Police and Detection

The first demands for a professional police force came in the 18th century. In 1829, the Home Secretary, Robert Peel, was finally able to set up the Metropolitan Police in London. The policemen, or ‘peelers’, wore top hats and blue tail-coats with identifying numbers on their collars.

Before organised law enforcement there were many different types of voluntary and private ‘policemen’. An early type of policing from about 1285 was known as ‘watch and ward’. The term ‘watchmen’ derived from this, men chosen from all households in the community to protect citizens at night. Watch houses were established but dishonesty was widespread. The Night Watch was started in Poole in 1756.

Crime appeared to be spreading from the towns and cities to rural areas in the 1830s. In 1839, the Quarter Sessions were allowed by the County Police Act to set up police districts, appoint chief constables and employ paid policemen. Dorset’s first paid police force was in Sturminster Newton (1849). Wimborne’s police force started in 1855, its station and magistrates’ court eventually on Poole Road. A superintendent, sergeant and 10 constables replaced the last parish constables, William Duffal and James Galpin.

A Dorset county police force was established in 1856. During his 31 years, the second Chief Constable, also an army officer, insisted that every man in the force grew a moustache and in 1894 introduced a bicycle allowance of £3 per year. By 1930, the Force was purchasing eight Norton motorcycles.

In the 19th century, policemen attended classes at which they were taught to recognise the features of criminals. For a time, people really believed that a criminal could be spotted by his facial features. The rural beat officer was required to keep a ‘beat register’, including a list of suspicious and bad characters; the register for Sixpenny Handley survives.