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Durham Constabulary

North East · Territorial force · 1,250 officers

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Key Statistics

Officers

1,250

Staff

600

Area (sq miles)

842

Population served

640,000

About Durham Constabulary

Consistently rated as one of the best-managed forces in England. Covering County Durham and Darlington, known for innovative problem-solving policing and excellent officer satisfaction.

Founded 1839Source: Wikidata (CC0)

Durham Constabulary serves the County Durham and Darlington areas, comprising a mix of urban, suburban, and rural environments. This geographical diversity results in unique operational challenges, including the policing of a mix of communities from bustling towns to more tranquil rural settings. The force works alongside neighboring police services, coordinating efforts to address cross-border crime and enhance community safety. The region has important transport corridors, notably the A1(M) motorway and access to the East Coast mainline, which carry significant traffic and present policing demands. Durham Constabulary is also the sole police agency in the county, ensuring a unified approach to law enforcement that focuses on building relationships with local communities.

Among its notable specialisms, the force boasts a robust Cyber Crime Unit that tackles online criminal activities, a dedicated Domestic Violence Unit addressing sensitive and complex cases, and an impressive Roads Policing Unit ensuring safety on busy road networks. Additionally, the Dog Unit is integral to various operations, supporting both community safety and crime prevention.

In terms of priorities, Durham Constabulary emphasizes tackling serious and organized crime, improving public confidence in policing, and continuing to focus on preventative measures to reduce crime rates. Recent initiatives include strengthening community relationships and providing targeted resources for local safety issues, reflecting their commitment to innovative problem-solving in policing.

Current priorities

  • Tackling serious and organized crime
  • Improving public confidence in policing
  • Community engagement and development
  • Reducing crime through preventative measures

Notable specialisms

Cyber Crime UnitDomestic Violence UnitRoads Policing UnitDog Unit

Source: About Durham Constabulary. Summary fetched 2026-07-05.

Public-data snapshot

Workforce

Officers

1,250

Staff

600

Total headcount

1,850

Source: Home Office Police Workforce Statistics as of 31 March 2025 · OGL v3

HMICFRS PEEL rating

good

Inspection cycle: 2023-2025

Source: HMICFRS PEEL assessments · Open Government Licence v3.0

In recent oversight reports

Durham Constabulary is named in 2 recent IOPC investigation outcomes or HMICFRS thematic reports.

  • Terms of reference: Home Secretary’s commission for a thematic inspection of the handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services

    2023-07-19 · HMICFRS

  • Joint inspection of the investigation and prosecution of fatal road traffic incidents

    2015-02-04 · HMICFRS

See all thematic reports

From data.police.uk

data.police.uk covers England, Wales & Northern Ireland; not Police Scotland.

Engagement & social channels

Stop and search

Latest available month: 2026-08. 214 recorded stop-and-search records that month. Officer-defined ethnicity was recorded on 98.1% of records.

By object of search (2026-08)

Controlled drugs105
Offensive weapons41
Article for use in theft35
Stolen goods24
Firearms5
Articles for use in criminal damage3
Anything to threaten or harm anyone1

By outcome (2026-08)

A no further action disposal136
Arrest30
Community resolution23
(not recorded)17
Summons / charged by post7
Khat or Cannabis warning1

⭳ Download all forces' stop & search (CSV)

Source: data.police.uk · Open Government Licence v3.0

Recorded crime by category

7,365 crimes recorded by Durham Constabulary in 2026-08 (latest published month), by category. Counted from the published street-level archive; England, Wales & Northern Ireland only.

Crime type (2026-08)Recorded
Violence and sexual offences2,487
Anti-social behaviour1,418
Criminal damage and arson866
Shoplifting782
Public order495
Other theft374
Burglary277
Vehicle crime263
Other crime181
Drugs91
Possession of weapons51
Robbery38
Theft from the person29
Bicycle theft13
Total7,365

Source: data.police.uk street-level archive · Open Government Licence v3.0

Deaths during or following police contact

IOPC-recorded fatalities involving Durham Constabulary over 2004/05 to 2024/25 (2024/25 in brackets). These use the IOPC’s five categories, which have different definitions and are not additive. Figures count incidents the IOPC attributed to Durham Constabulary; see the national page for how multi-force incidents are handled.

Road traffic: 5 (2024/25: 0)Fatal shootings: 1 (2024/25: 0)In/following custody: 2 (2024/25: 0)Apparent suicides: 17 (2024/25: 0)Other contact: 19 (2024/25: 0)

Recruitment

How to join Durham Constabulary

Application stages, entry routes, fitness and vetting requirements.

Open data for this force

Specialist Units

Major Crime Team
Firearms
Roads Policing
Dog Unit
Problem Solving Team

Official Sources

Topics for Durham Constabulary

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