Registered Charity No: 1168731 (England & Wales)
Company No: 10102042
Patron: John Casson MBE

All of us will have come into contact with policing at some point in our lives, for good or ill, and the stories of these encounters reveal who we are – and who we were - as people and as a society.

The Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall records, investigates, challenges, and celebrates our shared history of policing in the southwest. It preserves and examines the legacy of the past with pride – but also with realism and humility.

From their inception in the nineteenth century to the present, the police forces of the southwest have enjoyed a special relationship with the communities they serve. Initially, distance from the major urban centres of England meant largely local recruitment to the ranks, so the geography of the peninsula gradually birthed a unique blend of law enforcement and social history.

But whilst policing has changed significantly over time, the issues haven’t. What could be more contemporary than issues of, say, domestic violence, minority rights, or public order policing which have repeatedly surfaced over generations. Understanding these common human experiences is deepened by viewing them through the prism of the past.

Yet this is a time when every police pound goes into front-line services to the public. Our unique collection of 10,000+ historic objects, documents, maps, photographs and ephemera (dating back to Georgian England) is maintained by the passion of supporters. The Museum invites you to be part of supporting our ambitious and deeply rewarding endeavour.

We recommend you visit a solicitor to make a Will or make an amendment to your existing Will. If you simply want to add on a legacy to the Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall, this could be done by drawing up what is known as a Codicil. This is then simply kept with the original copy of your Will. Please contact your solicitor for more information or visit www.solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk