Belfast Harbour Police

Belfast Harbour Police is the specialised Port and neighbourhood policing service responsible for policing the Port of Belfast and the wider Belfast Harbour Estate, an area of 8km2. Their jurisdiction extends 1 mile beyond any land owned by the Belfast Harbour Authority.

Their purpose stated on their website is ‘to deliver an effective and efficient policing service for the Belfast Harbour Port Community, Estate and neighbouring communities with a focus on community partnership, crime prevention, detection, water safety and road safety’.[1]

The Force was established in 1847 and is the oldest police force on the island of Ireland. Part of their powers are granted through Belfast Harbour Commissioners’ by-laws. Officers of this force are sworn in as ‘special constables’ under section 79 of the Harbours, Docks, and Piers Clauses Act 1847. The unit today consists of trained uniformed police officers and a CID section who provide 24-hour cover, responding immediately to incidents and requests for assistance throughout the Harbour Estate.[2]

Do you want to learn more about the history of Belfast? We may run into the Harbour Police on my Titanic Quarter & Maritime Belfast tour!


[1] https://www.belfast-harbour.co.uk/belfast-harbour-police/ Accessed 5.6.22.

[2] https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20100209081026/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/shippingports/ports/accountabilityreview?page%3D19 Accessed. 6.6.22.