Force Finder: Find a Police Force
Search UK police forces, compare them side by side, and take our quiz to find the force that best matches your lifestyle and career goals.
Unofficial independent resource — always verify with official sources (College of Policing, your force, PFEW).
Force Finder is BlueLineHub's directory of all 48 UK police forces. Use it to find a force by name or region, or to find a police force that covers your area: search or browse, compare forces side by side, or take the quiz below to see which force best matches what you want from a policing career. Looking specifically for the force that covers your postcode? Use the postcode-based Find Your Force tool for a direct answer.
Key facts
Forces in this directory
48
Territorial forces (E&W)
43
Devolved forces
Scotland, PSNI
National / special forces
BTP, MoD, CNC & more
UK Police Forces
Search and explore all 48 UK police forces.
Region
Type
Environment
Showing 15 of 48 forces
Metropolitan Police Service
West Midlands Police
Greater Manchester Police
West Yorkshire Police
Merseyside Police
South Yorkshire Police
Northumbria Police
Thames Valley Police
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary
Kent Police
Essex Police
Lancashire Constabulary
Avon and Somerset Police
Devon & Cornwall Police
Sussex Police
Compare Forces
Select 2 to 4 forces to compare side by side.
Select at least 2 forces to compare.
Which Force is Right for You?
Answer 10 lifestyle questions and we will recommend the best-matching forces.
What type of area would you prefer to police?
Which police force covers my area?
Every part of the UK is covered by a territorial police force — 43 across England and Wales, plus Police Scotland and the PSNI in Northern Ireland — alongside national and special forces such as British Transport Police that operate across force boundaries rather than a fixed area. The fastest way to find my police force for a specific address is the postcode-based Find Your Force tool; use the search and comparison tools on this page to explore forces by name, region or headcount.
Frequently asked
- What is the Police Force Finder?
- The Police Force Finder is a directory of all UK police forces — search by name or region, compare forces side by side on headcount and crime rate, and take a short quiz to find the force that best matches what you're looking for. To find the specific force that covers your postcode, use the Find Your Force postcode tool.
- Which police force covers my area?
- The UK is divided into territorial police forces, each covering a defined geographic area — 43 in England and Wales, plus Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Alongside these there are national and special forces (such as British Transport Police and the Ministry of Defence Police) with a UK-wide remit rather than a fixed area. Enter your postcode on the Find Your Force tool to see exactly which force covers your address, or browse and search the full directory below.
- How do I find my police force?
- Use the postcode-based Find Your Force tool for the quickest answer, or use the search box below to look up a force by name or region and open its full profile — recruitment routes, pay, headcount and oversight data.
- How many police forces are there in the UK?
- This directory covers 48 UK police forces: the 43 territorial forces of England and Wales, Police Scotland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), and national/special forces including British Transport Police, the Ministry of Defence Police and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.