The phrase Territorial Police Force varies in precise meaning according to the country to which it is related, generally distinguishing a force whose area of responsibility is defined by sub-national boundaries from others which deal with the entire country or a restricted range of crime.

Canada

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP/GRC) is contracted to act as the territorial police force in Nunavut, Yukon and the North West Territories in addition to being the federal police force in those Canadian territories.

References

• Royal Canadian Mounted Police / Gendarmerie royale du Canada

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom (UK) the phrase is gaining increased official^[1](but not yet statutory) use to describe the collection of forces responsible for general policing in areas defined with respect to local government areas. The phrase "Home Office Police" is commonly used but this is often inaccurate or inadequate as the words naturally exclude forces outwith England and Wales (and might exclude Wales if responsibility for police services becomes devolved) but include some special police forces over which the Home Secretary has some power.

The police forces referred to as "territorial" are those existing ones which were created or maintained by legislation allocating police areas to boundaries based mainly with respect to counties or groups of counties (Northern Ireland excepted) by legislation including (but not limited to):-

• Police Act 1964 - England and Wales, later legislation matched the Metropolitan Police District to the boundary of Greater London
• Police (Scotland) Act 1967 - Scotland
• Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 - Northern Ireland (renaming the Royal Ulster Constabulary the Police Service of Northern Ireland without changing the area served)

References

• The Police in Scotland
• List of Police Forces in the United Kingdom

United Nations

The United Nations (UN) has operated territorial police forces in those parts of countries which have been under U.N. control from time to time. These were usually formed from police personnel on loan from member countries. A recent example is the use of such a force in East Timor in substitution for police of Indonesia.

Footnotes