First police force in NSW

On 8 August 1789 the first police force in NSW was formed.

From the beginning of the Colony, the Royal Marines were meant to undertake the role of police but they proved unwilling to police errant convicts. Governor Phillip, therefore, established a civilian police force made up of several well-behaved convicts.

In 1810 Governor Macquarie re-organised the growing force, establishing police districts and ranks.

As the Colony expanded and the population grew a number of specialised forces were established. These included a Water Police force which was set up in Sydney c.1832, the Native Police corps which operated mainly in northern New South Wales from 1848, and the Border Police, who were responsible to the Commissioners of Crown Lands for policing the land regulations in the remote Squatting Districts.

The most important of these specialised forces was the Mounted Police, which had the responsibility of protecting settlers in outlying areas as well as goods in transit on the roads. It was abolished in 1850. A Gold Escort was formed a year later in 1851 to provide safe passage for gold being transported from the diggings to Sydney.

Unification of the Police force did not come about until the Police Regulation Act of 1862. This Act placed the responsibility of the whole Police force into the hands of the Inspector General and it was organised largely along the lines of its present day basis.