John Maxwell is a retired Dumfries Police Inspector. For fifteen years John has researched the history of the local police and has now produced a book outlining how formal policing began in the area in 1788.
The book is called ‘Withour Fear or Favour’ the History of the Royal Burgh of Dumfries Police 1788 – 1932 In 1788, shortly after Robert Burns had been made a freeman of the town, the local authority obtained an Act of the Parliament of King George 3rd to collect taxes against the tonnage landed at the port of Dumfries. As a result two night watchmen were employed to patrol the town and protect the Burgess’.
From these early beginnings the force developed through two world wars, numerous hangings, whippings and a great deal of policemen getting sacked for drunkenness and insubordination to amalgamations with Maxwelltown Municipal Police and later Dumfries County Constabulary.
The book highlights all the officers known to have served with the force between 1788 and 1932, it also covers all the murders and hangings held at Dumfries from the 17th century until the abolition of capital punishment. Times were hard and the people even harder, a policeman’s lot was not always a happy one.
