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Police Act of 1840
With
the abolition of slavery in 1834, it became necessary to replace the system of
night patrols and constables with an effective, coercive Police Force.
To this end, an Act was passed by the Assembly on February 20,1840.
Under this Act, the Governor was authorized to appoint an Inspector
General to head a new Police Force and a number of Constables to make up this
Force. It is remarkable that this
first Bahamas Police Act contained many of the principles set out in the Police
Act of 1965 which presently governs the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Upon the appointment of the Inspector General, the power of the Magistrate To supervise the Constables came to an end. Under a later Act, any Magistrate on a Family Island was authorized to exercise this power whenever the Inspector General was not on that particular Island.
(See History of the Royal Bahamas Police Force Hand Book 1840 - 1990 at the Police Training College Library Thompson Boulevard, Oaks Field, Nassau Bahamas)
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