The coming into force of the Municipal Corporation Act of 1836, transferred from irresponsible, unrepresentative persons to bodies elected by the public, and to these duly chosen by the rate payers were entrusted the management of the Sunderland's affairs. In pursuance of this the first Mayor, Mr Andrew White, took the matter up, and on August 10, 1837 a committee was appointed by the Corporation:

It will be noted from the phrasing that there were then already police, but that was really only so in name.

At that time the small body of men, mostly elderly, were known as 'Charlies' or night watchmen, and their chief duties appeared to be to call out the time during the night, and the state of weather prevailing. In those days clocks and watches were a rarity, and the watchmen thus proved very useful as 'alarms'. Sentry-boxes were provided for them in various parts of the town, and they no doubt came in very handy for an occasional forty winks. There were also 'cages' for the detention of law breakers until they could be dealt with at Court. It was no uncommon thing for crowds to gather round the grating to see who was in the cage, and many an occupant was solaced with a bit of 'baccy' or a drop of something to ease a thirst after a night of carnival.

On September 17, 1837, a Mr William Brown, who had been eight years in the London Force, was appointed Superintendent — the title at first given to the head of the police — and to him was entrusted the task of organising a Force. Nineteen days later the newly-constituted Watch Committee was able to report to the Town Council that

The annual cost was given as £2,885, which was £1,245 more than paid for the 'watch' system. To meet the increase a watch rate of 10d in the £ was levied. By 18 October, the 32 men had been chosen, and on the same day tenders for their clothing were accepted. The equipment for the first years' service, comprised the following: great coat, body coat, one pair of trowsers (spelt with a 'w' instead of 'u'); one ditto extra, one pair of boots, one pair ditto, one cape, one hat (high hat with glazy top), a stick, and a button brush and stick. Rattles were also provided to give an alarm in case of fire. The constable's weekly pay was to be 17s.

The Force was divided into three sections, with a Superintendent for each; there was no reference to a Chief Constable until much later. Each constable had to devote the whole of his time to the police service, and his duty was to commence each evening at periods to be fixed. There was no reference to day duty, except in a case of sudden emergency; and it was the Sergeants' duty to see that all his men "were perfectly sober and correctly dressed" before leaving the station for their beat. In case of fire "the keys of the parish engines had to be obtained from the Police Stations," and the fire offices in the town had also to be notified as speedily as possible of any outbreak. This latter provision was because insurance companies took an active part in the extinguishing of fires. In common with 68 other towns in the country, Sunderland was equipped with a thoroughly up-to-date Fire Brigade included in its Police Force. Another interesting item was the intimation that every Constable "may hope to rise by activity, intelligence, and good conduct, to the superior stations." There were many instances in Sunderland of the highest positions being reached from the lowest rank.

Though the old regulations were of a most stringent character, they were not beyond the powers of any individual desirous of following an honourable occupation in life. In the early days there was no redress for wrongs or grievances but in 1919 the Police Act was passed, following a report from a special Government Committee, presided over by Lord Desborough, that had been appointed to deal with police matters. This Act conferred upon all ranks, except that of Chief Constable, the right to approach the authorities, and the Home Office, if necessary, on matters desiring attention. This was how the Police Federation came into existence. The Pensions Act two years later conferred further benefits.

Dr C C Embleton was, on 9 November, appointed Police Surgeon at a salary of not more than £10 per annum. There was no doubt a keen competition for the post as a result.

By this time all was in readiness, and on 14 November it was stated:

Now, having got the Force well under way, the next step was to see about the appointing of Magistrates, and a place for the administration of justice. To this end the Town Council, on 5 December —still in 1837 — balloted for six "fit and proper persons " to act as Justices. Upwards of a score of gentlemen — there was no thought of women Magistrates in those days — were nominated, and the following were chosen: E Backhouse, W Bell. Dr Joseph Brown, Walter Featherstonhaugh, Joseph Simpson, and R White. These were duly appointed by the Home Office, with the addition of Alderman Lotherington and Mr A White, M.P., also, of course, the Mayor at the time — Mr Richard Spoor.

When and where the first Court was set we cannot be very definite. It was not until 1844 that official records of the Force were kept but from then onwards they have been preserved with the greatest care and kept right up to date. From these come many of the details we share here.

The lad was apprehended by PC William Currie, No. 34 - the numbers of Constables were usually given in those days — who found the money in the boy's shoes, and the stolen articles in a box. Superintendent Brown preferred the charge, and the case was dealt with by Alderman Lotherington, who discharged the offender with a caution. At that time the Court sittings began at 11 am.

While the chief office was in East Cross Street, there were three other stations, or offices, set up in the town. At the former the accommodation consisted of but two large cells for prisoners, and a charge office. The three offices were in Church Street East, with two small cells for the convenience of 'drunks' in the back of Dundas Street, and later Dixon Square; and the Low Street. A station at the West End was not then considered necessary.

These sections were set up in 1853, and an Inspector was placed in charge of each. The Low Street section was located in an old house a little below Bodlewell Lane, but the house then was better known as "The Hole in the Wall." Shortly afterwards the Bodlewell Lane Station was built by the Corporation, and this became the headquarters of the River Police. The Barclay Street Station was opened in 1859 or 1860 and about the same time the West Enders were catered for in like manner. The latter office was at first in part of the old workhouse in Gill Bridge Avenue, on a portion of the site of the later Police Buildings. Later the West End Station in Hylton Road was built.

As time went on the need for more up-to-date and centralised premises became very pressing, and the site of the later used buildings was acquired. On 18 January 1905, the foundation stones (two) were laid, one by the Mayor (Coup. Fred Foster), and the other by the then Councillor and later Alderman J G Kirtley, the Chairman of the Watch Committee. The buildings were opened by Lord Durham, K.G., the Lord, Lieutenant of the County, and on the same day the Freedom of the Borough was conferred upon his lordship. There is no doubt that the premises fully justified all that was said about them at the time, and Sunderland had every reason to be proud of them. The accoustic properties may not have been so good as the old place, and the need for artificial lighting in the day time might have been avoided, but after all these were only small matters.

A brass tablet recording the opening ceremony was fixed on the staircase leading to the Courts. There were 26 names of those officially connected with the function on it.

The first list of cases dealt with at the Gill Bridge Avenue Court is dated 2 September 1907, and comprises 25 charges, and 18 of these were for drunkenness.

Sunderland had by this time risen to the dignity of a County Borough, and had its own Quarter Sessions. On 9 July 1907. Mr Edward Short was the first Recorder to be appointed, and just 15 days before Sunderland got its first Coroner, the late Mr J F Burnicle. Prior to that the town was included in the County area for "Crowner's Quests." In 1908 the Juvenile Court was established, and on 24 June 1924, a Court under a Chief Constable's juvenile offenders' scheme was instituted by the then Chief, Mr F J Crawley. These agencies did remarkably good work. Of equal merit were the efforts of probationary officers to keep youngsters from straying down the erring paths. The latest addition to Courts was that for dealing with matrimonial and maintenance cases.

As pointed out earlier, Mr William Brown was the first head of the Force. He held the post for seventeen years, and retired on pension early in 1855. Mr Robert Gifford succeeded him and left in the beginning of 1858 to become Chief Constable of Warwickshire, under the Constabulary Act of 1857. Mr Joseph Stainsby was the next Superintendent and in his third year of office he, in July 1860, received the title of Chief Constable. Mr Stainsby's successors through the first one hundred years of Sunderland Borough Police are as follows: October, 1878, J Nicholson; June, 1885, William Huntley; December, 1911, William Carter; October, 1915, Fred J Crawley; and July, 1925, John Ruddick. Sunderland's first Deputy-Chief Constable was Superintendent G H Cook.

It is interesting to note how the Force varied in strength during the first one hundred years since its formation. In the early days there was no such rule as authorised numbers, and these, naturally, varied from time to time. They began with 32, made up of a Superintendent, three Inspectors, six Sergeants, and 22 Constables. The total strength at the end of each tenth year was as follows: 1847, 42; 1857, 67; 1857, 99; 1877, 135; 1887, 139; 1897, 167; 1907, 190; 1917, 199; 1927, and 200 in 1937. The highest number in the first century of any year was 228 in 1914. In January 1930, the authorised strength was fixed at 200. The reduction was brought about by the introduction of the telephone box system in 1923, the Chief Constable estimating that there were then 35 fewer men required than would otherwise have been the case, and this was despite the fact that the area of the Borough had been greatly increased since 1923.

It is only right to add that at no time was the services of any man dispensed with. They remained until due for retirement on pension, and their places were not filled. Miss Joan Reynolds was the first appointed woman Constable, 10 on July 1916, and was succeeded by Miss S M Finlay in December 1931. At the outset women Constables in the country were included in the authorised strength of a Force. As of the 1930's they were not; they are regarded as 'extras.'

The Police Band was established in 1861, and in the first 76 years it had only two bandmasters. Mr W W Lax was in command for considerably over half a century and he was succeeded by Mr W R K Straughan.

Reference has already been made to the primitive methods employed for the extinguishing of fires in the town. To carry that a little further it may be pointed out that while many improvements had been effected, it was not until the Havelock House fire (July, 1898) that the business of setting up a properly equipped brigade was seriously tackled. A firm noted for its manufacture of the necessary appliances was conununicated with, and they sent an engine to the Town to give a display. This took place in front of the Town Hall and caused a great sensation, the force of water being high enough to actually wash the face of the clock! Two of these engines were speedily obtained, also six horses for use in drawing them.

The process of evolution continued and on 1 April 1916 — the day of the air-raid — the first motor-engine was added to the facilities. At the close of the first one hundred years, there were three motor fire pumps in use as well as chemical and other extinguishing requisites. Six horses were likewise included in the establishment for the use of mounted police, and there was authority to engage up to a further 14 in case of need. But, as the Chief Constable observed: "I don't know where we could get them nowadays." The equipment also comprised a turn-table and water-tower fire escape, these being the latest inventions at the time. There were 16 men in the Brigade, all housed on the premises, and other members of the Force acted as auxiliary firemen when required. The Brigade dealt with an average of 250 fires annually. Two of its members, the Sergeant (afterwards Inspector) Patterson and Fireman Brumby were awarded the Royal Humane Society's V.C. for life-saving during a fire in Hamilton Street, Monkwearmouth, in the course of which two lives were lost.

The Brigade had, further, a great deal of work in connection with the ambulance, there being upwards of 4,000 cases annually. The first ambulance vehicle, was subscribed for by the local medical profession, and presented to the Town. Superintendent T. S. Harrison was in charge of the Brigade, and was connected with it practically all his life.

The Wear River Watch, to give it its proper title, was instituted by Act of Parliament on 4 June 4 1840 and was still controlled by a body of Commissioners in 1937. A large number were appointed under the Act to administer it, and some of their descendants were members of the governing body in later years. They had full authority to act in all that, in their view, pertained to the welfare and maintenance of the organisation, and their only connection with the Borough was that the Superintendent must be the Chief Constable of the Town.

The Commissioners were also empowered to add or to reduce the number of those on duty when they deemed such necessary, and to provide facilities for the extinguishing of fires on the river and docks. Each man's equipment included a steel cutlass, and sheath, and a truly formidable weapon it was. By the Centenary of the Police Force, they were no longer used, instead adorning the Chief Constable's office and the Magistrate's room. For many years the Watch comprised 28 officers and men with that number down to 21 by 1937.

An interesting and unique fact in connection with the Watch is worthy of being recalled. On 10 November 1918, a fire broke out on board the steamer Horsley lying in the river. There were on board 700 rounds of ammunition (18-pounder) and had this gone off, half the town would have been blown to pieces. Despite the great risk involved the flames were extinguished just when the first case was smouldering.

King George V recognised the bravery displayed by awarding the King's Medal — the Police V.C. — to Inspector Rocheford, Sergeants Jennings and Jackson, and Police Constables Adams and Steele. No other Force had been so honoured. The medals were handed over by Lord Durham, Lord Lieutenant, at the Shire Hall, Durham, on 20 May 1920.

In conclusion, one striking change that had taken place, in the course of the first century of the Sunderland Borough Police relates to the feeling existing between the two P's — public and police. There is no doubt that for many years the public did not, to put it very mildly, regard the custodians of the peace with much favour, and hostile crowds were quite the regular thing at many arrests. By the close of the first one hundred years of the Force, there was a cordial understanding and co-operation between the two, and this was brought about by the gradual recognition of the fact that though the duties of the police are usually of an unpleasant character they are performed in the best interests of the community. The result was that the policeman's lot was not so unhappy in Sunderland.

Sunderland Borough Police became part of Durham County Constabulary on 1 April 1967.