ABSTRACT
The Police Committees and other bodies concerned with the creation of constabularies in the post-1835 period were faced with something of a problem as to what type of individuals to appoint as Chief Constables. As few men had little if any experience of previous senior police work, many newly appointed Chief Constables were drawn from the armed forces. However, a few such as Northamptonshire were able to employ former senior police officers such as Henry Goddard (1800–83), who had previously and uniquely served as a Principal Officer (‘Runner’) with the Bow Street Police Office. This chapter investigates the successes and problems associated with having to choose from a limited range of candidates perceived to be suitable for the post of Chief Constable in the first few decades of ‘modern’ policing.
