2nd November 1997

History of the Ceylon Police

That trying task: finding suitable men

Mr. David in charge (1910-1913)

European Police.— Longden found the local police officers ill-suited to deal with the big made powerful men who visited the island. Even against the local carters during the Carters’ strike they were ineffective due to their puny size. In dealing with Russian sailors and soldiers coming from the East the Ceylon Policemen were like Lilliputians matched against Gulliver. Their efforts “had about the same effect on them as that of the Lilliputians in their encounter with Gulliver”. The remaining members of the European Police were also of very poor quality. Therefore there was a great need to get persons of better physique, “to stiffen the native police in times of emergency and at ordinary times to take charge of posts with which for a variety of reasons the native Police could not cope”.

The European Police Force consisted of ll Sergeants and 31 Constables serving in Colombo and Galle. The unsatisfactory quality of these men is described thus: “ We have now in their ranks, I fear, a set of untrustworthy, if not corrupt men, many of them inspite of orders to the contrary in the enlistment forms, of mixed descent, nearly all of them uneducated and quite incapable of being put in charge of a squad of native Constables.” This unsatisfactory body of men was disbanded at the end of June, 1910 and steps were taken to get a better set of men from England.

A decision was made to recruit suitable men for the Force from England. As the Metropolitan Police was not prepared to release men for Colonial Employment, it became necessary to recruit from the other Forces. Mr. A. C. Godfrey who was due to go to England was well acquainted with the Chief Constables of Sheffield, Westmoreland, Cumberland, and Leicestershire, which were likely recruiting grounds. His brother was the Chief Constable of Salford. Mr. Godfrey was asked to recruit suitable types, in conjunction with the Crown Agents.

From the very start Godfrey began to experience difficulties. The Inspector he selected was found to be unfit at the time of starting. He was left behind and 2 Sub-Inspectors and 28 Sergeants left England in a P & O boat to reach Colombo in early September. They travelled second class and were discontented from the start. They did not like the food served to them. In Ceylon they were found to be at least up to the required standard physically. The two Sub Inspectors were not satisfied with the conditions they found and were prepared to pay back the money spent on them. They were allowed to resign and took boat the next day. One of them, Macdonald had only been Police Clerk and could not even maintain a Duty Roster. The other, Gray was unwell. The Senior Sergeant Emans was made a Sub Inspector and Sergeant Oldman was designated the Senior Sergeant. Oldman was from the City of London Police and was reputed to have been the Heavy Weight Boxing Champion of 1908.

Before they could get started on their duties a local newspaper started a campaign against the scheme and some of the indiscreet and ill-advised Sergeants stooped to give the Press information without the knowledge of the Inspector-General. Emans could not trace the culprits, not getting any help from Oldman. All these men were instructed regarding the propriety of giving information to the press and were assured that their officers would be more helpful to them than the newspapers. A garbled version of this appeared in the newspapers next day. Oldman deserted.

On November 7, all the Sergeants called on the Assistant Colonial Secretary and handed him a joint petition asking for an increase in their pay or that they be sent home. At the time the Inspector-General was away in the North Western Province. The Superintendent of Police, Colombo, therefore warned them for adopting this incorrect procedure. This induced three of them to withdraw their signatures from the petition. The rest insisted that the petition be forwarded. Accordingly the petition was forwarded and it was filed. Their grievances were that their salaries were not sufficient and were far less than those paid in Singapore and that they had been, “Fraudulently induced to come out by misrepresentations made to them by the recruiting officer about the country and their prospects”. They also alleged that they were made to do duties usually done by Constables. But this was not so. After meeting their normal expenses they would be left with a larger margin than would be left to a young Assistant Superintendent in the first few years of his service. It was difficult to believe that Mr. Godfrey had duped them, being “an officer of very good repute and a gentleman who can be relied on not to demean himself by stooping to malpractices’’.

The trouble did not however end here. On November 11, the Harbour Sergeant deserted. On the 28th, Sergeant Maclean, “ whom I regard as the chief firebrand,” was reported for being absent from his post at York Street Junction. He was produced in the Orderly Room. He refused to make a statement and indicated that he would not do such a duty. He was ordered to do that duty and when he refused the Inspector General wanted him charged in Courts. Mr. Altendorf prosecuted him and Mr. Dowbiggin gave evidence. He was convicted and sentenced to one month’s simple imprisonment. On December 8, two more deserted. The Inspector General asked those who wanted to go to send in their resignations. On the 12th the resignations of 7 were accepted. They were removed from the barracks and were paid off on the spot.

The Inspector-General had to acknowledge that this scheme to recruit from England was a total failure. A few firebrands like Pedlow and Maclean were making it impossible for others to stay on and work. “The nett result of the scheme from which so much was expected has up to date been a failure, has done me no good personally but I can safely say that the situation was not an easy one”. The Inspector-General was however left with those who weathered the storm and was confident that these men would do well.

The Rank and File.— The risks that the “men” went through during their spells of duty were well known. There were instances of Constables who were killed whilst on duty or badly injured and incapacitated for life. Besides the payment of rewards to surviving officers or gratuities to their dependents and holding of Police funerals on some occasions no other recognition was given. For the first time it was decided to recognise Police gallantry by the award of a Medal in 1910.

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