During the first week of the new year in 1847, threatening letters were sent to many of the respectable inhabitants of the town of Colyton stating that, unless immediate provision was afforded to the labouring poor, 'fire' would be resorted to. After the receipt of the letters, many fires were wilfully set in the parish of Colyton. In consequence to these events it was thought desirable to have a Policeman. Application was made to the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police and Joseph Canham was sent down and sworn as the Police Constable of Colyton on 30th March at £1 1s. a week wages.

Constable Canham continued as the Policeman until June of 1848 but with his wages reduced to 16s. per week on account of a fine being levied against him for his conduct in an assault. A parish meeting was held to review his action of apprehending a female outside of the parish. Some warm discussion took place at the meeting with some parties advising he should resign. Others felt he had only committed an error in judgement, thereby exceeding his duty. Following these discussions, Constable Canham sent in the following resignation:

In consequence of his resignation, an advertisement dated 5th April 1848 was placed in The Western Times on 15 April seeking a Police Constable to apply, providing references concerning character, to the Overseers of Colyton for the now vacant position. However, no candidates came forth and no appointment was made as the advert was withdrawn that same day in the later edition as the resignation of Constable Canham was not considered binding. Without a valid resignation there was no vacancy to fill. The matter came to a head in Axminster County Court, 12th June, when Constable Canham sought to recover a month's wages, £3 4s., he alleged to be due himself as Policeman for the parish of Colyton. His Honour felt to the contrary that the resignation was good and that Constable Canham had no claim for the wages against Colyton for the month.

Constable Canham was succeeded in May of 1848 by J Mountstephen whose first months' duty was a difficult one as he was assaulted. The perpetrator was sentenced to five weeks' imprisonment for the offence. On 2 September 1851, the size of the Constabulary of Colyton was doubled when two men were sworn in as Police Constables for Colyton. One of their first duties was to impound all stray cattle, pigs, etc. which of late had infested the streets, and proved a great nuisance to the inhabitants.

James Holway, formerly Constable No. 10 of the Exeter City Police, was appointed Police Constable of Colyton in February of 1854 with pay of £60 per annum. He had been upwards of six years in the Exeter Police Force and received high testimonials for good conduct from his superior officer resulting in his selection by the Inspectors for Lighting and Watching the town of Colyton. Constable Holway executed his duties admirably but did see his pay decreased by £10 in his second year as Constable and remain at that lesser amount for his subsequent years of service.

Constable Holway's name appeared in newspapers across the country in 1855 in connection with the attempted murder of a clergyman and his daughter in the quiet village of Musbury, about equal distance between Colyton and Axminster. A "Captain Harvey" fired two shots at the pair, the first passing through each of their hats and shattering the comb in the young girl's hair. The second grazed the face, head and neck of the Reverend George Tucker causing an instant flow of blood. After discharging the gun, Harvey went back into his house and locked the door. Constable Holway happened to be in Musbury that morning on business and was shortly on the spot. Along with the constable of the parish, Constable Holway went up to the door but Harvey threatened that the first man who should break open the door should take the consequences as he would shoot them if they attempted to enter. Soon he was joined by Constable William Tucker of Axminster and, three hours later, by the second Constable of Axminster, Samuel Restarich. At that time, Constable Holway attempted to make entrance at the rear of the premises while the front door was forced and Constable Restarich apprehended Captain Harvey without a struggle. Securing him, Constable Restarich then entrusted him to Constable Holway, located a gig, and the two transported the prisoner to Axminster previous to him being taken before the magistrates.

With the formation of the Devon County Constabulary in 1857, the policing of Colyton then fell within its purview and the parish town thus into the 'B' Division of the County Constabulary. A testimonial was presented to Constable Holway signed by all of the members of the Board of Inspectors expressing their high estimate of the value of his services and their regret that through the introduction of the new County Police a connection was about to be closed which had resulted in many advantages to the peace and good order of the town and neighbourhood. During the whole of his connection with Colyton there was not a single charge of neglect of duty preferred against him. Constable Holway's last day as Policeman of Colyton was Lady-day [25 March] of 1857. As he was 35 years of age, he was too old to be eligible to join the Devon County Constabulary but he is recorded as one of those appointed as parish constable for Colyton in 1867.

In his place, if not immediately then shortly in succession to another, a Second Class Constable of the Devon County Constabulary, PC Patrick O'Flarherty, was stationed at Colyton with pay of 18s. per week. He was born in Galway, Ireland, and previously served five and one half years in the Revenue Police who were established in 1830 and charged with suppressing illicit distillation of alcohol in Ireland. The Revenue Police were abolished in 1857 with the Officers then given the opportunity to join the Irish Constabulary. Should they choose to join at that time they were then not subjected to the normal regulations for new recruits respecting age, height, etc., and their past service in the Revenue Police would count to their benefit. Mr O'Flarherty instead joined the Devon County Constabulary as a Second Class Constable on 7th March 1857 as Constable No. 66. He was promoted to First Class Constable on 1st February 1859, to Acting Sergeant on 12th March 1859, and to substantive Sergeant on 1st June 1863. He was dismissed from the County Constabulary on 4th August 1863 without a given reason. Although joining the County Constabulary very early on, he was actually the second holder of collar number 66, the first being Thomas Pridham who was dismissed after serving barely two months.

In addition to Colyton, PC O'Flarherty did duty at the adjoining parish of Shute. As was often the case with a sizeable beat such as the parish of Colyton, the town would find itself without a Constable within its borders, with them instead being on duty six or seven miles out, leaving the town to fend for itself. This was a source of angst for some of the residents in light of the £140 they then contributed to the police rate on an annual basis in place of the £50 that was previously expended. The Devon County Constabulary Constable was considered to be of general good conduct but he was not gifted with ubiquity even on a dark night.