Bahamas

The Royal Bahamas Police Force

- is the national law enforcement agency of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The RBPF
operates within the portfolio of the Ministry of National Security. The police force was
established on 1 March 1840. The Force is headquartered on East Street Hill in Nassau,
Bahamas.

RBPF EMBLEM

History

Central police station of the RBPF in Nassau

From the early eighteenth century to the later part of the nineteenth century, the development of
policing generally followed the pattern of policing in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland. During the first half of this period, men were appointed as constables to assist in the
enforcement of government rules and regulations, and the apprehension of offenders. A Night
Guard was also assigned to protect the town of Nassau, capital of the British Crown Colony of
the Bahamas, during the night. As early as 1729, there was a constable in New Providence.
However, his duties seem not to have been as broad and well defined as the police constable of
today. This constable was attached to the local Magistrate, Justices of the Peace and several other
Government officials.
In 1799, an Act of the General Assembly (now called Parliament) declared that all constables
would have the same powers as their counterparts in Great Britain. They were then allowed to
arrest on suspicion of crime as opposed to only after the crime had been committed. In 1827, the
Assembly stipulated their mode of appointment. It is evident that during this period, only one
constable was appointed to serve at a time in each district. These appointments were made by the
serving Magistrate with the assistance of two Justices of the Peace.
As time passed and crime increased, a small number of constables were appointed to serve at the
same time. However, they were never organized as a formal police force. Each was responsible
to the Magistrate in a particular district. It is interesting to note that this system of constables has
evolved into the District and Local Constables of today.
During the early years of British colonial rule, slaves made up the majority of the population in
the Bahamas. The little policing needed was done by the free population with the help of
Constables, Magistrates, and Justices of the Peace. Any slave rebellion or potential slave
rebellion was kept in check by the local detachment of British soldiers and the slave owners.
Prior to the abolition of slavery by Act of the British Parliament in 1834, there was a system of
night patrols in New Providence called the Night Guard. The men forming this guard were not
constables, but were also supervised by the local Magistrate. Their duties were primarily to
protect the homes and businesses of the free population at night. In addition, the West India
Regiment was stationed in Nassau to take care of any serious breach of peace throughout The
Bahamas. These men were trained soldiers recruited from different ethnic groups in Africa and
the Caribbean. They lived in barracks in isolation from the populations to ensure their loyalty in
the event of local slave rebellions. In addition, their duties also included the protection of the
Islands from foreign invaders. At that time, the barracks was situated on the site where the Hilton
British Colonial Hotel currently stands.
The majority of the Family Islands which make up The Bahamas were largely neglected as far as
law enforcement was concerned, as crime in these areas was almost non-existent.

Structure
The Royal Bahamas Police Force is headed by Ellison E.
Greenslade, Dr.h.c.,MBA,QPM, the Commissioner of Police
(2010 – 2017) who is supported in his role by a Deputy
Commissioner.