Mersey Tunnels Police

Equipment

For the first few years of its existence the Mersey tunnel police followed tradition of Home Office police forces, the high neck tunic jacket displaying the officers force number in chrome. In police parlance of the day 'collar number' with MTJC also in chrome on the epaulettes, the only difference in the uniform (due to the motorcycle combinations) was the officers wore jodhpurs with detachable leggings; these extended from the ankle to the top of the knee and were held in place with black metallic fasteners at the back. When the motorcycle combinations were phased out in favour of the Morris vans the wearing of jodhpurs ceased, since that time the uniform has favoured the Liverpool City Police and today the Merseyside Police. In the 1960's a white top to the cap was introduced this was detachable for easy cleaning and made of cotton, later on a one-piece cap with a white plastic top was introduced and has remained in service to the present day. In 1991 the diced black and white cap band was adopted.

With the introduction of the open neck the tunic jacket the officers force number was positioned above the MTJC on the epaulettes. In 1996 Paula Darlington became the first female civilian brought in to manage the Mersey tunnels police and through her efforts the addition of the Queens Crown came into being on the cap badge, she was also responsible for obtaining the police duty belt, speed cuffs and expandable baton etc. The general public could be forgiven in not noticing any difference in dress and personal equipment to that of their regular police colleagues.