Arthur's police system was based on the nine police districts of the island. At the head of the department was the Chief Police Magistrate, resident at Hobart; in each Police District there was to be an establishment of clerks, constables and field police as the area and population of the district warranted; later, sub-Police Districts were placed under an Assistant Police Magistrate. Each division of a Police District was to be placed in the charge of a division constable, and the field Police were distributed throughout the district at the orders of the Police Magistrate. The papers in this volume are monthly returns of the police establishment of all police districts, subdivided by: Police Magistrate or Assistant Police Magistrate, Chief Constables, Clerks, Police Officers, Chief District Constables, Division Constables, Constables, Field Police, Patrols, Messengers, Flagellators. Also there are comprehensive returns of all police districts at particular dates, two quarterly reports by the Chief Police Magistrate, and sundry returns of offences and punishments.

These records are part of the holdings of the Tasmanian Archives