Alfred Herbert Richardson

Alfred Herbert Richardson was an English policeman. He joined the Birmingham City Police in 1890. He achieved very rapid promotion within this force and in 1901 became Chief Constable of NewcastleunderLyme, Staffordshire. In 1903 he successfully applied for the Chief Constables office at Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, where he remained until his retirement in 1944. During his time there he achieved many early improvements in policing at Halifax, some of which were later used nationwide. The most notable were the installing of coloured lights as traffic signals at road junctions, the formalisation of procedures for police identity parades, making keep left mandatory for traffic and the installation of police telephones in the town, among others. In later years he was recognized as being a policeman who was ahead of his time. He came from a police family his father, Frank Richardson , was the Chief Constable of Hereford from 1882 until 1920, and his elder brother, Ernest Frank Richa

Alfred Herbert Richardson was the second son of Frank and Mary Richardson. He was born in a police house in Digbeth, Birmingham, where his father was serving in the City Police Force. He, along with his elder brother Ernest Frank, remained there until 1882. His father was then appointed Chief Constable of Hereford. This was a post he retained for 38160years until his retirement. When the family lived in Security Villa, next to the Police Station, Hereford, Alfred Richardson attended the Broomy Hill Academy, Breinton Road, Hereford. In around 1887, having finished his education, Alfred Richardson returned to Birmingham and took a post as a Clerk in the City Police Force, Central Office.

Source: Wikipedia