Hertfordshire Constabulary is celebrating 175 years of crime fighting with a day dedicated to the history of the force.

The Constabulary was formed on April 12, 1841 and initially policed 576 square miles and a population of 130,000 with just 80 officers.

Today, the force polices the entire county of Hertfordshire covering 632 square miles, which is home to more than 1,200,000 people.

It does this with 1,746 police officers, 410 Special Constables, 246 PCSOs and 1,498 police staff.

The Hertfordshire Constabulary Historical Society has teamed up with Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS) to host an anniversary celebration on Saturday, September 24 at County Hall in Pegs Lane, Hertford.

The free event will run from 11am to 3pm and will include talks on policing since 1841, historic displays including vintage police vehicles and, from 1pm to 3pm, displays of original police records, mystery objects from policing days gone by and historic photographs.

Throughout the day there will be a chance for children to dress up, have their fingerprints taken and take a tour of police vehicles and a fire engine.

Superintendent Richard Liversidge said: “This promises to be a fun and informative day for the whole family.

“This is a great opportunity to learn more about the history of crime fighting in Hertfordshire whilst also getting up close to vintage police vehicles, archived documents and items of interest.

“There will also be a chance to find out more about signing up as a Volunteer Police Cadet or becoming a Special Constable. You can also meet your local policing team and access crime prevention advice.”