Oxford University Police

[3] They were widely recognised for the bowler hats which formed part of their uniform,[1] and formerly had the duty of patrolling outside the Examination Schools alongside the university proctors, the officials responsible for discipline in the university.

Until the end of the Second World War, the constables were considered to be in loco parentis with regard to students of the university, giving them broad disciplinary powers to enforce university rules and regulations.

[1] In 2002, a group of local traders in Oxford wrote to Evan Harris, a local Member of Parliament, requesting the removal of the police powers of the constables over citizens who were not members of the university.

[2] After a policy review by the University Council in 2003, the University Police was disbanded when it was decided that it would be too expensive to bring the force up to the required standard of training and implement a multi-tiered complaints procedure.

[6] According to the Chancellor's 2003 annual report, these members can still carry out 95% of the duties without constabulary powers.