FLYING SQUAD by brian starkey, retired
The Liverpool ‘Flying Squad’ was in fact the ‘Special Section‘ that eventually became known as the Regional Crime Squad. Predominately the ‘Squad’ was made up of Liverpool Detectives but also had Officers from neighbouring Police Forces – Cheshire Constabulary, Lancashire County, Wallasey Borough, Birkenhead Borough to name a few.
The ‘Squad’ investigated serious crime in Liverpool, the North West of the UK and targeted travelling crminals. They had authority to operate anywhere in the UK.
They were the first ‘mobile force’ of detectives.
The name ‘Flying Squad’ originates from an article written in the Daily Mail on 22nd September 1920 by a crime reporter aptly named W.G.T. Crook, outlining the achievements of the new band of ‘mobile detectives’ in London. He referred to them as a “flying squad of picked detectives because of their mobility”. He is given credit of being the man who christened the ‘Flying Squad’, as this is the first record of the expression ever being used. Liverpool City Polce recorded the name ‘Flying Squad’ earlier.
Liverpool City Police Flying Squad 1954
Back Row – D/Sgt R.H. Young, D/Sgt D.L. Simmons, D/Con W.I. Lumsden, D/Con L. Skinner, D/Con J. Bird, D/Sgt I.N. Boyle
Centre Row – D/Con W.H. Jones, D/Sgt A. Flemming, D/Con N.F. Sheron, D/Sgt G.F. Parkinson, D/Sgt A.C. Frost, D/Con J. Jamieson
Front Row: D/Sgt W. Skellon, D/Con D.C. Evans, D/Supt J. Morris, D/Ch.Supt H.R. Balmer, D/Insp J. Seatter, D/Sgt J.A. Hampton
Liverpool City Police Flying Squad 1955-1956
Back Row – D/Sgt D.L. Simmons, D/Con J.F. Lee, D/Con J. Jamieson, D/Con J. Ralphson, D/Con N.F. Sheron, D/Sgt A.C. Frost
Centre Row – D/Con B. Smith, D/Con D.B. Sutherland, D/Sgt I.N. Boyle, D/Con J. Bradbury, D/Con L. Skinner, D/Sgt W.H. Jones, D/Con T. Whittlestone
(Wallasey Boro. Police)
Front Row – D/Sgt K.W. Richards, D/Insp J. Seatter, D/Supt H. Welsh, D/Ch.Supt J. Morris, D/Ch.Insp T.M. Elliott, D/Sgt H.V. Bury
(Cheshire Const.) (Head of C.I.D.) (Lancs. Const.)
Liverpool City Police Flying Squad 1955-1956
Back Row – D/Sgt D.L. Simmons, D/Con J.F. Lee, D/Con J. Jamieson, D/Con J. Ralphson, D/Con N.F. Sheron, D/Sgt A.C. Frost
Centre Row – D/Con B. Smith, D/Con D.B. Sutherland, D/Sgt I.N. Boyle, D/Con J. Bradbury, D/Con L. Skinner, D/Sgt W.H. Jones, D/Con T. Whittlestone
(Wallasey Boro. Police)
Front Row – D/Sgt K.W. Richards, D/Insp J. Seatter, D/Supt H. Welsh, D/Ch.Supt J. Morris, D/Ch.Insp T.M. Elliott, D/Sgt H.V. Bury
(Cheshire Const.) (Head of C.I.D.) (Lancs. Const.)
Liverpool City Police Flying Squad 1962-63
Back Row – D/Con F. Wareing, D/Con G. Smerdon, D/Sgt D. Sutherland, D/Con R. Wilson, D/Con W. Giltrap, D/Con G. Purvis, D/Sgt S. Murphy, D/Sgt. J. Jamieson
Centre Row – D/Sgt J. Ralphson, D/Sgt R. Isherwood, D/Con N. Vernon, D/Con L. Skinner, D/Con L. Moore, D/Sgt G. Hughes
Front Row – D/Sgt H. Cawley, D/Sgt D.L. Simmons, D/Insp G. Parkinson, D/Ch.Insp T. Elliott, D/Insp. A.C. Frost, D/Sgt J. McKendrick, D/Sgt L. Stocker
(Lancs. Co.) (Wallasey Boro.)