Although specific Police Amateur Boxing Clubs including the Metropolitan Police Boxing Club have been in existence and active since 1928, prior to 1986, nationally, Police Boxing had been fragmented. Although greatly encouraged by some Chief Officers throughout the United Kingdom, the undoubted talents within individual police boxing clubs remained untapped from a national standpoint.

In 1986, Barry Jones a member of the Metropolitan Police organised an annual charity-boxing event, the sole purpose of which was to raise much needed funds for police charities in particular for the widows of officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary [now The Police Service of Northern Ireland].

This was achieved by contacting every police force within the United Kingdom and in doing so, making that vital initial contact with 'all' police force boxing clubs. Also identified were individual police officers that participated in the sport not only through their respective force clubs but those who boxed with non-police boxing clubs.

Having successfully staged a number of these events, all interested active police boxing sections were invited to a meeting held at the then terrorist holding station, Paddington Green Police Station in London on the 21st October 1988.

From this meeting was born the POLICE AMATEUR BOXING ASSOCIATION. A pilot committee was subsequently formed which included Chief Officers from the Metropolitan Police, Merseyside Police, Staffordshire Police, West Midlands Police and The Royal Ulster Constabulary.

The first President of the Association was Sir James Anderton of Greater Manchester Police. The first Chairman was Bob Lawrence who became the Chief Constable of South Wales Police, who incidentally held the post until his untimely death in 1996.

On the 3rd May 1989 at a meeting held in Belfast the Committee of the Police A.B.A. was officially adopted by the Police Athletic Association [now known as Police Sport UK] as the Boxing Section of that national governing body of police sport. From that date the title of the Section was 'The British Police Amateur Boxing Association' and teams formed from that date were to be called 'British Police Teams'.

On the 10th February 1990 the national governing body (civil) of amateur boxing the A.B.A. of England, sanctioned and adopted the British Police National Novice Boxing Championships.

The first British Police A.B.A. National Novice Championships were held on the 23rd March 1990 in Walsall Town Hall, Walsall, West Midlands.

The first 'official' British Police A.B.A. team was formed to participate in a match against the Royal Navy on the 20th April 1990 at the South Parade Pier, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Although this championship had taken place for many years, on the 16th February 1991 the British Police International Open Championship was adopted by the A.B.A. of England. The first 'official' event being staged at the Elephant and Castle Leisure Centre, London in May 1993.

Because of the reforming of a new National Governing Body [NGB], on the 18th November 1992 the British Police A.B.A. joined the newly formed limited company 'The Amateur Boxing Association of England Limited'.

In 1994 the British Police Amateur Boxing Association appointed its first National Coach in the person of Mike Gannon. BEM. (then a member of Hampshire Constabulary) Mike had just completed a full term in the British Army Physical Training Corps, the last twelve of which had been as the Warrant Officer Chief Coach of the British Army Boxing Team.

At the request of the ABAE Limited, the British Police Amateur Boxing Association formulated the rules of the A.B.A.E. National Novice Championships within which, for the first time, the national governing body incorporated the 'graded ability by bouts' rules, which had previously, only featured in police and Combined Services boxing rules.

At the request of the A.B.A.E. the first A.B.A.E. National Novice Championships were staged in 1996 by the British Police A.B.A. at Brent Town Hall, Wembley, London.

At a meeting of the British Police Amateur Boxing Association Committee on the 28th February 1997, held at Durham Police Headquarters, it was agreed that the committee would withdraw from membership of the Police Athletic Association and thereby cease to receive their central funding.

This was purely on the grounds that 'within the PAA', the Police Boxing Association could not continue receiving central funding if it pursued its intended course of affiliating civilian clubs and boxers.

Having taken this step, the Boxing Association reverted to the status held prior to the 3rd May 1989 and again became the Police Boxing Association, and not The British Police ABA.

On the 22nd May 1997 the National Governing Body 'The A.B.A. of England Limited' were informed of the 'deformation' from P.A.A. status i.e.: British Police to Police Boxing Association, and on the 19th July 1997 at its Executive Meeting the new status was adopted by them.

On Saturday 12th July 1997 a meeting of representatives from all Police Community Clubs took place at the West Midlands Training Establishment, Tally-Ho, Birmingham. It is correct to say that there was overwhelming support for the concept of an 'alliance' of police community boxing clubs with the emphasis being put on service to the community by volunteer police officers and civil staff through community boxing clubs.

At this formative meeting twelve clubs joined, all were from inner city areas throughout England including Newcastle, London, Bradford, Devonport and Birmingham,

The 'Police Clubs' committee was formed and the Chairman appointed was Commander Malcolm Campbell, QPM. of the Metropolitan Police, the Vice Chairman was Assistant Chief Constable David Baker, QPM of West Midlands Police and the Patron was subsequently appointed when Sir James Anderton the retired Chief Officer from Greater Manchester Police kindly accepted the post offered on 27th August 1997, thereby returning to the original committee he assisted in forming in 1988.

The first season 1997/1998 of the 'Clubs' proved to be an unqualified success, collectively the clubs had in excess of three hundred boxers some holding titles including 'Olympic silver medallist, European Bronze medallists (2), National Senior A.B.A. champions (2) and at least ten International representatives in the first year.

Some clubs have formed partnerships with their respective local authorities and the benefit that the actions of the member clubs have given both to the local communities and police community relations is immeasurable. Literally hundreds of children and young people now find themselves in a disciplined and friendly environment as apposed to wondering the inner city streets or participating in anti social activities and crime.

It is no understatement to say that many of our members have been guided from a path of crime into the competitive and disciplined confines of our clubs.

The 'Clubs' are committed to enhancing police community relations whilst at the same time promoting healthy sporting activities. We seek to exploit every opportunity to promote our organisation and aims.

On the 28th November 1997, the Chairman of The Clubs, in liaison with the Secretary of the Police Athletic Association Chief Constable Sir John Evans, agreed that the Association should be renamed in order to correctly reflect the activities of the newly constituted Association outside the P.A.A. structure. It was agreed that henceforth the Association would be called The Police and Community Boxing Association.

On the 17th January 1998 at a meeting of the Amateur Boxing Association of England Limited Executive Council, the Home Office and Civil Service were included within the Police Association. This instruction incorporates such organisations as the Prison Service some Fire Service athletes and other Home Office and Civil Service employees.

At this same meeting, the National Governing Body adopted the new title for the organisation, The Police and Community Boxing Association.

In 2001 the 'Alliance' was integrated into The Police Community Clubs of Great Britain [PCCGB], a collective of police community clubs with links and activities with many sporting and community-based activities.

With regard to its boxing activities, the clubs are administered in England as before, under The Police and Community Boxing Association.

As a member of the PCCGB, all member clubs, including those participating in amateur boxing, are encouraged and expected to include 'other' community based activities into their structure.

In 2004 the Police Association was asked by the ABAE to formulate rules for Female Boxing, based on the Police 'Graded' boxing rules they were adopted by the NGB and the Police Association staged the first Female Championships at the Hendon Police College in north London in that same year.

In June 2006, both the Metropolitan Police Boxing Club and The Police Community Clubs of Great Britain became Limited Companies.

In 2007 membership of the PCCGB Boxing Clubs totalled 77 with a waiting list of over 150 clubs. Many of the PCCGB clubs had by then formed partnerships with numerous Youth Offending Teams, many of which also worked closely with local Magistrates Courts from which clubs were provided with referred youngsters as they were seen as a major tool in a magistrate's armoury of rehabilitation options.

Also in 2007 we reluctantly lost our National Coach Mick Gannon BEM who after thirteen years [one year longer than his duties with the British Army team], took up post as the National ABAE Coach leading England's bid for medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. He remains as our Coaching Consultant.

September 2008 witnessed the scaling down of our Boxing Clubs in favour of ensuring we retained clubs which go 'that extra mile' to provide a comprehensive service to their local communities. The process saw the retention of 37 fully affiliated clubs and 13 Associate Level clubs.

This time also saw the affiliation of the first 'Police Clubs' from the Principality of Wales. A total of nine from throughout that country formed our first group under the title of 'The Police Community Clubs of Wales'.

September 2008 saw our move into Boxing Academies when we formed a partnership with the Bradford College of Further Education, the Bradford City Council and the Bradford Police Boys Boxing Club. From this partnership emerged the Bradford Police and College Boxing Academy.

To coincide with the opening of the Bradford Academy, we appointed the first Police Club's Development Officer Mr. Paul Porter who now works jointly with ourselves, the Academy and the local authority. We anticipate that the Bradford Academy will become a centre of excellence initially for female boxing but for all National ABAE Squads who will utilise the first class facilities and accommodation for regular squad training programmes.

Given the unquestioned success of the the Amateur Boxing Section, we can feel confident police community relations can only thrive on our efforts and that amateur boxing remains one of our major vehicles to enable us to achieve our aims.

Any persons / organisations who wish to discover more about our current programmes, or who wish to consider sponsorship opportunities are asked to contact us .