The Police Force of St. Vincent and the Grenadines came into existence in the period after emancipation. A Police Act of 1834 provided for three divisions each with one sergeant and four men.
The British Police Force in its modern form only became inaugurated in the late 1820s in Metropolis. It was not before the middle of the 19th century (1850s) that it covered the whole country.
In July 1838, the Barrouallie Police Station was the principal one in the Leeward district.
In 1853 an Act was passed ‘to grant the necessary expenditure for the permanent establishment of a Police Force”. This was amended by an Act of 1859, which sought to increase the number of police.
In 1854, the Police Force consisted of 39 men and a Superintendent. Building of the Police Barracks begun in 1873 and completed in 1876. In that same year, a building bought for the Police Station at Calliaqua was renovated.
The Force then consisted of seventy-one (71) Non-Commissioned Officers and men primarily engaged in police duty. Sixteen (16) privates were available for emergency duties. The main duty of the Police was to patrol the town.
In 1899, the Force consisted of a Chief of Police, a Sergeant Major (European), with military training and fifty-two (52) West Indian Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates.
Apart from police work, responsibilities included assistance with administration/supervision of excise duty on rum, collecting Customs duty, assisting with Post office work and the registration of Births, Poor Relief and controlling district telephone exchanges.
In 1943, the rates of pay were: first six (6) months (probation period) $20.80, after six (6) months $24.00, after three (3) years $26.00. Besides the normal rates of pay, members of the Force received temporary war bonus at the same scale as was paid to all salaried members of the Civil Service, $3.20 per month allowance.
Married men were entitled to a House Allowance after three (3) years service. After ten (10) years continuous service, they were entitled to a pension or a reduced pension and gratuity and free medical attendance.
The present legislations (Police Act and Regulations) with minor amendments came into effect in 1947 and 1948 respectively.
In 1951, the Police Force had a total number of one hundred and eleven.
Effective September 1954, the Police Force became under local leadership and has been so since then. The establishment increased from one hundred and eleven (111) to eight hundred and fifty-nine (859) at present.
