discuss the topic by doing the following tasks.

Task 1. Answer the questions on the text.

1. To what Secretaries does Parliament grant police powers?

2. What regulations are two Ministers authorized to make?

3. What departments do all regular police forces include?

4. Why do most members of the police force wear uniforms?

5. In what situations can policemen carry guns?

6. What are the ranks of policemen?

7. Is there a single police force, organized by central government in the UK?

8. How many police forces are there in the country? Why?

9. What are the duties of traffic wardens?

10. How does police work range?

Task 2. Point out the false statements and correct them.

1. The central government is responsible for the preservation of law and order throughout the country.

2. The British Parliament makes regulations as to the conditions of service in police forces and to police discipline.

3. Most members of the police force wear uniforms because their visible presence is important.

4. In Britain policemen normally carry arms in their everyday work while in Northern Ireland the police are not armed.

5. In Britain there are 52 police forces and one committee of local county councilors and magistrates.

6. Traffic wardens are detectives, and they do not wear uniforms.

7. Traffic wardens have strictly limited powers.

8. Police work ranges from the protection of people and property, road or street patrolling and traffic control to crime prevention, criminal investigation and arresting offenders.

Task 3. Fill in the blanks.

1. The function of the Home Secretary in England and Wales and of the Secretary of the State for Scotland in Scotland is involved in … of the police force. 2. All regular police forces have a … and a … . 3. The uniform department deals with the prevention of … and the protection of life and … . 4. The criminal investigation department is responsible for … and bringing … to justice. 5. In Britain policemen do not normally carry … in their day-to-day work. 6. All members of the police must have a certain level of … and undergo a period of… . 7. Great Britain is … into 52 areas, so there are … in the country. 8. The other … people in Britain are … and they are responsible for controlling … like speeding, careless … and drunken driving. 9. The police work ranges from assisting at accidents, … public order and dealing with lost ... to apprehending criminals. 10. … in rural districts have the same basic … as their colleagues in towns and cities.

Task 4. Enlarge on the following.

1. All regular police forces have different departments.

2. In Britain policemen can carry weapons in some situations.

3. Police ranks in Great Britain are various.

4. The country is divided into 52 areas.

5. Traffic wardens have limited functions.

6. The responsibilities of the police are varied.

Task 5. Ask and answer the questions to get more information on the police work in Great Britain.

Model: 1. What is the main (basic) function (mission, duty, responsibility, job, task) of the Home Secretary in England and Wales and of the Secretary of the State for Scotland in Scotland? – The main function of these Ministers is to administrate and operate the police force.

1. a uniform department;

2. a criminal investigation department;

3. additional departments and branches;

4. the policemen routinely carrying weapons;

5. special constables;

6. traffic wardens;

7. the police in Britain;

8. constables in rural districts.

Task 6. Match the two columns and give your opinion to the sentences made up using the following expressions.

It is generally known that …; As you can see …; That`s why …; Besides …; As far as I know …; As far as I remember …; To my mind … .

1. The British police forces have … 2. The uniform department deals with … 3. The criminal investigation department is responsible for … 4. Members of CIDs are detectives, and they … 5. In Britain policemen carry firearms only when … 6. All policemen must have a certain level of academic qualifications and … 7. The country is divided into 52 areas, so … 8. Each police force has volunteer special constables who … 9. The other uniformed people are traffic wardens and they are … 10. Police work ranges from assisting at accidents to safeguarding public order and dealing with lost property ... 11. Constables in rural districts have the same basic duties as their colleagues in towns and cities, although …

1 ... they guard politicians and diplomats, patrol airports, etc. 2 ... to crime prevention, criminal investigation and arresting offenders. 3 … different departments. 4 ... undergo a period of intensive training. 5 ... their work is of a different kind. 6 ... the prevention of crime and the protection of life and property. 7 … there is a separate police force for each. 8 ... do not wear uniforms. 9 … the detection of crime and bringing offenders to justice. 10 ... perform duties in their spare time, without pay. 11 ... responsible for controlling offences like speeding, careless driving and drunken driving.

Task 7. Make the table complete and speak on the topic.