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74-789: Thames Valley Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the Thames Valley region, covering the counties of Berkshire , Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire in South East England . It is the largest non-metropolitan police force in England and Wales , covering 2,218 square miles (5,740 km) and a population of 2.42 million people. Prior to the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 there were ancient ways of keeping law and order through Parish constables or quasi police bodies who conducted

148-612: A Euro NCAP 4 star crash test rating, considered excellent for its time. In the UK, the MK4 Astra was available with a range of 16v Ecotec engines as well some 8v units. The 8v unit was refined during the model's life however, with the Z16SE offering good all round performance compared with its higher insurance 16v equivalent. In addition to the standard hatchback and estate variants, the MK4 also had

222-425: A blue wicking top and single blue band on flat caps. Other staff may wear wicking tops or white shirts, depending on role. Police officers PCSOs only carry a radio, BWV and paperwork required for their role. Police vehicles contain a variety of equipment, which can include Arnold batons, shields, traffic cones , road signs, breathalysers , stingers , speed guns, ANPR cameras and more. Marked vehicles use

296-428: A new unified engine for Vauxhall/Opel, featuring an all-aluminium head, overhead camshaft and hydraulic valve lifters, and it quickly became popular with buyers. A 1200 cc version which used the older Opel OHV engine was also available. There were three body styles for the first generation Astra: hatchback , saloon , and estate , all available with two or four side doors. The saloons were styled exactly like

370-438: A number of "neighbourhoods" based on wards and parishes. Each area is responsible for delivering response policing, neighbourhood policing teams, and local investigative units including a tasking, priority crime and Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Other functions that used to be held at a local level are now delivered at force headquarters level using a shared service approach, with resources deployed as required around

444-535: A popular choice of the coupé and convertible, both released in the year 2000. There was also a saloon variant offered which sold poorly. Although it was replaced in 2004 by the MK5, variants of the model continued for a while afterwards, 5-door hatchbacks were sold until mid-2005 with a reduced range, while the coupe, convertible and Astravan models continued into 2006. This was available in four petrol engine types: There were also these diesel variants: The Astra Mark V or H

518-526: A rebadged Nissan Pulsar , first sold in Australia in 1984. Initially, the car launched with refreshed versions of the GM Family I and Family II engines from the two previous generations, but now fitted with fuel injection and catalytic converters as standard to satisfy European emissions legislation. The range was revised in late 1994, with the launch of Opel's new Ecotec engine. For a short period,

592-519: A single sheet brochure printed in April 1990. Between the brochure being printed, and the time they hit the road the "Leather Edition" acquired some extra dealer fit decals to help them stand out further from the standard 16 valve GTE. These decals comprise a small three colour flash on the tail gate next to the GTE badge, and the same colours under the bumper strips on the sides near the rear arch. A silver strip

666-403: A submodel which consisted of parts from both revisions was produced. The submodel used all the new Ecotec running gear, but many parts from the previous revision were used in order to use up leftover parts. Other main changes included mildly-altered exterior styling – featuring Vauxhall's new corporate 'V' front grille first seen on the 1994 Omega , a smoked grey trim panel available on all cars on

740-547: A symbol of the county of Buckinghamshire. Together they represent the ceremonial counties of the force area. Thames Valley Police is overseen by a locally elected Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner . The incumbent commissioner is Matthew Barber , a Conservative Party candidate elected in May 2021. The police and crime commissioner is scrutinised by the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel. Thames Valley

814-509: A toughened safety cage, a safely-designed steering wheel (with collapsible columns) and 'body-lock' mechanical front seat-belt pre-tensioners. After the first face-lift full-size drivers air bags became optional or standard (depending on the model). Crash tests by consumers association (as featured by BBC's Watchdog show in 1992) and also by ADAC and Auto Express showed that the Mark 3 Astra protected better in crashes than most rivals of its time. In

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888-645: A variety of searching operations in river, underwater, underground, and cliff face conditions, searching for bodies, explosives, drugs, property, contraband and firearms and environments that can be affected by Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear radiation. The Marine Support Unit carries out regular patrols of the Thames Valley and Hampshire's waterways, as well as covering special events including Henley Royal Regatta and Reading Festival . The Thames Valley Mounted Branch based at Milton Keynes Police Station. The unit has nine police horses . The unit

962-619: A wide range of duties. Modern policing in Thames Valley can be traced back to the 1835 act when a number of boroughs set up police forces. For example Newbury Borough Police were operating as a small police force soon after the passing of the Act. The force was one of around twenty borough forces that were later amalgamated with their county police force. These were Buckinghamshire Constabulary , Oxfordshire Constabulary , Berkshire Constabulary , Reading Borough Police and Oxford City Police founded in 1857, 1857, 1856, 1836 and 1868 respectively. Under

1036-625: Is at Ellesmere Port enabling the manufacturer to benefit from sterling depreciation with this model. Design has been a major consideration in the development of new Vauxhall Astra and the car is heavily influenced by the Vauxhall Insignia . Despite being more expensive than the Astra H, the Astra J has been a strong sales success in the UK, where it was the best- selling car in June 2010 with well over 10,000 sales – outselling its crucial rival

1110-595: Is at Oxford Road, Kidlington , Oxfordshire. Thames Valley Police has 48 police stations , with 16 front counters open to the public. The force is covered by two control rooms, one in Abingdon , and one in Milton Keynes . The three police contact centres were formed in 2003, following the closure of local control rooms, to support the newly formed control rooms in Abingdon and Milton Keynes. They are located at

1184-502: Is part of the Joint Operations Unit which works together with Hampshire Constabulary's Roads Policing Unit. Thames Valley Police's Armed Response Unit is a 24/7 unit that responds to major and serious crimes where firearms may be involved. This unit is shared with Hampshire Police as part of the Joint Operations Unit. The training facility is at Sulhamstead with a state of the art firearms range. The unit mostly shares

1258-808: Is responsible for preventing equine crime, assisting in searches of rural areas, and mainly maintaining public order at demonstrations and sporting events, including the four football grounds in Thames Valley, as well as conducting deployments in Hampshire. Based in Heyford Park, formerly RAF Upper Heyford, in Oxfordshire. The POD is responsible for providing tactical support during spontaneous or pre-planned events that may result in public disorder. This includes sporting events such as football matches and Royal Ascot , music festivals such as Reading Festival , and lawful demonstrations. Thames Valley Police has

1332-562: Is responsible for responding to any search related or explosive or terrorist incident, working with Protection Group to guard anyone deemed to be at risk and with dog section to locate the explosive. The unit has four explosive ordnance disposal advisors. The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) is responsible for delivering specialist and niche capabilities to Thames Valley Police, Hampshire Constabulary, Surrey Police and Sussex Police, including investigating cyber and complex, organised crime. The headquarters of Thames Valley Police

1406-630: Is the federal-level police service. It also acts as the provincial police service in every province except for Ontario , and Quebec , which operate provincial police services, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador , which is served by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary . The RCMP is also contracted to act as the territorial police force in Nunavut , Yukon and the Northwest Territories in addition to being

1480-530: Is the use of such a force in East Timor in substitution for Indonesian National Police . Vauxhall Astra The Vauxhall Astra is a compact car / small family car ( C-segment ) that has been sold by Vauxhall since 1980. Over its eight generations, it has been made at several GM/Opel/Stellantis plants around Europe - however most versions have been sourced from Vauxhall's plant at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire , England. For its first two generations,

1554-502: The Chiltern Air Support Unit , having received funding in 1995 to buy a second helicopter. The alliance is recognised to have started unofficially in 1992, when Thames Valley would sell flying time to its nearby forces. Helicopters were based at RAF Henlow and RAF Benson , providing support 24/7, with night-time cover from at least one base. Since 2012, the management of police air-support nationally has moved to

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1628-662: The Ford Focus by nearly 50%. This, however, was at a time when production of the Mk2 Focus was being scaled back prior to the launch of a new MK3 model in early 2011. The Estate version of the Astra, the 'Sports Tourer', debuted at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and went on sale shortly afterwards, with a starting price of £16,575 for the ES version, then Exclusiv, SRI and SE versions, with the SE costing from £20,345. In BBC2's Top Gear ,

1702-749: The G8 Conference in Scotland in 2005 or COP26 officers of the Metropolitan Police who are on protection duties anywhere in the United Kingdom and when taking a person to or from a prison . The United Nations (UN) has operated territorial police forces in those parts of countries which have been under control of the UN from time to time. These were usually formed from police personnel on loan from member countries. A recent example

1776-647: The National Police Air Service (NPAS). G-TVHB continues to be based at RAF Benson, whilst the Henlow base was closed and helicopter relocated elsewhere by NPAS. Founded in 1956 as the Underwater Search Unit of Berkshire Constabulary and transferred to Thames Valley Police under a new name, the unit today is made up of one sergeant and seven constables and respond to around 350 operations each year. The unit are involved in

1850-613: The Police Act 1964 these five forces were amalgamated on 1 April 1968 to form the Thames Valley Constabulary. Thames Valley Police has changed its name only once in its own history in 1971, from Thames Valley Constabulary to Thames Valley Police, a common change in most police forces that makes them more accessible. Thames Valley Police's motto in Latin is Sit pax in valle tamesis meaning 'Let there be Peace in

1924-640: The Vauxhall Astra Estate , Mitsubishi L200 , Peugeot 308 SW and Vauxhall Vivaro to conduct their patrols. Thames Valley Police have approximately 52 operational police dogs . The dogs are mostly donated from the RSPCA or public, and are trained at the Force Training Centre. They usually serve until they are 8 years old, receiving refresher training every year, and then living with their handler after retirement. They are part of

1998-409: The bowler hat . The custodian helmet was dropped for practicality and cost reasons in 2009, but was reintroduced in 2018 yet is only typically seen by officers conducting foot patrols. Traffic officers wear either a white flat cap or bowler hat. In 2009 Thames Valley Police proposed to be the first force to introduce the use of baseball caps as a primary mode of headgear. After trials were conducted

2072-692: The federal police force in those Canadian territories. A separate Sahrawi indigenous unit serving the Spanish colonial government was the Policia Territorial . This gendarmerie corresponded to the Civil Guard in metropolitan Spain . It was commanded by Spanish officers and included Spanish personnel of all ranks. In the United Kingdom (UK) the phrase is gaining increased official (but not yet statutory ) use to describe

2146-520: The rank and shoulder number of an officer. Officers the rank of inspector or above may wear white shirts, with the force badge worn on the left of their chest. Formal dress comprises an open-necked tunic, with a white shirt or blouse and tie for both male and female officers. All officers wear peaked caps and their rank on their epaulettes. The No.1 uniform is accompanied by black boots or shoes and occasionally gloves. The operational uniform, until 2009, consisted of traditional white shirt and tie. This

2220-758: The British market both the Kadett and the Astra were sold through separate marketing operations, with overlapping lineups that competed directly with each other - Vauxhall had tried to mitigate against the overlap by initially only offering the Astra in a limited number of trim, engine and body combinations compared to the Opel Kadett; although this was due to the fact that until 1981, both cars were sourced solely from Opel's Bochum plant - with UK production at Ellesmere Port not starting until 16 November 1981. By 1982 this anomaly had been sorted out as GM had begun to merge

2294-641: The Joint Operations Unit with Hampshire Police. The dog section operates with marked and unmarked Mitsubishi Outlanders and Ford Mondeo estates. Thames Valley Police patrols 196 miles (315 km) of motorways , the most of any police force in the UK. This includes the M1, M4, M40, A329(M), A404(M) and M25, as well as many other 'A' route roads including the A43. These units are based at 6 geographical traffic bases - Milton Keynes, Taplow, Three Mile Cross (Reading), Bicester, Amersham and Abingdon. Roads Policing in Thames Valley

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2368-478: The Kadett D which would have featured the company's trademark "droopsnoot", as well as a conventional three-box saloon version that would have directly replaced the Viva, however budget constraints meant that General Motors cancelled their development, and the Astra was released differing only from its Opel sister car in badging and trim - setting the precedent for all Vauxhall models from that point on. Confusingly, in

2442-463: The Mark 1 GTE, but this was quickly dropped in favour of a 124 hp (92 kW) 2.0 litre unit due to poorer than expected performance. All GTE models featured an all electronic dash with digital speedometer. Analogue instruments were an optional extra, but were very rarely selected over the digital dash. In 1988 Vauxhall's twin-camshaft version of the engine, the C20XE known as the "red top" (due to

2516-753: The Opel Kadett commencing in November 1979, four months before the Vauxhall-badged versions were launched. Whilst the previous generation Kadett C had been discontinued, it effectively lived on in the form of its Vauxhall sister - the Chevette - which remained on sale partly to keep the Ellesmere Port plant in operation until Astra production started, and also to give an alternative option for conservative customers who remained suspicious of front wheel drive. The overhead-camshaft engine (not 1200)

2590-452: The Thames Valley', their slogan is 'Reducing crime, disorder and fear'. The Thames Valley Police shield is made up of features from the shields of its five founding constabularies including a blue river depicting the Thames river and five crowns palisado depicting the five founding forces. The stag is a symbol of the county of Berkshire, the ox a symbol of the county of Oxfordshire and the swan

2664-494: The UK, Vauxhall offered the following trim levels (and in some cases, engine size): The car also had 'special edition' badging, which indicated special trim: In later Sport and GSi models (from 1995 onwards), Lotus Sprung Suspension was used to give a better ride. The Sport models essentially replaced the GSi cars in 1994/1995 due to a drop in sales caused by insurance prices rising sharply. The Pacific special edition

2738-678: The UK, and although it was never able to outsell the Ford Escort, it came closer than any other similar-sized car to achieving this. In 2005, a survey found the two most stolen cars in Britain to be the Vauxhall Belmont and the Vauxhall Astra Mark 2, with more than 1 in 13 Belmonts stolen. Soon after the Mark 2 Astra was launched, they introduced the GTE using a 1.8-litre 115 hp (85 kW) engine lifted from

2812-702: The Vauxhall-badged version of the first front-wheel drive Opel Kadett, which had been launched in 1979 as the Opel Kadett D . This model, which went on sale in March 1980, replaced the Vauxhall Viva in the UK. The last rear-wheel drive Kadett had also formed the basis of the Vauxhall Chevette, which remained in production until 1984. The Astra was Vauxhall's first model to have front wheel drive . Initially, Vauxhall had worked on restyled versions of

2886-618: The Year ' for 1980. However, it was pipped to the European Car of the Year award by the Lancia Delta . Versions available were: Smaller engines received round headlights, while cars fitted with larger engines or better equipment have square headlights. The Mark 2 Astra was launched on 17 October 1984. It used the same range of engines and running gear as the Mark 1, but with a completely restyled body with better aerodynamics . It

2960-536: The alloy wheels were painted white. The black, silver and red versions of the GTE also had colour-coding but had the more conventional black bumpers and silver painted alloy wheels. There was also a van version which was badged as the Bedford Astra – the Bedford brand at that time being used for GM's commercial vehicles in Britain and a few continental European markets. Unlike the previous Opel T-Car, no Coupé

3034-590: 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 outside England and Wales , but include some special police forces over which the Home Secretary has some power. The police forces referred to as "territorial" are those whose police areas are defined by: Members of territorial police forces have jurisdiction in one of

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3108-498: The community and solving issues affecting them. Frontline response officers who work out of patrol bases in the force area and are tasked with patrolling and responding to 999 calls. Officers also conduct investigations into the calls they attend. These officers are often issued with the TASER X2 . ICR officers may be tasked to patrol high crime areas for an increased police presence or to conduct follow up investigations. Officers use

3182-504: The early 1990s saw Vauxhall featuring safety as a selling point, and beginning to incorporate many new safety features into cheaper family cars that were previously only found on expensive luxury saloons. The Mark 3 Astra was one of the first such cars, being introduced ahead of the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Mondeo , two other cars with a similar new-found focus on safety. So, the Mark 3 saw the introduction of twin side impact bars,

3256-566: The engine being replaced with a lower-powered but more modern 'Ecotec' version (2.0 16v with 134 bhp) the bodykit was slightly altered on these models – a longer rear spoiler with integrated brake light, fluted side skirts, a bonnet without vents, and removal of the GSi16v badging from the bumper and tailgate (replaced by the later chrome effect Vauxhall Astra 2.0 16v badging). The second phase GSi's had air conditioning (and no sunroof) available as an option. In common with other car manufacturers,

3330-431: The engine of 6 bhp, and 5 ft lbs of torque, and added .5 of a second to the 0–60 mph time, raising it from 7.0 seconds to 7.5 seconds. In 1990 the "leather edition" limited-edition was launched, and an allocation of around 250 examples sold only through London dealerships. This special edition came with Bordeaux paint work, and crossed spoke alloy wheels. It was also known as the "London Edition" and featured in

3404-563: The flagship VXR (Sport Hatch only), which had 240 bhp. However, special edition models included Active, Energy, Breeze and VXR Nurburgring. The latter was only available in white with a distinctive black (and white) chequered stripe across the bonnet, roof & tailgate. The Petrol Models included 1.4 90 bhp, 1.6 105 bhp or 115 bhp, 1.8 140 bhp, 1.6 Turbo and 2.0 litre Turbo (VXR). The Diesel Models included 1.3 90 bhp, 1.7 with either 80 or 100 bhp and 1.9 with either 120 or 150 bhp. All Diesel models feature

3478-429: The force area. A number of teams are run from force headquarters and their staff are deployed at various locations around the area: Each LPA is sub-divided into neighbourhood wards, which are covered by a dedicated policing team that works together with the local community and partners to tackle local priorities and community crimes. NHPTs are typically conduct high-visibility patrols in their local areas, engaging with

3552-613: The force headquarters in Kidlington, and separate teams within the Abingdon and Milton Keynes control rooms. The contact centres handle all emergency, non-emergency and enquiry calls from the public. Sulhamstead House in Sulhamstead , near Reading, is the Force Training Centre. It also houses the Thames Valley Police Museum , as well as operational units and fleet workshops. Upper Heyford Park serves as

3626-472: The force's Public Order Department base and training centre. There are also several roads policing bases at strategic locations around the force at Abingdon, Bicester, Taplow, Amersham, Milton Keynes, and Three Mile Cross. Many of these also feature armouries for the Armed Response Unit. Male officers typically can wear a flat cap or traditional custodian helmet , while females are issued

3700-609: The hatchbacks, except for a different rear window above a boot lid; from the side they looked almost indistinguishable from the hatchback, with no protruding notch at the rear. The saloon version was replaced by the Belmont saloon based on the Astra MK2 in early 1986. The white 1800 GTE was the first UK car to be 'colour-coded' with body trim that matched the base colour of the car, this included wheel arch extensions, front side and rear lower skirts, mirror covers, bumpers and even

3774-589: The initials CDTI and the majority of engines have 16 valves. From 2006, the TwinTop 2-door coupé convertible was available in the Vauxhall Astra range, having already been a variant on the Tigra. The Astra Mark V was also the first Astra to feature a Euro NCAP 5 star crash test rating. The five-door Astra was replaced in late 2009 (although various models were still available throughout 2010 and 2011), while

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3848-592: The largest non- Metropolitan Police Service operated Protection Group. This specialist department are responsible for guarding multiple fixed locations and protecting any visiting parties that require special attention. They also supply an Armed Support Vehicle to support the static sites and deal with spontaneous incidents. The officers in the unit are required to pass stringent testing, they are Authorised Firearms Officers and also trained in advanced driving, advanced first aid, method of entry amongst many other specialist skills. Thames Valley Police's Counter Terrorist Unit

3922-531: The modern yellow and blue retro-reflective battenberg markings on operational vehicles, as well as the Thames Valley Police shield and website link. Some semi-marked cars are used by Neighbourhood Policing Teams, which only have plain Thames Valley Police markings on the back and sides. Thames Valley Police stopped using the ' jam sandwich ' police car markings between 2000 and 2005 when battenburg markings were adopted and implemented. Territorial police force The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP/GRC)

3996-515: The nameplate was applied to right-hand drive versions of the Opel Kadett for use in the UK. Since 1991, Opel has used the Astra nameplate on its B/C-platform. General Motors' Saturn division in the United States also offered a Belgian-built version of the Astra as a captive import from late 2007 until Saturn was discontinued following GM's 2010 bankruptcy. The Astra name originated with

4070-650: The previously separate Vauxhall and Opel dealer networks and the Opel Kadett lineup was limited to the well-equipped five-door Berlina (1.3S or 1.6S) and the sporty 1.6 SR, leaving most of the market to the Vauxhall Astra-badged cars. As the consolidation of Opel and Vauxhall dealerships was completed, the Opel badged versions were eventually phased out entirely. Production began at Opel 's West German plant at Bochum in August 1979, with British deliveries of

4144-414: The proposal was dropped as being 'a step too far from the professional image of the force'. Other units tend to wear police baseball caps, with other specialist headgear worn accordingly. Officers wear a short- or long-sleeve, black wicking top under their body armour, and black uniform trousers with cargo pockets. Soft-shell and high-visibility jackets are also issued to all officers. Epaulettes feature

4218-418: The rear tailgate to smooth over the protruding rear lamp clusters, and availability of new specification models. The top Vauxhall Astra model was the three-door only GSi, powered by either the same 2.0 engine found in the Mark 2, or a new 1.8 16v petrol injected model with 124 bhp (92 kW). It also featured sports bodykit and interior. The GSi ceased production in 1994 but was reintroduced in 1997, with

4292-488: The red spark plug cover), was fitted to the GTE and instantly created a stir with the motoring press because of its performance. When this engine was originally released in Europe and the UK it developed 156 hp (115 kW) and 150 ft lbs of torque in standard form. A few years later the GTE 16v, now subject to stricter emissions regulations, was fitted with a catalytic converter and a new exhaust manifold, which robbed

4366-440: The three distinct legal systems of the United Kingdom – either England and Wales , Scotland or Northern Ireland . A police officer of one of the three legal systems has all the powers of a constable throughout their own legal system but limited powers in the other two legal systems. Certain exceptions where full police powers cross the border with the officer are when officers are providing planned support to another force such as

4440-438: The three-door Sport Hatch wasn't replaced until late 2011. This was the last Astra to include an Astravan variant, production ceased in 2013 and was effectively replaced by the Fiat Doblo-based Combo van. The Vauxhall Astra Mark 6 was officially unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and has been available to purchase since late 2009. The principal manufacturing plant for the latest Astra (though not for its Zafira sibling)

4514-551: The traffic bases within the force. This team featured in the TV show Road Wars . This unit is part of Roads Policing and mainly uses unmarked cars across the force area. Instead of just responding to incidents, the unit uses a proactive approach by actively looking for criminals and catching them in the act, as well as patrolling areas based on intelligence. The team works in a number of areas including Forced Method of Entry, targeted intelligence and specialist surveillance of criminals both covertly and overtly. The Air Support Unit

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4588-445: The unit was moved to RAF Abingdon. In 1988, the department became a full-time operational unit, only the third in the country at the time and a sergeant and two police constables were seconded to the unit as observers. Throughout this time the helicopters and pilots were chartered from commercial companies. In 1996, Thames Valley Police, Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary amalgamated air support resources and founded

4662-435: Was a huge leap forward from the earlier generation of small engines used in Vauxhall and Opel cars in terms of power, economy and refinement. It was initially available in 1300 and 1600 forms, and later an 1800 fuel-injected version was added, used in the Mk 1 Astra GTE model, introduced in 1983. This version of the Astra was an alternative to the Ford Escort XR3 , Volkswagen Golf GTI and Fiat Strada 105TC . The car featured

4736-413: Was a model that featured a complete Irmscher body styling package with 15" Cesaro wheels from the Mark 3 Cavalier. Following its launch at the London Motor Show in October 1997, the Astra Mk4 was released in Spring 1998 and addressed many of the criticisms of the MK3 in the UK with greatly improved ride and handling. The growing emphasis on safety was also reflected in greater body rigidity, resulting in

4810-411: Was also added adjacent to this. The colours used were that of the GM racing teams, and once fitted these cars also became known as the "Champion" Edition. They came with Recaro seats and door cards clad in Connolly Leather . Released in October 1991, the Mark 3 model was essentially an evolution of the Mark 2, rather than a complete redesign. While Vauxhall had retained the Astra name, this generation

4884-532: Was displayed in the Ellesmere Port showroom throughout the plant's "Silver Anniversary" year. In 1990, Vauxhall began exporting Astras badged as Opel Kadetts to other European countries from the Ellesmere Port plant. Bertone built 6,764 cabriolets from 1987 to 1993. These came as 1.6 (with 82 bhp (61 kW)) and 2-litre (115 bhp (86 kW)) GTEs, the latter available with powered roof and electric windows. These cars are praised for their shake-free shells and their looks. The Mark 2 Astra sold well in

4958-419: Was dropped when it was deemed to be impractical and outdated – not withstanding the retention of this uniform by other forces and the almost universal retention of the helmet. However, starting with the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, TVP has started issuing the custodian helmet again. Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) wear a similar uniform to police officers on patrol, but consisting of

5032-549: Was first launched in May 2004 as a five-door hatchback, which by the end of the year was joined by a five-door estate and a sporty three-door hatchback called the Sport Hatch in the UK. The Sport Hatch had the option of a "panoramic windscreen" (unique for a production car at the time of its launch) which extended the windscreen into the roof area. While a saloon model was offered elsewhere as an Opel, this Astra range did not include one, due to poor sales of its predecessor. The main variants were Life, Club, Design, SXi, SRi, Elite, and

5106-439: Was mostly unsuccessful, as this was Vauxhall's only attempt at badging its hatchback-based saloon as a separate model, and Ford rebadged its Orion range as Escorts in September 1993. In 1987 a special one off "design exercise" based on a 1986 1.8 GTE was built by the Ellesmere Port factory to celebrate its 25th (Silver) Anniversary. The Astra GTE "Quicksilver" was first shown at the British International Motor show that year and

5180-414: Was offered. Sales of this first Astra were strong, and gave Vauxhall a much-needed boost in the small family car sector after several years of declining sales with the Viva HC . It soon overtook the Austin Allegro as Britain's second most popular small family car, although it was still a long way behind the Ford Escort in terms of sales success. The original Astra was awarded What Car? ' s: ' Car of

5254-462: Was officially created in 1982, but the use of helicopters in Thames Valley goes back to 1963, when Oxford City Police experimented with a Brantly helicopter with a dog basket attached to the skids. Thames Valley Police rented helicopters for use on special occasions in the 1970s and '80s. The unit was founded in 1982 when part-time daylight flights were routinely contracted and eight Sergeants were transferred from Traffic and Operations to ASU. In 1986,

5328-415: Was previously overseen by a police authority consisting of 19 members, made up of councillors, members from unitary authorities, independents and a magistrate. In April 2011 the force adopted a local policing model and was split into twelve local policing areas (LPAs), each led by a Superintendent or Chief Superintendent . These consist of one or two local authority areas. The LPAs in turn are split into

5402-584: Was the first to be called Astra by Opel (succeeding the Kadett E), and the first to also be sold by Holden . It was offered as a three or five-door hatchback, a saloon, and an estate. A cabriolet was also offered, designed and built by Bertone. The Astra was sold as a Holden first in New Zealand in 1995, and then in Australia in 1996. The first models were imported from the UK, then later from Belgium. The Holden Astra nameplate had originally been placed on

5476-661: Was voted 1985 European Car of the Year . Long-lived, the Mark 2 was available in estate, hatchback, saloon and cabriolet versions. The saloon was launched in January 1986 and sold as the Vauxhall Belmont ; this trend to brand saloon models independently of hatchbacks was also used by other manufacturers of the period, with examples including the Ford Orion and the Volkswagen Jetta . However, this strategy

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