Scotland Yard

Scotland Yard has for many years been the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Force. It is the largest police force in Britain with about 27, 000 people working there.

Scotland Yard is called so because its building is situated on the place of a palace where in old times the Scottish Kings stayed while visiting London.

The work at Scotland Yard is divided among some Departments. They are:

" A" Department - Administration and Operations. Its branches deal with missing persons, duties in the Divisions, movements of the Royalty, promotion, woman police, mounted branch, special constables.

" B" Department – Traffic and Transport. This Department is responsible for road safety, traffic legislation, police driving school.

" C" Department – Criminal Investigation (CID). The Department is charged with all aspects of crime with such well-known branches as Special Branch, Criminal Record Office, Fingerprint Department, Flying Squad, Forensic Science Laboratory.

" D" Department – Organization and Training. Its nine branches are responsible for supplies, buildings, Training Schools, communications, civil defence, recruiting, dogs.

" S" Department – Secretariat. Its branches deal with civil staff, firearms, pay, statistics, police orders, Press and Information.

" L" Department – Legal. It is responsible for legal advice proceedings and prosecution.

The biggest and most well known branch of Scotland Yard is the Criminal Investigation Department. It was founded in 1878 and its plain clothes officers do only crime investigation.

The British police now use the advanced modern equipment. This ranges from motorbikes and squad cars to helicopters. The police equipment includes the most advanced surveillance aids, and instantaneous access to the Police National Computer and the facilities of the Forensic Science Service. This service directs highly sophisticated laboratories where legally trained experts perform the scientific examination of exhibits.

New Scotland Yard has the " Black Museum". This museum has exhibits from many notorious trials.

Упр. 6. Ответьте на вопросы к тексту.

1. What is Scotland Yard?

2. Why is it called so?

3. How many Departments are there in Scotland Yard?

4. What Department is the most known?

5. When was CID founded?

6. What advanced modern equipment do CID police use?

7. What can one see in the Scotland Yard " black Museum"?