The Bombay City Police: A Historical Sketch, 1672-1916

A chronological account traces the evolution of the city police from seventeenth-century militia and night watches into a formal magistracy and organized constabulary. It describes administrative developments, changing duties, the composition and uniforms of personnel, and the practical methods used for crime prevention and maintaining public order. The narrative surveys successive heads of the force and the reforms they implemented, situates policing amid episodes of political unrest and civic growth, and concludes with reflections on the force’s structure and character on the eve of major constitutional and administrative changes.